Proposals to reopen Woolbrook Post Office seven days a week with significantly extended hours - seven minutes walk away from its previous home - have been revealed.
The service, which had been based at Jurassic Vets in Woolbrook Road, closed temporarily in November 2017.
Post Office Ltd has proposed reopening the branch at Gilletts Spar, in Temple Street, where it hopes to offer 103 hours of service a week, with a wide range of services available, including banking for personal customers and small businesses.
It would be one of the company’s new local-style branches where post office services are delivered from an open-plan till alongside the retail counter, open Monday to Saturday from 7am to 10pm and on Sundays between 8am and 10pm.
This would increase the opening hours of the previous branch by 58 hours a week.
Councillor Michael Earthey, who represents the Woolbrook ward, said: “I think it is a good idea. My only concern is that it is a bit close to the other one in town.
“I think it would be a far better location at Woolbrook or at Waitrose.
“If you live in Woolbrook or in the Sidford area and do not have a car but want to go the post office, it’s a long walk.
“Although, I am happy they are not getting rid of the post office and are maintaining it somewhere.”
The rough distance between the current Post Office in Sidmouth, in High Street, and the proposed new branch would be 0.6 miles.
The distance between Woolbrook Road and Gilletts Spar is 0.3 miles – which would take around seven minutes to walk.
A Post Office Ltd spokeswoman said: “We are now in a position to restore a service to our customers in the local community.”
Customers and interested parties have now been invited to give their views on the plan and to share issues they would like considered.
The consultation will close on July 18.
Submissions can be made by emailing to comments@postoffice.co.uk, by calling 03457 22 33 44, by Textphone on 03457 22 33 55 or by visiting postofficeviews.co.uk with the branch code 319519.
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