Community celebrates reopening of post office (From Gazette Series)

Tytherington community celebrates reopening of post office

4:00pm Wednesday 4th March 2009 in News By Liza-Jane Gillespie

THE people of Tytherington were celebrating this week after hearing the news they will get their post office branch back.

Community leaders are hopeful that the village's branch can reopen by May 1 after the final part of its funding package was agreed.

The post office branch was closed last September as part of network restructuring, but since the closure parish leaders have been working towards establishing a funding package that might reopen it.

The Frome Vale Area Forum agreed last Thursday to give the final £3,000 needed to make up the £20,000 package.

The funding package had already received £13,000 from South Gloucestershire Council, £4,000 paid by the residents of Tytherington through an increase in council tax and a contribution from the village shop.

Jeremy Evans, chairman of the Tytherington Community Shop Committee, said: "This is good news for us. We should now be able to run a post office for up to 10 hours a week, which is not ideal but will offer the community a good service.

"There is money now to fund the running costs. We still need to find some more cash to fund the capital side which is the actual setting up, but the situation looks good."

Howard Gawler, South Gloucestershire councillor for the Ladden Brook ward, said: "I think the whole community is absolutely delighted at the news. Lots of people have put a lot of hard work into this and it has paid off."

Steve Webb, Northavon MP, who has supported the campaign to reopen Tytherington post office, said: "Tytherington has always had a history of the community coming together, especially as far as the shop and post office was concerned.

"This is very exciting news for Tytherington, the village can now move forward. There is still a lot of behind the scenes work to do but it looks like the post office could be opened within the next couple of months."

Cllr Matthew Riddle, South Gloucestershire Council's executive member for community care and housing, said: "Like many Tytherington residents, I am delighted that the final piece of the funding jigsaw has come together.

"Parish leaders are to be commended for the hard work they have put in to build the support of local people.

"I would also like to thank officers from South Gloucestershire Council, who I have worked closely with to get this funding package off the ground."