NICK THOMAS-SYMONDS MP for Torfaen “cut the ribbon” on Friday (April 11) at the official opening of Blaenavon Post Office at its new location – 40 Broad Street, Blaenavon, NP4 9NF, which is the former HSBC Bank.
Experienced postmaster, Tharmesh Paramsothynathan, has bought the former bank premises, which had been empty since 2012. He has transformed them with a full refurbishment to incorporate Blaenavon Post Office and a convenience store.
This re-opening has restored Post Office services after the previous branch at 12 Broad Street, Blaenavon, NP4 9ND, closed in August 2023.
There is a Post Office counter alongside the retail counter of the convenience store. This allows Blaenavon Post Office to operate throughout the store’s opening hours of Monday to Sunday: 8am – 10pm.
This provides 98 hours of Post Office service a week. This is an extra 62 hours of Post Office service per week than before, including all-day Saturday and Sunday, Thursday afternoon and earlier opening and much later closing every day. This makes it much easier for customers to visit at a time that suits them.
Nick Thomas-Symonds MP said: “It’s great news for residents and businesses that there’s a Post Office in the town centre again. I want to thank Nick and Wendy Horler who served the town as Postmasters for a number of years. I’m also really pleased that these premises are put to good use again.
“The fact that the Post Office, alongside this great-looking convenience store, is open daily from early until late, makes it very easy for customers to pop in and once again people can do their banking here, this time for all the major high street banks.”
The Blaenavon postmaster has branches in Rhymney and Ferndale and has been a postmaster since 2018.
Tharmesh Paramsothynathan said: “People in Blaenavon are really pleased that their Post Office is open again and that they no longer having to travel from the town centre. This saves them time and effort. I’ve been speaking to local people about the services that we offer including everyday banking, sending mail, home shopping returns and bill payments.
“There are two car parks with free parking, one at the rear of the premises and another nearby, so it’s very easy for customers to visit.
“The former bank premises are much larger than where the Post Office was before and it only offered stationery retail, so now there is space for so much more retail and it’s a well-stocked convenience store.”
