VILLAGERS who raised £7,500 to secure a post office in their local shop are up in arms over a reduction in opening hours and the subsequent knock-on effect on the business.

In 2007 villagers in Brixton managed to raise the sum, demonstrating that there was a desire and need for a post office branch in their community.

Post Office Ltd, then part of the Royal Mail group, agreed to put a full-time post office into Mary Green Stores on the basis of the fundraising campaign.

But in 2013 Brixton Post Office was shut down and replaced with a service provided by Elburton Post Office. Several months later the service was reduced drastically and has since been limited to two mornings and two afternoons a week.

Now villagers fear the loss of footfall could lead to the ­'lifeline' store – the only one in Brixton – having to close. They got in touch with former Labour parliamentary candidate Chaz Singh to raise their concerns.

Penny James said: 'My ­husband's lived here all his life – he's going to be 75 soon – and when I first came here 45 years ago there were eight shops, including a garage. Now we've just got the ­remnants of a post office and the village shop.

'My husband goes to the shop every day for his paper and to buy bread and milk and things.

'My son also lives here and he's got a young family. His wife doesn't drive, so it's really useful for them.'

Penny's son Tim James added: 'It's handy when you're short of something. I think people are rapidly becoming aware that there's a problem.'

Resident Barry Rogers said: 'I've got a car, but there are a lot of people in the village who don't and who rely on the post office for their pensions and things, and it's the social side as well.

'The shop's got a corner where they do coffee where people can have a chat. When the post office was up there as well there was a kind of spin-off effect, but now it's either open in the morning or the afternoon, and not on the same day.

'These days I suppose it's no longer about providing the ­service, it's all about the bottom line. But the shop's a lifeline for some people.

'The bus service only runs once an hour, so it's not like there's a regular service to get down to Elburton or the Broadway. If you don't have a car you're really confined to base.'

A post office spokesperson said: 'The Brixton-hosted ­outreach was introduced in June 2014 following a public consultation – there are currently no plans to change the service ­provision.'