THE ribbon has been officially cut to mark the opening of Chipping Campden's new post office.

Chairman of Cotswold District Council, Cllr Mark Annett, performed the ceremony at the new base which is at the card and gift shop, Dandelion, in the high street.

New Postmaster Tracy Churchill has run Dandelion for nearly two years and is delighted to have taken on the post office service. Previous postmaster Susan Ewens wanted to retire.

To mark the relocation a celebratory event was organised by the charity, Campden and District Peelers Trust, which is the landlord for The Old Police Station. The premises is a community centre with mixed community and commercial activities for organisations and businesses providing services for the benefit of local residents.

Cllr Annett, said: “This is a great day for Chipping Campden. Not only have we retained a post office at the head of our town, we have a lovely modern branch, tastefully designed and fitted into one of our historic buildings. It was great to see community collaboration to help fund the project. I also want to congratulate new postmaster Tracy Churchill. The community is very pleased.”

John Ellis, Chairman of Campden and District Peelers Trust, said that Cllr Annett, who is ward councillor and lives in Chipping Campden, had played a large role in obtaining financial contributions for necessary work to enable the Post Office to be accommodated in the Old Police Station. There was also Government funding as part of modernising the UK network of Post Offices.

The charity invited major contributors to funding for the works. A reception was held afterwards in the former court room in the building.

Chipping Campden is a modern open-plan local branch with post office services provided from two open-plan tills at the retail counter, throughout the shop’s opening hours Monday - Saturday: 9am – 5.30pm. This is an extra five hours a week on a Saturday afternoon, which makes it more convenient for customers to visit.

The Dandelion store provides improved access as the previous branch had step, whereas the new premises has two entrances, one of which has a fixed ramp.

The new postmaster gave up her career working with adults with learning disabilities to concentrate on her creativeness. Many of the cards, paintings and jewellery on sale at Dandelion, are her own work.

She said: “Customers are extremely pleased with their new post office and that they still have a branch in the centre of Chipping Camden. The branch has been well designed and it fits in really well into the shop. It has been extremely busy with people coming in to see the new branch. I have had lots of new customers, who did not know that my card and gift shop was here.”