THOUSANDS of residents who feared they would lose their local post office are celebrating news that the business will be taken over. Supermarket giant Tesco is set to convert its One Stop convenience store in Broomfield Parade, Chelmsford, into an Express store at the start of next month.

THOUSANDS of residents who feared they would lose their local post office are celebrating news that the business will be taken over.

Supermarket giant Tesco is set to convert its One Stop convenience store in Broomfield Parade, Chelmsford, into an Express store at the start of next month.

The building also contained a post office counter and the supermarket giant angered residents when it announced it would not be retaining the vital facility after the overhaul.

But since news of the closure came to light there has been widespread effort to find an alternative location and the EADT can reveal another shop on the parade will be home to the post office within a matter of weeks.

Although the Post Office has yet to confirm the move, it said yesterday that a positive announcement was expected imminently.

Simon Burns, Conservative MP for West Chelmsford, said he was relieved to hear the post office looked like it would be saved.

He said: “Ever since the problem arose we have been working closely with Tesco and Royal Mail because it was critical that the post office services continued in Broomfield Parade for that part of Chelmsford given the closures that we have had over the last 12 months.

“Both Tesco and Royal Mail have been extremely helpful in trying to find a solution and I have also been heartened over the last few months by people who have contacted me expressing interest in running a post office in the area, information which I passed on to Royal Mail.

“As recently as three weeks ago I wrote to Royal Mail for an update on the situation and am awaiting response, but I am delighted to hear the news that it would seem that everything has been put in place and that a sub-post office service will be continuing in the area for local residents.”

He revealed there had been two interested parties who he had put in contact with Royal Mail, although it is not known at this stage who will be taking over.

A Post Office spokesman said: “We are definitely looking for an alternative and we are very hopeful that we will be able to make a positive announcement soon, but cannot confirm anything formally.”

No-one from Tesco was available for comment yesterday.