THRIPLOW Post Office reopened last Friday (December 1) after being closed for over three months with a new owner having taken over the store. The branch closed in August and since then villagers have had to travel to the Fowlmere or Foxton branches. New o

THRIPLOW Post Office reopened last Friday (December 1) after being closed for over three months with a new owner having taken over the store.

The branch closed in August and since then villagers have had to travel to the Fowlmere or Foxton branches.

New owner Marc Massey, who also runs the Whittlesford branch, said he was pleased the village had a post office again.

Mr Massey said: "It is wonderful to be open. All the customers have been saying how happy they are."

Mr Massey was approached about taking over the post office by the Thriplow Village Stores Committee.

He said that villagers were asked if they supported the idea and were almost unanimously in favour.

He said: "I was quite amazed that our reputation had gone that far. What we want to do is to provide a service that Thriplow needs."

South Cambridgeshire MP Andrew Lansley, who has campaigned to keep village post offices open, said he was pleased to hear of the re-opening.

Mr Lansley said: "We are fortunate to have had three post office re-openings in our villages in the constituency in the past six months.

"I am aware of concerns about the rural post office network generally and we want to make sure they get the help they need."

The re-opening goes against the trend of post office closures.

Postcomm, the regulator, says 6,500 rural post offices are run at a loss.

The Government's £150 million subsidy expires in 2008.