Relief as Leicestershire post office re-opens

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A post office In Leicestershire which closed unexpectedly, leaving thousands of people without a service, is set to reopen temporarily later this month.

Residents in Anstey have had to travel to branches in Beaumont Leys, Rothley or Loughborough since their own village branch shut suddenly on August 11.

It happened after shopkeeper Parvez Bhatty, who owns the shop in Bradgate Road where the counter was, had a disagreement withPost Office Counters Ltd.

Now, a deal has been done which will see former Anstey sub-postmaster Satish Popat reopen the village branch in the shop on Thursday, September 17.

It is understood it will operate for three months until a permanent solution is found.

Mr Popat, who served as Anstey village sub-postmaster for six years until 2004, said: "I saw what happened when the post office closed and I contacted Post Office Counters. I then contacted Mr Bhatty and told him I would run it for him, and he agreed."

Mr Popat, who is currently Syston sub-postmaster, said: "I was there for six or seven years and I know the village well. I will not be spending a lot of time there when it reopens, but my staff will run it.

"I hope people in Anstey will be pleased to get a post office back."

County councillor for the village, David Snartt, said: "It was a huge shock when the post office closed – and it has caused a lot of inconvenience to people here, particularly some of the older folk, who relied upon it for their pensions.

"They don't all have a car to drive over to Beaumont Leys, which is the nearest branch.

"Those that did go there said the queues were very long with all the extra people.

"I'm glad we are about to get a normal service back."

Villager Maud Boyall, 89, said: "It's brilliant news. We were so annoyed that it happened without warning."

Hazel Hart, 89, has been travelling to Beaumont Leys post office while Anstey's has been shut.

She said: "A village the size of Anstey can't be without a post office."

Royal Mail is relocating its Anstey sorting office from the back of the village post office to its base in Loughborough Road, Anstey.

Mr Bhatty was unavailable for comment, but in letters posted in his shop window claimed the move could lead to later postal deliveries in the village.

One note did say he was pleased the post office service would return on September 17.