The Christchurch Post Office has officially reopened in a permanent town centre location, providing residents with a stable postal service following a decade of closures and temporary arrangements. Mayor of Christchurch, Councillor Vivienne Charrett, marked the milestone by cutting the ribbon at the new site on 26 March 2026.
The new branch is located inside the Premier store at 24 Church Street, just 400 metres from the previous location at Saxon Square. The move became necessary after the temporary postmaster at the former site stepped down. The building, which previously housed the Loch & Quay restaurant, has been converted to accommodate the new post office facilities.
The branch is operated by experienced postmistress Cilem Altun and her husband Ibrahim, who have managed a similar business at the Southbourne Grove Post Office in Bournemouth for the past five years. The new Christchurch location offers 44 and a half hours of service each week, operating Monday to Friday from 9am until 5pm, and Saturday from 9am until 1.30pm. Customers will have access to three serving positions, including a screened counter, two open-plan positions, and a service point at the retail counter.
This opening concludes a period of instability for the town, which had been without a consistent town centre post office since April 2016. Christchurch Town Council members and local residents welcomed the permanent addition to the high street, which is intended to provide a long-term solution for the community.
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