Tim Re-Opens Post Office Cookham Dean August 11th
29/07/2009 00:00 GMT

Posted by lisa

Thanks to David Balston for posting this news to the goodies-l mailing list:

From http://www.thisislocallondon.co.uk/news/4517331.Goodies_star_to_re_open_Post_Office/:

Goodies star Tim Brooke Taylor to re-open Post Office in Cookham Dean
29th July 2009

By James Nadal

COMIC actor Tim Brooke Taylor has added to Post Office campaigners' cheer by announcing he will be the star guest at the re-opening of the Cookham Dean amenity.

Villagers have welcomed the move for the service to move into the Jolly Farmer pub in Bigfrith Lane - just 400 yards away from where the amenity was based until it closed in February.

Goodies star Mr Brooke Taylor will be the star guest at a celebratory re-opening, which will take place on Tuesday August 11.

Cookham musicians The Fabulous Shirtlifters will provide jazz entertainment.

The decision to move the service into the pub follows a public consultation and residents now hope the next step may is to bring back a village shop.

Elizabeth Runnacles rallied villagers to find a new location for the Post Office when it shut and helped form the Cookham Dean Post Office Project Committee.

She said: “I'm extremely glad that at long last we are going to have a post office back. We would like to be back at the old site but this is the best we can do in the meantime.

“We hope we can develop a shop in the village as well.”

There used to be a convenience store in the same building as the post office.

Mrs Runnacles said: “It's vital for so many people to have a post office here, for the elderly and people with children especially because the nearest a couple of miles away.”

The pub is owned by 60 villagers who bought the freehold to ensure it was not redeveloped. It has been leased by Laura Kelsey for six years.

The landlady said she hoped to recreate the community spirit in her native Ireland where the combination of pub and post office is traditional.

“Everyone has been really enthusiastic about it which is good, I think lots of people will be coming up for a pint and some stamps,” she said.

The new service will operate as open plan from the restaurant area of the public house, and there will be a low-level serving counter and hearing loop.

Opening times will be from 3pm to 5.30pm Tuesdays and Thursdays.