Post Office May bank holiday opening times – what time do branches open on VE Day?

POST Office branches are allowed to stay open during the coronavirus lockdown but their opening hours are affected by the spring bank holiday.

This year, May Day falls on Friday May 8 after the government moved it from Monday May 4 so it could coincide with the 75th anniversary of VE Day.

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The Post Office will be closed on bank holiday Friday [/caption]

Here’s when the Post Office will be open over the long three-day weekend:

Is the Post Office open on bank holiday Friday?

The Post Office closes its doors on bank holidays, including Friday May 8.

Some Post Office counters inside convenience stores may be open, however.

But you should know that there won’t be any collections or deliveries on Friday, even if you do manage to post your letters and parcels.

Sorting houses will reopen again on Saturday as usual, from 9am until 12:30pm.

On Sunday, all Post Office counters are closed.

You should check out what your local branch is doing over the bank holiday weekend by using the store locator tool here.

Why is the Post Office allowed to stay open?

The Post Office is a designated “essential” service and so is allowed to continue to operate during the coronavirus lockdown.

This is because people use the Post Office for banking services, collecting benefits, paying bills and posting mail.

There are around 11,500 Post Office branches around the UK, the majority of which are run independently or as a franchise arrangement.

Will I have to social distance in stores?

The Post Office is asking customers to assess whether it is really essential that they visit their branch before heading out.

If it is, customers will be asked to observe social distancing rules in branches.

To help you stand at least 2 metres apart from anyone else, there are markers on the floor showing you where you should stand.