AN UNDER-THREAT post office in Cumnor has been saved by villagers and will have longer opening hours.

The future of the Cumnor branch had been in jeopardy following an assessment by the Post Office as part of its national transformation programme.

The company said that the branch will maintain services and continue to be run by postmasters Sri and Kiruba Sathiapal in their High Street shop.

A switch to the ‘local plus’ model still means the couple will lose their postmaster’s salary but receive a share of the postal takings instead.

Kiruba Sathiapal said: “We are pleased that we are not losing any services apart from travel insurance.

“It’s great news and I hope it will work out for us and the village.

“We did not have a choice with our salary. We have to accept it.”

Mrs Sathiapal added: “We have a large population and if people could come to the shop once a week and just spend £4 or £5 that would be great.”

The move will see the post office operation merge with the convenience store, getting rid of the separate screened counter.

Opening hours will be extended by half-an-hour each weekday, with the branch open from 9am to 6pm.

The changes will also see the branch open until 6pm on Saturdays – it currently closes at 12.30pm.

The Post Office said the changes would make it more convenient for customers.

An initial assessment last year said a merged shop and post office would not work in the Cumnor store.

This was overturned and following crisis talks with the Post Office in February it was decided services would be kept.

Sri Sathiapal added the U-turn was a result of the public support from villagers.

He said: “Our customers have done so much for us and so many of them have written letters. The Post Office said they have never received so many letters in response to one branch.

“It shows how much they value their local post office and we are very grateful.”

He added: “At one stage it looked like we would lose the post office and our shop would not have survived with it. It’s a relief.”

The shop and post office will close for two to three days in October to implement the changes.

Across the country the new model has seen some Post Office branches lose key services, such as taking cheques and handling parcels weighing more than two kilos.