9:30am Tuesday 30th June 2009
By Ali Dent
A VILLAGE post office which was closed by Royal Mail has reopened thanks to people power.
Residents in Tytherington have campaigned to keep their village post office after it was shut as part of a network restructuring programme in September last year.
They set up a shop committee and rallied in protest at the closure but on Monday, the post office opened its doors once more.
Shop committee chairman Jeremy Evans said: "It was magnificent. There were 50 people there at least and it was the end of a very long, hard campaign.
"There were times when we thought we would have to lie down and give up but we did not."
Ambrose Johnson, who at 94 is the oldest resident of the village, officially reopened the post office during a ceremony on Monday morning.
He told the assembled crowds to use the facility or face losing it again.
Mr Johnson’s wife Alice recently donated £525 to the shop committee after requesting money for her 90th birthday instead of presents.
Another villager, Bob Blake, donated £500 to keep the dream of reopening the branch alive.
Mr Evans said: "People have been very generous and we have received support from South Gloucestershire Council, MP Steve Webb and councillors Matthew Riddle and Howard Gawler.
"But it is a case of use it or lose it and we will be putting up signs through the village as we hope more people will use this facility."
The future of the post office was secured in a deal with South Gloucestershire Council after the authority agreed to contribute £13,000 of the £20,000 annual running costs.
For the next three years, the Frome Vale Area Forum and Tytherington Parish Council will fund the remaining money.
Cllr Matthew Riddle, the council’s older people’s champion, said: "Like so many local residents, I am delighted that his moment has arrived.
"This historic day is entirely in keeping with Tytherington’s long history of coming together for the good of their local community.
"Building the post office and village shop back up into a self-financing and sustainable community enterprise is the aim of this three-year pilot project and I am convinced that it is achievable."
Northavon MP Steve Webb said: "We owe a great deal of gratitude to Tytherington Parish Council and to the village shop committee for the leadership they have shown in working to get the post office reopened.
"It has been a case of everyone pulling together and refusing to take no for an answer."
The shop will be open Monday and Thursday (9am-1pm) and Wednesday (2.30-4.30pm).
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