THE saga of Wallingford’s nomadic Post Office has finally come to an end after it opened in its new permanent home.

Customers celebrated on Friday as the branch opened at KP Stationers, in Market Place, after the building underwent a major facelift.

The town’s former Crown Post Office, in St Martin’s Street, closed in the late 1990s. The building was later converted into a bar and restaurant.

Postal services were moved to Martins newsagent’s, at 11 St Martin’s Street, then to a portable building in the old Waitrose supermarket car park, behind the Regal Centre in 2005.

In August 2008, it went back to 11 St Martin’s Street on a temporary basis before moving to KP Stationers.

Mayor Bernard Stone, who bought a book of six first-class stamps to mark the opening of the new premises, said: “The owners of the stationers are investing in Wallingford and have confidence in the future of the town, and that’s a very good sign.

“The post office is being relocated right in the heart of the town in excellent new premises, which is great news and very good to see.”

Sub-postmaster Ashley Kempson said: “The post office will now be right in the heart of the town and I think that will entice people to walk into the Market Place and then they will see what a beautiful town Wallingford is.

“KP Stationers has been in Wallingford for 35 years and this work has been in the offing for some time. In this difficult financial climate a lot of businesses are holding back, but we felt the work had to be done.”

Mr Kempson added: “Some post offices in Oxfordshire have closed recently but we’re certainly here to stay.”

Steve Gosbee, from Didcot, who works for construction firm Boshers, which carried out the building work for KP Stationers, bought a Mother’s Day card on Friday.

He said: “I was part of the team that carried out the refurbishment. I think it looks wonderful.”

l Residents in Barton, Oxford, are still waiting for their post office to reopen following the closure of the branch at the Spar supermarket, in Underhill Circus, when the sub-postmaster resigned last month.