A COUNCILLOR behind a scheme to reopen a post office in Heighington says he is hopeful that a replacement service could be operating in the New Year.

Councillor Gerald Lee met Post Offices Ltd representatives yesterday to discuss the possibility of reopening a post office in the village hall.

Heighington post office closed in summer, because Bob Wilson, the postmaster, found electronic pensions payments made the business unviable. However, since the post office's closure, many village residents have missed the service and asked for a replacement.

Coun Lee took up the challenge, organised a meeting with Post Offices Ltd, and found a volunteer willing to work in the post office if it wins approval.

Mr Lee said that his meeting with Post Offices representative went well, and in principal there was no problem installing a post office in the village hall.

"The next thing is to discuss it with the village hall association, which I will do early next month, but the lady from Post Offices Ltd said she could not see a problem with the building," he said.

"Initially we are thinking about opening the post office 20 hours a week"

He said that the process for the Post Offices Ltd to carry out the administration associated with opening a post office took eight to 12 weeks.