Ely is to get a new post office as part of a convenience store that businessman Devinder Singh plans to open in Market Street.

Mr Singh will open the post office – with Sunday opening and longer weekday hours- once proposals for using part of Central Hall are agreed.

“It will be a modern open-plan main-style branch with significantly extended opening hours,” said a post office spokesman.

The new premises will be some 500 metres from the current temporary building in Paradise Leisure Centre car park, Newham Street.

Julia Marwood, Post Office regional manager said: “We understand how important having a post office is to residents in Ely and we are very keen to provide a permanent branch in a modern retail environment.

“We are confident this proposed modern post office service, with opening hours doubled, would meet the needs of the local community and secure services for the future. This modernisation is part of a major investment programme, the largest in the history of the Post Office and marks a commitment to no more branch closure programmes.”

Should the move go ahead, the main counters would be open Monday to Saturday: 9am -5.30pm. In addition, the post office serving point would open Monday to Friday: 7am – 8pm; Saturday: 7am - 10pm; Sunday: 7am – 6pm.

The spokesman said: “This would offer 91 hours of post office service a week – an extra 45 hours a week, including all day Sunday and Saturday afternoon. The branch would also open significantly earlier and close much later every day.”

Since November Ely Post Office has operated from a temporary building due to the lease expiry for Lloyds Pharmacy, where the branch had been based.

The spokesman said: “Whilst the temporary building has ensured our customers have had continued access to post office services, what we want for our customers in Ely, is a long-term permanent solution.”

The Post Office is now inviting customers and interested parties to give their comments on the move in a seven-week public consultation.

The consultation will close on September 17. Submissions can be made during the consultation by Freepost YOUR COMMENTS to Post Office Ltd, via email to comments@postoffice.co.uk, via the customer helpline on 08457 22 33 44 or Textphone 08457 22 33 55. The consultation has been extended to cover the summer holiday period.

Customers can also share their views online through a questionnaire at postofficeviews.co.uk with the branch code 164113.