A village post office is set to close after its postmaster decided to retire.
Blackrod Post Office, which operated at the Spar convenience store on Black Horse Street, is will close next week.
The branch will remain closed until a new postmaster can be found.
Cllr David Grant, of Horwich South and Blackrod, said: “It’s a small village and the post office is an absolutely vital connection for local communities to be able to stay in touch with people and also to access vital banking services.
“So its really important that they find a new applicant and get it open again as soon as possible.”
The Black Horse Street post office has offered a range of services in recent years including special deliveries, local collect and home shopping returns.
The banking services it had offered, including online banking, cash withdrawals, bill payments, travel insurance and mobile phone top ups had become all the more important in recent years.
This comes after the wider Bolton West area lost 90 per cent of its banks since 2015, with none left at all in neighbouring Horwich.
The branch first opened in the store in March 2017, having moved from its former home on New Street.
Now, seven years on the Post Office has confirmed they hope to closure will be as short as possible.
A Post Office spokesperson said: “We regret to confirm that following the resignation of the Postmaster, Blackrod Post Office located on Blackhorse Street, will close at 4pm Tuesday March 12.
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“We are working hard to keep the period of closure to a minimum.
"A potential applicant has expressed interest in taking on this branch.
“Whilst Blackrod Post Office is closed, customers should use nearby Adlington Post Office which is accessible by public transport from Blackrod Post Office via the 127 bus.
“Adlington Post Office is open six days a week.”
The outgoing postmaster confirmed he would be retiring and wanted to thank customers and the wider community for their support over the years.
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