Extra services include a comprehensive range of travel money, Passport Check & Send, vehicle tax, on demand travel insurance, driving licence renewal, gas and electric top-up and ID verification.
In more good news, experienced Post Office staff from the WHSmith store have joined staff from the temporary location.
The new opening hours are:
Monday to Saturday: 9 – 6pm
Sunday: 10am - 4pm
There are three Post Office serving positions - two screened and one at the retail counter.
Arif is from a highly experienced Postmaster family. He is already the Postmaster for Wigan, Unsworth, Chesham and Bury’s town centre branch.
Postmaster Arif Matadar said: “Where my new Post Office is based is very nice indeed. It’s very vibrant with pubs and clubs around. The whole shopping area is undergoing a major redevelopment in an 18-month project. It’s very exciting to be a part of that. It’s a real up-and-coming-area for Greater Manchester with lots more big changes planned over the next year. There is a real snowball effect. Shops want to be here because my Post Office brings high footfall. Now we are open, more shops will open soon too. There is retail already planned for most of the nearby shops and we are all gearing up for Christmas.
“The stop-gap Post Office could only offer limited service. Now there is the full range of Post Office services again, longer hours, and the whole store looks impressive. Customers were really looking forward to the move to the new location, which is much better.”
Arif’s shop has an extensive range of stationery, confectionery, and food from around the world including America, Korea and Japan. It also stocks toys, household goods, tobacco and vapes (non-disposable).
David Hunt, Post Office Network Provision Lead said: “We are delighted that there will be a permanent Post Office in Stretford again with daily opening and longer hours. We are very grateful to Arif Matadar and Stretford Mall shopping centre that we could provide an interim Post Office for the community as we know how important Post Office services are to the community. We want to congratulate experienced Postmaster Arif Matadar for providing this great-looking new, permanent Post Office and well-stocked store.”
James Tootle, Head of Retail & Leisure at Bruntwood, said: “We are delighted that our new permanent Post Office has opened its doors in Stretford. The Stretford Town centre team and the Post Office have worked hard to get it open as soon as possible and the new location has easy access and visibility along Chester Road. We know how critical the Post Office is to the community and the new site will bring all the usual important services to the area and will be an important part of the development of Stretford town centre."
Cllr Tom Ross, Leader of Trafford Council, said: “On behalf of the Council and all businesses and residents in Stretford, I am delighted that the Post Office has opened a new permanent branch in the centre of the town. The Post Office is of major importance to the community by offering a range of services under one roof and we could not do without it.
“The temporary Post Office did a fantastic job in serving our residents as we continued to develop the Mall but it’s great to have a bigger facility with a full range of goods and services on offer in such a great space.”