Major improvements are to be made to Otterbourne Post Office and store.

The premises are to undergo a major refurbishment including an extension and when it re-opens it will be known as Otterbourne Foodmarket.

It will need to close on Wednesday August 30 at 5.30pm and is expected to re-open until Tuesday October 3 due to the complex nature of the works.

The PO will re-open later on Monday 16 October.

IOtterbourne Post Office will be a modern local-style branch with a low-screened Post Office counter alongside the retail till of the store.

Opening hours will be significantly longer: Monday to Saturday: 7am – 10pm; Sunday: 8am – 10pm.

This will be an extra 58 hours of Post Office service a week including all-day Sunday and Saturday afternoon. The branch will also open significantly earlier and will close much later every day. These changes will make it far more convenient for customers to visit.

Annete Thomas, Post Office Area Manager, said: “We are 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.

"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.”

This will be a new-style local plus branch with an enhanced range of products including manual banking, Transcash, and Royal Mail and Parcelforce International Services. Cheques will continue to be accepted as a method of payment.

Otterbourne Post Office will be delighted to welcome customers to the newly refurbished branch.

Local residents and small business customers will be able to access a wide range of Post Office and mails services, including Special Delivery, Local Collect, home shopping returns, online banking cash deposits and withdrawals.

Other services include Post Office Card Account withdrawals, sending funds abroad using Moneygram, and customers can also pay bills, pre-order travel money, apply for travel insurance and top up mobile phones.