The post office in Great Cornard will reopen at a new location in the village in May.

The amenity, currently in Broom Street, will be based at the McColls store in Applegate Mews from 1pm on May 14, and the move will see it open for more hours, including all day on Sundays.

Henry Byham’s family has run the post office in Broom Street for the best part of 40 years, but he said when they closed the shop – where the post office is based – in May last year it was not possible to continue the service as it was.

“We always wanted it to be relocated which is why we have stayed as long as we have while the shop has been closed,” he said.

The new post office at McColls will be available during the store’s opening hours – Monday to Sunday from 6am-10pm –which is an extra 71 hours a week.

The service will be provided at a combination counter in the store, where the post office terminal will sit alongside the retail till.

Dave Thomas, chief operating officer for McColl’s Retail Group, said: “We are delighted to be welcoming customers to our newly-refurbished Great Cornard Post Office, which will offer a wide range of Post Office services alongside our extensive retail offer.

“As a convenience store operator we are always looking for ways to make life easier for our customers and the additional Post Office services will be available for the full opening hours of the store in order to provide an excellent service for the local community.”

Services available for customers will include special delivery, local collect, home shopping returns, online banking cash deposits and withdrawals, withdrawals using a Post Office Card Account, the ability to send funds abroad using Moneygram, pay bills, pre-order travel money, apply for travel insurance and top up mobile phones.

Will Russell, regional manager for the Post Office, said: “We are making it easier for customers to get their cash, send and collect their mail and do their banking because we know how important these services are to local residents.

“We are confident that this vibrant new-style post office at the heart of the community will be popular. The modernisation is part of a major government investment programme”

The current Great Cornard Post Office will close with the current postmaster’s agreement at 5.30pm on May 13. During the transfer, the Sudbury Post Office in East Street will be available.