THE parish church is to run the post office in Hemingford Grey, Cambridgeshire — population 4,500 — because no one else wanted the business.
St James’ Church stepped in when advertisments after the 70-year-old postmaster announced that he was retiring attracted no interest. A former toy cupboard in the parish centre is to open as the new post office by November.
David Usher, 43, parish administrator, said that the idea started off as a joke, “but as it became apparent that we were going to lose it we began to take it seriously. It seems that we will be the only church in the country to open a full-time post office.
“We have an ageing population in the villages so it’s very important that this kind of service is available.”
Postwatch said: “It’s very innovative and something we would offer as an example to other communities.”