A NEW FOREST village has regained post office services after almost a year without a facility to serve the community.

Residents in Brockenhurst are now able to make use of the key services provided through post offices thanks to the operation at the Welcome Stores business in Brookley Road.

Brockenhurst Parish Council chairman Cllr Pete Wales performed a ceremonial posting of first letter at the branch to mark its official opening and celebrate the reopening of a post office in the village.

A statement from the Post Office said: “Experienced postmaster Richard Dance took over the closed Sainsbury’s Local and opened his Welcome store and now has been able to add the post office.

“Currently his existing staff from his other post office at Marchwood are serving customers at Brockenhurst to get the branch open as soon as possible.

“The training of new post office staff has been delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic.”

The previous post office in Brockenhurst closed in August last year due to the resignation of the postmistress, Elizabeth Kernaghan, and the withdrawal of the premises for post office use, much to the frustration of many residents in the village.

The closure coincided with the news that Sainsbury’s Local and CJs bakery were also shutting. Sainsbury’s said its decision was based “on a range of factors” while CJs owners, Susan Czajkauski and Cheryl Hughes, were reported to have refused to sign a new lease on the shop.

However, as reported, the Sainsbury’s site was taken on by Mr Dance his wife Karen, with the Welcome store opening earlier this year.

The couple proceeded with the opening of the store despite the coronavirus lockdown that was introduced by the government in late March.

Mr Dance said: “The Welcome store is better for the environment as we went down the more ‘plastic free’ route and we stock lots of local produce. The store opened on the second day of lockdown and although the nearby college is closed and there is a lack of tourists, things have gone really well despite the restrictions and supply difficulties we have encountered.

“The opening of the post office has brought us so much goodwill in the village and is a big part of the initial success of the business.”

Post office services are planned to run from 7am to 9pm Monday to Saturday and 8am to 9pm on Sunday although the pandemic has forced initial reduced hours of 9am to 5.30pm Monday to Friday and 9am to 1pm on Saturday.