Take a butchers at new PO (From Western Telegraph)

Take a butchers at new PO

9:00am Sunday 16th November 2008 in News

At a time when the news has been full of post office closures, a new branch has opened in Pembrokeshire.

Letterston Post Office closed a year ago when its postmistress retired, but it has now been given a new lease of life two doors away in the Gwaun Valley Meats butchery and bakery shop.

“I had a lot of customers coming in saying that they found the lack of post office really inconvenient,” said new postmistress Tina Evans.

She and her husband William decided to reorganise their shop to house the post office counter and asked Post Office Ltd if they could reopen the branch.

After a long wait while the review of branches took place, they were finally given the go ahead and Mrs Evans underwent two weeks’ training.

“People use us to collect their pensions, buy stamps, collect home shopping, send parcels and buy tax discs,” she said.

“They have been really positive and excited about having the post office back as it was a long trip to Haverfordwest or Fishguard otherwise.”

Preseli Pembrokeshire AM Paul Davies officially opened the new branch last week.

“After all the doom and gloom surrounding post office closures in this area, Tina and William are offering a ray of hope,” he said.

“Although it’s still early days, I think the Evanses have shown that village post offices do have a viable future and I would encourage other shops and garages to think about doing the same.”

*The new post office at 3 St David’s Road, Letterston is open from 9am to 5.30pm on Mondays to Fridays and from 9am to 1pm on Saturdays.