Residents in a Suffolk town have been left without a vital post office branch for over two months after it unexpectedly closed.

According to residents, the Post Office branch in the Premier store on Pakefield Street, Lowestoft has been open and closed on and off for the past year.

But now, there is anger in the community after the branch was shut in September, with a Post Office spokesperson confirming it has closed temporarily due to ‘operational reasons,’ with no indication as to when the branch will reopen.

When pushed by this newspaper to explain what these ‘operational reasons’ are, the Post Office spokesperson said they are not expanding on the statement given any further.

In an email sent to one resident in Pakefield, George Redpath, a Post Office customer services advisor said: “The branch has been closed due to circumstances beyond Post Office Ltd’s control. I can’t give you any further details about the closure as this information is private and confidential, I’m also unable to say at the moment when the branch will reopen.”

Mr Redpath said: “The branch has been shut for over two months now and has been open and closed for over a year ever since Premier Convenience Stores took it over from SPAR a year ago.

“I went to pick up a parcel from the store recently and just noticed it was closed.

“The woman behind the counter has no idea what is going on either.

“The next nearest post office branch is by Rosedale Surgery in Carlton Colville and this just isn’t good enough for elderly residents who rely on a nearby post office.

“We’ve had no notice about why it has been closed, it is leading to speculation in the community, we just want answers, why is it closed and when is it reopening?”

The Post Office spokesperson added: “Pakefield Post Office has unfortunately closed in September due to operational reasons and the premises no longer being available for Post Office use.

“We apologise for any inconvenience caused by the unplanned closure. We are trying to restore Post Office service to the area as we know how important a Post Office is to a community.

“In the interim alternative branches include Kirkley, Carlton Colville and Ashburnham Way.”