THE Post Office is proposing to close Crewe’s Hungerford Road branch and replace the service with a new facility within McColls newsagents in Coleridge Way.

The Post Office says the move will create a ‘modern open-plan local-style branch with extended opening hours’.

Services will be offered from two open-plan tills at the counter alongside retail transactions throughout shop opening hours, instead of from separate screened positions.

Post Office regional network manager for central England, Adrian Wales, said: “We understand how important having a Post Office is to residents in Crewe and we are confident that this new modern Post Office service will meet the needs of the local community and secure services for the future.

“This modernisation is part of a major investment programme, the largest in the history of the Post Office and marks a commitment to no more branch closure programmes.”

The new McColls facility is 500 metres from the current post office in Hungerford Road.

Post Office is now inviting customers and interested parties to give their comments on the move in a six-week public consultation.

Should the move go ahead, the branch would open from 6am to 10pm Monday to Saturday and 7am to 10pm on Sunday – amounting to 65 extra hours of Post Office service than is currently offered each week.

During the public consultation, the Post Office said it would welcome feedback on any issues customers would like considered before a final decision is taken on the proposal.

Consultation will close on July 1. Submissions can be made during the consultation by Freepost YOUR COMMENTS to Post Office Ltd, via email to comments@postoffice.co.uk, via the customer helpline on 08457 223344 or Textphone 08457 223355.