A MAJOR refurbishment programme has been unveiled for Colne’s main post office – which has prompted a proposed two-week closure.

Post Office bosses say that the branch in Albert Road will be open earlier and later as a result of an “ongoing transformation initiative”.

The plans are said to have been drawn up with the support of the sub-postmaster and are part of a programme which will see 6,000 upgraded nationwide. A Post Office spokesman said: “There will be four serving positions. These will be a mixture of three screened and a Post Office serving point for use at the retail counter, which is available during shop opening hours.”

One of the counters will be low-level, for greater accessibility, and a hearing loop will be installed within the premises.

Because of the alterations, the Britannic House premises will be closed from Wednesday, January 15, and will reopen at 1pm on Friday, January 31.

The branch will open from 8.30am, instead of the current 9am, and until 6pm as opposed to 5.30pm, Mondays to Fridays.

An extra hour is proposed on Saturdays, taking the clsoing time from 4.30pm to 5.30pm.

For the duration of the works, customers are being redirected to the Skipton Road branch in Colne, or to Barrowford at the Spar in Gisburn Road.

The work is the largest upheaval for post office services in Colne since 2003, when four smaller branches at Lidgett, Burrell Avenue, Cottontree and Alkincoats were closed.

Under the same programme, Nelson’s Place de Creil and Trawden Forest post offices have also been refurbished.