Temporary mobile post office service to be launched in two West Sussex villages

The service will be launched in the Chichester district villages tomorrow (Friday, May 15) as well as Buriton and Greatham in Hampshire.

It is being offered by Grayshott Postmaster to help re-open branches temporarily closed during the coronavirus pandemic.

It comes after Midhurst and Graffham post offices re-opened their doors on May 4 and May 5 respectively, with Compton Post Office also due to reopen tomorrow.

A Post Office spokesperson said: "The travelling post office, is aboard a specifically designed vehicle. It is operated by the postmaster for Grayshott who already provides service to ten rural communities with the mobile service."

The mobile post office service will visit Rake every Friday between 8.30 and 10am. The stop is outside Rake Garden Centre, London Road, Rake, GU33, 7JH.

The next stop is outside Lavant Memorial Hall, Pook Lane, East Lavant, PO18 0AH from 10.30am to 12 noon. This is a different venue from normal.

Buriton’s service will also be offered from outside The Village Inn, 1 Petersfield Road, Buriton, GU31 5SW. This will be between 12.30am and 2pm.

The final stop will be outside Greatham from 2.45 to 4.15pm. This will be outside the Village Hall, Petersfield Road, Greatham, GU33 6EY.

The spokesperson added: "All of these outreach services are usually provided by the Postmaster for Midhurst and the usual venues for Lavant, Buriton, Greatham and Rake are currently not available for Post Office use."

Graham Brander, Post Office area network change manager, said this will be a 'temporary solution', as the postmaster who normally operates the post offices for these villages is 'unable to do so at the normal venues'.

He added: "We are pleased to have been able to restore Post Office services to Rake, Lavant, Buriton and Greatham with the existing Mobile Post Office offered by the Postmaster for Grayshott."

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