BURY'S Citizens Advice Bureau is to close its office on The Rock next month after 20 years' town centre presence.

Thousands of clients will now have to phone new advice lines or book appointments at outreach sessions in local community centres.

These replacement services will operate while the CAB spends the next two years fund-raising to buy new premises in Bury.

Mr Dave Bevitt, Bury district manager, said that the lease on the office runs out at the end of August, which is when the office will shut. The new service will start in early September.

"Anyone who has visited lately could see that the premises are totally unsuitable for providing a service to the public," he said.

"We have no hot water, disabled facilities are non-existent, and the conditions for volunteers and clients are very poor. "As we move into the new Millennium we want to have a modern effective service for the community in Bury."

Mr Bevitt said that while the CAB was always short of volunteers, the office was not closing because it was unable to see enough people, but because it was too small.

"People who want advice won't have to come in and queue for hours," he said. "Experience elsewhere has shown that most enquiries can be dealt with over the phone, even quite complex casework."

The Bury office deals with up to 7,000 clients each year who need advice on all aspects of money, employment and legal issues.

"This change will help all those people who cannot get into a bureau, e.g. people who are ill, carers, people with child care responsibilities. This, combined with the outreach sessions, will improve access to our service to all sections of the community."

Other bureaux at Radcliffe and Prestwich will not be affected by the Bury changes.

Details of the advice lines and outreach sessions have yet to be finalised.

Prospective volunteer advisers should ring 633 5170.

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