A CITY's main post office has opened in a popular refurbished shopping centre.

The new-look post office has opened in The Arcade in Ripon, which has undergone a £100,000 rebrand.

The post office is already enjoying a “fantastic footfall”, with owner Amy Kaur saying she is “absolutely thrilled” with her new premises. The old post office in Finkle Street closed last month.

Leading Bradford-based property development and investment company Frank Marshall Estates bought the arcade last year.

Edward Marshall, director of Frank Marshall Estates, said: “We are delighted that the city’s post office has enjoyed such a successful start to life in our refurbished and rebranded Arcade. It has dramatically increased footfall there.

“The Arcade, which links the city’s main car park to the historic Market Square, is a fabulous new location for the post office. It is the beating heart of the city, with a really strong and consistent footfall.

“It gives us great pleasure to welcome Amy Kaur, the owner of the post office, to the arcade. This move achieves our aim of giving the arcade a new identity and making it much more visible and more of an attraction from the Market Square side in particular.

Amy Kaur said: “We couldn’t be happier in our super new home in the arcade. Disabled access is no problem, unlike at Finkle Street, and footfall is tremendous. We hope other new businesses will join us here in The Arcade. We can’t recommend it highly enough.

“Edward Marshall has been most supportive, helping to create the perfect unit for us. Overall, we are very positive about our relocation which we believe is definitely right for us – and for the city of Ripon.”

Edward Marshall said they had spent a great deal of time and money revitalising the property through one of the most difficult trading times in retail history to create what they believe to be a centre for retail in the great market city of Ripon.

He said: "We are now looking to fill our last two shops, which provide a good opportunity for people to work for themselves and achieve financial freedom. These two retail units, a ground floor unit of 240 sq ft and a ground floor and first floor unit of 520 sq. ft are available now.

“We have great faith in the city. More affluent people are moving into the area with lots of housing to be built over the next few years and plenty going on in the area, for example, the superb new hotel, Grantley Hall. The great rural location is also a superb asset.