The Post Office in Ashford town centre is to close after almost 100 years.

Bosses have decided to move the service into the WHSmith store in the High Street, abandoning the historic Tufton Street spot.

The move into the book retailer is set to happen by spring next year.

WHSmith - which recently revealed it will be closing a number of high street stores - already runs 135 post offices in its branches nationwide but the number will expand to more than 200 by the end of 2019.

The Post Office has been in Tufton Street since 1926 after being originally housed in Bank Street.

Cllr Graham Galpin, Ashford Borough Council’s portfolio holder for the town centre, thinks the move is positive.

He said: “It is too early to say what will happen with the Tufton Street site, but it’s a fairly big building in a prime location in Ashford. There is lots going on around the town so we’re sure there will be lots of interest.

“Similar schemes have been run in WHSmith stores in Canterbury and Folkestone and featuring in retail sites is now part of the Post Office’s plan.

“It’s across the board and we’ll be making sure residents are made aware and that Post Office services will be easily found. I’m sure they’ll work well together.

“They wouldn’t be doing it without having thought it through and if there are issues I’m sure they will come up with an alternative.

“I would say that the Post Office and WHSmith, where they work well together, are more likely to stay in place.

“It is an opportunity and not a problem. The old building is quite a big one which has been underused for a long time.”

"Where they work well together, are more likely to stay in place..." Cllr Graham Galpin

Relocations of Post Office branches are subject to six-week public consultations, which will be launched when detailed plans are in place.

Post Office network and sales director Roger Gale said: “WHSmith and Post Office have worked together successfully for more than a decade and our collaboration helps to secure our services on high streets for years to come.

“We’re continuing to respond to unprecedented change on high streets and in consumer trends. By adapting to the needs of customers we’re making sure Post Offices will matter as much tomorrow as they do today, with services available when and where people want them, in convenient locations and open for longer hours, including Sundays.

“We’ve made significant changes in our network of 11,500 Post Offices over the past few years, modernising more than 7,500 branches and increasing opening hours for customers by more than 200,000 a week.

“We’ve also developed our services, including the introduction of everyday banking for customers of the UK’s high street banks.

“The vast majority of the Post Office’s network of 11,500 Post Office branches, large and small, are run on a franchise or agency basis with retailers as part of thriving businesses.

“It makes sense to further expand this successful, sustainable way of providing Post Office services to customers.”

The Tufton Street Post Office was home to the town’s telephone exchange for many years before it moved to a purpose-built site in Regents Place in 1963.

In 2014, the Post Office closed for more than a month while the building was modernised.

A temporary Post Office was set up in the town’s Vicarage Lane car park. At the time, Post Office regional general manager Andrew Thompson said: “We understand how important Post Office services are and we are confident the new-look, modern Ashford post office will meet the needs of the people and businesses in the area."