THE POST Office has opened a six-week consultation on plans to establish a permanent Bridgwater store in Eastover.

Post Office Ltd today announced its proposal to move from its temporary portacabin on a car park in Northgate to a new permanent branch at 27 Eastover.

Tony Jones, Post Office regional network manager, said: “We understand how important having a Post Office is to residents in Bridgwater.

“We are happy to have identified these proposed new premises, an empty retail unit at 27 Eastover, Bridgwater, TA6 5AW.

“This would retain a Post Office in a central location of the town. It is approximately 0.6 miles from its current site. “We are confident the new branch would provide a permanent solution to safeguard Post Office services.”

Under the proposed move Bridgwater Post Office would change to a new ‘main style’ branch, offering a full range of products and services.

The new store would be open an additional five hours a week, as it would open on Saturday afternoon. The opening hours would be Monday to Saturday 9am to 5.30pm.

Post Office Ltd describes the new location as a ‘modern open-plan retail environment’ and ‘superior premises’. It would have six serving positions, a mixture of screened and open plan counters and a Post Office serving point at the retail counter.

Mr Jones added: “The proposed changes to the branch are part of a three-year investment programme, the largest in the history of the Post Office, that will see around 6,000 branches (about half the Post Office network) converting to new-style branches.”

The public are being asked to give their comments on the plans during a six-week consultation, which closes on April 18, 2013.

Submissions can be made by Freepost ‘Your Comments’ to Post Office Ltd, via email to comments@postoffice.co.uk, via the Customer Helpline: 08457 22 33 44 or Textphone 08457 22 33 55.