SALISBURY Post Office is to move to Winchester Street and will give customers an extra ten hours service a week.

The branch, which is currently in Castle Street, will relocate to Occasions Thorntons from Thursday, March 10.

The Castle Street branch will close on Wednesday, March 8 at 5.30pm. And while the change-over takes place customers can use the High Street and Churchhill Way West Post Offices.

The new branch in Winchester Street will have five modern serving positions — two open-plan counters, two screened and an open-plan post office service point next to the retail till.

Post office services will be open Monday to Friday: 8.30am – 5.30pm; Saturday: 9am – 5.30pm; Sunday: 10.30am – 4.30pm.

The extra opening hours include Sundays and earlier mid-week opening times as well as longer Saturday hours.

Julia Marwood, the regional network manager for the Post Office, said: “We are confident that this vibrant new-style Post Office at the heart of the local community will meet customer needs.

"This modernisation is part of a major investment programme, the largest in the history of the Post Office and will secure services for the future.

"We are also making it easier for customers to get their cash, send and collect their mail and do their banking because we know how important these services are to local residents and businesses.”

Salisbury Post Office has been temporary managed since our contract with the former postmaster came to an end. Whilst this arrangement enabled the Post Office to maintain services it says that meant the current service had been liable to close at short notice and as a result it sought a "more secure solution" to retain services in the longer term.

The Post Office says the current temporary Postmaster offered to incorporate the post office into his existing cards and confectionery store nearby Winchester Street.

The Post Office held a public consultation about the move and says it received a large number of comments from customers and local representatives who were mainly in support of the move. But there were concerns regarding the pedestrian route to the new location.

A Post Office spokesman added: "We recognise the post office plays an important part in the lives of customers, particularly to elderly and disabled customers, and we want to make our services as accessible as possible. We do recognise that some customers may have concerns regarding the pedestrian route, and they may wish to use an alternate branch. High Street, Salisbury or Churchill Way West branches both have bus stops close by and customers using public transport may find these convenient alternatives."