A POST office is to get a makeover and new opening hours.

The Post Office is modernising the town centre post office at 13 Talbot Terrace, Birtley, near Chester-le-Street, to create a new main-style open-plan branch.

The scheme is being done as part of Post Office plans to modernise its post office network.

The refurbished branch wil be open longer and will have three serving positions.

One will be a traditional screened position and the other two will be open plan.

Opening hours at the modernised branch will be 9am to 5.30pm Monday to Saturday, giving customers an extra five hours of service every Saturday afternoon.

The branch will be closed for refurbishment from 5.30pm on Friday February 7 until 1pm on Wednesday, February 12. Nearby branches available to serve customers during the closure include Durham Road Post Office, Winston House, Durham Road, Chester-le-Street.

Post Office Area Manager Anne Clark said: “We understand how important Post Office services are to the people in the area and we are confident that this new modern Post Office service will meet the needs of the local community and secure services for the future.”

She added: “The modernisation is part of a major investment programme to convert the Post Office network to new-style branches and this investment, the largest in the history of the Post Office, marks a commitment to no more branch closure programmes.”