Colchester Post Office is to move from its historic site in North Hill to a new home inside the WH Smith store in Lion Walk Shopping Centre.

East Anglian Daily Times: WH Smith in Lion Walk, Colchester which will also be home to a post office from May 2, 2019 which is moving from North Hill, Colchester: Picture: GOOGLE STREET VIEWWH Smith in Lion Walk, Colchester which will also be home to a post office from May 2, 2019 which is moving from North Hill, Colchester: Picture: GOOGLE STREET VIEW (Image: Google Street View)

The move is expected to take place in May, with the current post office closing at end-of-business on May 1, and the relocated post office opening to customers for the first time on Thursday May 2, 2019.

A spokesman for the post office said the decision had been made, after a period of consultation, and the new post office would be open seven days a week.

Roger Gale, Post Office Network and Sales director, said that the change would help to ensure the branch is commercially viable into the future and therefore protect Post Office services on which customers in the area depend.

He said:“The Post Office is committed to keeping our services at the heart of communities which we know is hugely important to people. This change means we can continue to do that, into the future. We are making sure we take the right action to sustain services for years to come.”

East Anglian Daily Times: WH Smith in Ipswich with the post office inside it Picture: JUDY RIMMERWH Smith in Ipswich with the post office inside it Picture: JUDY RIMMER (Image: Archant)

He said it would be a modern, open plan office, with six serving positions and four self-service kiosks.

It would offer over the counter banking services too, he added.

Services would be available from 8.30am to 5.30pm, Monday to Saturday, with Sunday opening from 10.30am to 2.30pm.

The Post Office said WH Smith had successfully operated post office branches, across the country, for a number of years.

It is a trading model which is similar to the situation in Ipswich, where there is now a post office based within the WH Smith stationery, books and newspaper shop in Westgate Street.

It is only a few yards from Ipswich Cornhill where the general post office was based for decades.

In Colchester the new WH Smith post office is only a short distance from its present home of Colchester Post Office.