PLANS have been launched to relocate Bidford-on-Avon’s post office following the resignation of the village’s postmistress.

Under the proposal, the new branch would be run by Warner’s Budgens, a supermarket chain which specialises in locally produced items.

Should the plans go ahead, after a six-week public consultation period, the office’s current base at 30 High Street, will be relocated less than a half a mile away within the supermarket chain’s store in Salford Road.

The relocation would allow the branch to have longer opening hours, opening 8am to 10pm Monday to Saturday and 10am to 4pm on Sundays and current issues with parking would be resolved as a car park with around 60 spaces is located nearby.

As part of the move, one modernised open plan counter and a one modern screened position will be installed.

In a letter to Bidford-on-Avon Parish Council Mrs Michelle Heyes said: “With rising overheads I have been working six days a week for the past 15 months. This is a situation that cannot continue.

“I have worked very hard to keep the branch in its current position but I now feel that in order to ensure that the village keeps a viable post office branch for the long term, it would be best for the village and for the post office to relocate the branch into Budgens.

“Businesses sometimes have to change in order to survive in a constantly changing market place.

“The post office in Bidford is being given a chance to survive long term and I hope everyone will be supportive of this move.”

Guy Warner, owner of Warner’s Budgens, said: “We successfully took on the postal service at our Warner’s Budgens store in Moreton-in-Marsh when the postmistress there retired.

“We’re very happy to help by keeping the service going in Bidford.”

He added that he would give Mrs Heyes and her assistant jobs at the new branch if they wanted them.

A spokesperson for the Post Office said: “Unfortunately, the branch is not viable in its current location, and our postmaster has therefore made the decision to resign.

“However, she is committed to ensuring the community have continued access to post office services and has been working with us to identify an alternative location.

“I’m therefore pleased to confirm that an opportunity has arisen to move the branch into Warner’s Budgens convenience store, providing brighter, more modern premises which will offer improved facilities to our customers.”

The consultation will end on Thursday, March 5. To comment on the move email comments@postoffice.co.uk, ring 08457 22 33 44 or visit postofficeview.co.uk and quote branch code 349246.

For more information log on to warnersbudgens.co.uk.