5 December 2011
MP for The Cotswolds, Geoffrey Clifton-Brown, officially opened Bouton-on-the-Water’s new and improved Post Office this Saturday (3 December) at the kind invitation of the Postmaster, Gary Kirkman.

Under the Post Office’s plans to revitalise the Post Office network the Bourton-on-the-Water Post Office was selected to pilot the Post Office’s new Main model. As a result of taking part in this pilot scheme the Bourton-on-the-Water Post Office has been fully refurbished, providing a modern open plan environment for customers. Under the new model Bourton-on-the-Water Post Office will also be able to provide additional products and services and customers will also be able to benefit from longer opening hours. The Post Office will now open from 7.00am to 6.00pm seven days a week, to the delight of the local community.

The refurbishment of the Post Office has cost £45,000 with the Post Office providing £30,000 of funding with the remaining £15,000 invested by Mr Kirkman himself.

Commenting on the opening, Mr Clifton-Brown said: “I was delighted to be asked by Gary Kirkman, the Postmaster of Bourton-on-the-Water Post Office, to officially open his revamped Post Office.”

“Gary and I have worked very closely together over the issue of Post Offices in the Cotswolds over a number of years and I am delighted that the hard work he has put into his own Post Office has been recognised by his participation in this pilot programme.”

”The new layout, additional products and services and longer opening hours are extremely welcome news for the local community, many of whom I spoke to at the opening and were naturally delighted at the changes that have been made to their Post Office, which is the glue that binds the community together.”

“I thank the Post Office for their show of faith in this new venture and I wish Gary and his hard working staff a very Happy Christmas and an even more successful New Year.”

Photo (left to right): Laura Tarling (Operating Model Design Manager for Post Office Ltd); Gary Kirkman (Postmaster of Bourton-on-the-Water Post Office); and Geoffrey Clifton-Brown MP.