STAFF and customers at a Winchester post office celebrated the start of a new era.

Oliver’s Battery Post Office has been reopened following an extensive revamp which means it can now stay open seven days a week.

As reported in the Chronicle, the post office in Oliver’s Battery Road was closed for ten days to allow the modernisation to take place.

It means the post office service will be available during the store’s opening hours from Monday to Friday from 7am to 9pm, Saturday from 8am to 8pm. It means it will also be open on Sunday from 8am to 7pm.

On hand to mark the event in style was Winchester MP Steve Brine, Cllr Brian Mitchener and pupils from Olivers Battery Primary School.

Steve Brine MP, said: “The longer opening hours will really benefit the whole community with the impressive choice of when Post Office customers can visit. The Post Office counter fits in well into the layout of the store.”

Mrs Selvi Nimal, who has been Postmaster since 2010, said: “Post Office customers really like the open-plan till – it makes it far easier for myself and my long-serving colleague Tina Foulds to have conversations with customers. It makes the branch friendlier and more welcoming.

“The branch is now open the same hours as the shop, so people can pop into buy their newspapers first thing in the morning and do their Post Office transactions or in the evening they can come in to post a parcel or to pick up a collection item and purchase their convenience goods or alcohol.”