A DEDICATED couple have set up shop in their own hallway to stop a refurbishment of their newsagents inconveniencing their regular customers.

Joy’s Post Office at Overcombe Corner on Preston Road was closed for a refit on Monday, April 22 and is due to reopen with a new look and modernised postal service on Saturday.

However, despite the closure shopkeepers Richard and Christine Joy were determined not to let their customers down and have opened up their newsagents in the hallway of their own home.

They have been opening up in the mornings to make sure regulars can still drop in and pick up their morning papers while they have also managed to squeeze some sweets and essential grocery items into the pop up shop.

Christine said it was all about continuing to provide a service for their many loyal customers so their routines were not disrupted during the refit.

She said: “We wanted to keep a service for those people that like to walk down and get a paper or those who stop all the time on their way to work.

“We are still doing newspaper deliveries anyway so we thought we would open up our hallway so people could still pop in.

“It’s just about providing a service as much as anything, that was the thinking behind it, because people like their routine and we thought it would be nice if they can stick with their normal routine.”

Local councillor Ian Bruce and South Dorset MP Richard Drax paid a visit to see how the Post Office refurbishment was going and were impressed to see the temporary service in action.

Coun Bruce said: “I thought Richard and Christine would have used the closure as a good time to have a holiday but such is their devotion to local service they are still trying to ensure their customers can get essentials locally.”

Mr Drax praised the Joys for showing true British spirit in their commitment.

As well as running their ‘hallway service’, as Christine calls it, the couple are now busy preparing for the reopening of the Post Office on Saturday.