A long-awaited refurbishment of a city Post Office will finally begin next month.
After years of waiting, the Post Office in the former Nisa store on Gray Street in Broughty Ferry will receive a ‘comprehensive’ refit with extended opening hours.
Work is due to start in February and be completed by March.
The post office will be closed for 10 days while the work goes ahead.
A Post Office spokeswoman said: “Broughty Ferry Post Office is to undergo a comprehensive refurbishment as part of modernising our network of branches.
“There will be brand new counters – one full screen, one open plan and a Post Office counter alongside the retail counter.”
‘An extra 11 hours of post office service a week’
She added that the post office will also have longer opening hours, including being open at the weekends.
She said: “The new opening hours will be Monday to Saturday, 8am – 5.30pm. That is an extra 11 hours of Post Office service a week including Saturday afternoon, earlier opening and later closing.”
“Broughty Ferry branch will close for refurbishment on February 24 at noon and it is due to reopen on March 3 at 9am. During that time alternative branches will include Forthill Road and Barnhill.
“The same wide range of Post Office services will remain.”
Broughty Ferry councillor Craig Duncan said it was excellent news for the Ferry.
© DC Thomson
He said: “This is something we have been chasing for a long time – an upgrade for the post office in Gray Street which had become increasingly dilapidated recently.
“It’s really welcome news that the branch will eventually be getting the renovation that we have long anticipated.
“It will mean the closure of the branch for a short while but hopefully, this inconvenience will be worth it in the longer term with a better customer experience.”
Conern vital service could have been lost
He said it was also welcome news that the post office would be open longer hours every week.
A spokeswoman for Broughty Ferry Community Council said: “We are delighted to hear the Broughty Ferry Post Office is finally to be upgraded.
“This issue has been raised at past meetings with the concern that we might even lose this much needed facility.
“There is no doubt that the refurbishment planned by the Post Office will be very welcomed by staff and customers alike, not only with its extended hours but new layout and improved appearance.”
The upgrade will bring an end to long-running calls for the post office to be improved.
In 2017 there were concerns that Broughty Ferry would be left without a post office entirely after the Nisa store went into administration, forcing the closure of the branch at that time.
In January 2018 the branch was closed for seven months to allow a more modern facility to be located in the Nisa store.
However, calls for a further upgrade to bring the post office up to decent standards had continued.
