RESIDENTS in a West Devon village will once again benefit from the services of a Post Office as an outreach service is set to open next week.

Milton Abbot Post Office closed a month ago when postmistress Hilary Pitt retired, but last week Post Office Ltd announced its plans to re-open Milton Abbot Post Office as a Hosted Outreach Service at the popular MAVIS shop (Milton Abbot Village Independent Store), next door to its original location.

During a public consultation, customers were asked to raise any views they had over the proposed service provision at the new location and the feedback was all in support of the move.

The new service will start on Monday (April 30) and will be available on Mondays from 9am to 1pm and Fridays from 1pm to 5pm. The service will be managed by owners of Gunnislake Post Office Steve and Mary Taylor.

Owner of MAVIS Romilly Cousins said the Post Office was a much needed service in the village and residents would be pleased to see it back:

She said: 'We put in an application to have a full-time Post Office at the shop and they came back to us offering us the service for eight hours a week, to be managed by Steve and Mary from Gunnislake. It is a really important service but people will be disappointed that it is not more full-time.

'The shop is the perfect place for it — it's a good place to stop and pop in.

'They did say that if there was a good response to the service we could apply to increase our hours. The services on offer will be more than before because Gunnislake is a bigger Post Office than the original one here, so they will be able to offer things like car tax and Euros etc.

'People will be really pleased that the service is back.'

Post Office Ltd spokesperson Colin Pound said: 'Establishing this Hosted Outreach Service will enable the Post Office to secure services to the local community.

'We are confident that a service twice weekly, of four hours on Monday mornings and four hours on Friday afternoons, will meet customer demand. However, we will continue to review and monitor service on an ongoing basis.

'Customers can still collect benefits in cash from their bank accounts or Post Office card account, and there are parking facilities available nearby.'