“WE should put the two together.”

That is the view of Councillor Phil Harvey who said Highbridge Post Office should be relocated next to the town’s library – a move he believes would result in an increase in visitors to both.

Councillor Harvey suggested relocating the Post Office to a smaller premises at Alpha House, in Market Street, at a Burnham and Highbridge Town Council meeting last week.

As reported in the Weekly News, Highbridge Post Office looked set to close after the postmaster initially resigned in October. But after negotiations the branch remained open for six months in the hope a new postmaster could be found.

However, last month the Post Office confirmed it had not been able to fill the vacancy and the branch closed on Wednesday, April 25.

Speaking after the meeting, Cllr Harvey said: “As far as I know none of the obvious local businesses that could take on the Post Office seem to be interested. Given that we need to have a new Post Office and the library needs a good footfall, we should put the two together.

“Sedgemoor District Council recently gave planning approval to convert the front bottom floor of Alpha House into flats.

“There is one flat which has a door which leads directly into the library, if they didn’t convert that flat they could use the space and put the Post Office in there.”

Councillor Harvey believes the plan would work in principle but said SDC would need to discuss it before any plans go ahead.

“I don’t know how this would work logistically or economically but I just think it makes sense,” Cllr Harvey said.

“There has to be a business that makes the Post Office worthwhile but I don’t know if the library would fit the profile.”

“In Mere the Post Office is in the same building as the parish council so it can be done without a business attached.”

John Fones, a member of the Save Highbridge Library campaign, welcomed Cllr Harvey’s suggestion and said the scheme could create ‘synergy’ between the two services.

“It looks as though we might have another campaign on our hands now that Highbridge Post Office has closed,” Mr Fones said.

“I’m all in favour of exploring the possibility of running the Post Office alongside the library.

“I don’t want to see the same people sharing the running of the two services, but I am keen to explore the ways in which having the Post Office in the same location and co-ordinating opening times could be mutually beneficial.”