Post office moves on — for time being

3:00pm Thursday 21st August 2008

WALLINGFORD post office is back in its old home with a new postmaster, Ashley Kempson, at the helm.

The post office reopened on Tuesday last week after a year in a temporary building in Goldsmiths Lane car park.

It is back in the former Martins newspaper shop in St Martin's Street.

But the new home will be home for only two-and-a-half years until a permanent new base is ready 200 yards away in KP Stationers, in Market Place.

Mr Kempson, who is also the manager of KP Stationers, said: "It's been a stressful time getting everything prepared here, but I'm delighted it's open again.

"We hope people in Wallingford will appreciate the new surroundings.

"It may be here for only a relatively short time while we redevelop the KP Stationers area, but it does mean the town has a permanent post office again."

The post office had to move out a year ago when Martins decided not to renew the lease on the premises, which are owned by Waitrose.

Wallingford Town Council negotiated with Post Office officials and managed to get the temporary building as a replacement, with only a three-day gap between one closing and the other opening.

The move back was done with just a small gap in service.

Mayor Alec Hayton welcomed the move. He said: "It is good that the post office has proper premises."

Elaine Hornsby, chairman of Wallingford Business Partnership, said it was good that more people would be going into St Martin's Street. Trade for local shops dropped with the closure of Martins and the post office, and with the closure of the former Waitrose supermarket there.