Bungay Post Office is set to move to a new location following a six week consultation.

The branch will be moving from its current site in Earsham Street to McColls Retail Group Ltd in St Mary’s Street, and will reopen as a modern main-style post office with longer opening hours. The changes will offer customers an extra 29 hours of services each week including Sunday mornings and Saturday afternoons.

The branch will also open earlier and close later every day, making it more convenient to visit.

Chief operating officer for McColl’s Retail Group, Dave Thomas, said: “We are looking forward to welcoming Post Office customers to our store. As a convenience store operator we are always looking for ways to make life easier for our customers and the additional Post Office services will be available for the full opening hours of the store in order to provide an excellent service for the local community.”

The post office will close for the final time in Earsham Street with the current postmaster’s agreement, on Tuesday, September 22, at 5.30pm. Alternative branches during the transfer are Ditchingham Post Office in Loddon Road or Beccles Post Office in WHSmith.

The branch will reopen at McColls on September 23 at 1pm. It will have three modern serving positions, with two main counters - one screened and one open plan - which will be open Monday to Saturday from 9am to 5.30pm. There will also be a post office service point at the retail counter, offering selected products and services outside of the core hours from 6am to 9am and 5.30pm to 6pm, Monday to Saturday and 7am to 1pm on Sundays.

The proposal received the backing of Bungay Town Council who discussed the plan at a meeting in March after the consultation was launched.

Will Russell, regional network manager, said: “We understand how important having a Post Office is to residents in Bungay and we are confident this new modern branch will meet the needs of the local community and secure services for the future. The modernisation is part of a major investment programme, the largest in the history of the Post Office and makes a commitment to no more branch closure programmes.”