Mayor of Bargoed, Cllr Howard Llewelyn “cut the ribbon” today (28/6) at the official opening of the recently refurbished Bargoed Post Office.
The branch operates from a Nisa Local convenience store and off licence at 10 Under, Cardiff Road, Bargoed CF81 8XN. The Postmistress, Shabnam Ajay, has been operating the store and Post Office alongside her two sons for 2 years.
It’s a completely new-look store, with a fresh retail layout and NISA branding, new ceiling, flooring, fixtures and fittings. There is also a new entrance making access for customers much easier.
The branch closed briefly in March 2024 due to major building work, and the family have been making further changes to the store whilst the Post Office has remained open for customers. With a clean slate, the whole layout of the shop has been redesigned, making much better use of available space.
There are three Post Office counters – two open plan and a screened counter. Similar Post Office products and services as before are available.
Mayor of Bargoed, Cllr Howard Llewelyn said: “It is great to have this new look Post Office in the town. I want to congratulate and thank Shabnam for her investment in Bargoed. The whole premises has been refurbished and it looks great. This new-look store has breathed fresh life into the area and Shabnam and her sons have done a great job of making the branch a one-stop shop for the local community.”
Bargoed Postmaster, Shabnam, said: “My priority was to get Bargoed Post Office open as soon as possible and my sons were critical in that. Here you can do business and personal banking on behalf of all the major high street banks, whilst also shopping for daily necessities. People are delighted that the branch has officially opened. Local businesses and customers have been lovely and really welcoming. We also have extensive opening hours, making it easy to pop in.
“I then reflected on what retail to offer in such a large retail space. I’ve added lots of different types of retail all under one roof. As well as cards and stationery that you expect alongside a Post Office there are drinks and confectionery as well as household goods.”
The opening hours for Bargoed Post Office are: Monday to Sunday: 8am – 8pm. This is 84 hours of Post Office service a week for the convenience of customers. This is a later closing than previously offered.
Santosh Samudrala, Post Office Network Provision Lead, said: “We are delighted that Shabnam and her family have refurbished Bargoed Post Office, the new-look branch looks great and is very convenient for customers.”