A REVAMP of the Tesco Express store at Cricklade means the post office will have to close next month for five weeks.

Damien Haydock, Post Office network operations manager, explained: “The safety of our customers is of paramount importance to us. Therefore, to allow for the refurbishment to take place it will be necessary for the service to close, temporarily.

“We are sorry for any inconvenience caused to our customers during this period. However, the planned improvements to the store will, in time, compensate for any disruption caused in the short term.”

The branch is due to close on February 5 at 5.30pm and is expected to re-open for business on March 12 at 9am.

Tesco won planning permission this week to build a warehouse extension and canopy at the rear of the store in the high street.

Cricklade Town Council supported the development to create a small external chiller store and Wiltshire Council’s planning department approved it.

Post office customers are being advised to go to Down Ampney Post Office near Cirencester or the branch in Clarks Hay, South Cerney. Purton customers who have been using it since their own closed, can use the West Swindon Centre Post Office.

A mobile service that has been visiting the village has once a week stopped temporarily because the operator has given up, but the Post Office has a replacement and is working to get the service up and running again.