A new North Devon Council customer service hub in Barnstaple town centre is set to open its doors this June.
The Town Centre Hub in Green Lanes Shopping Centre will open on Monday 16 June 2025, making it easier for residents to access face-to-face advice.
The hub's opening will provide an expanded customer service offering. It will be open Monday to Friday, 9am until 5pm, providing help and assistance to customers who are unable to use online or phone contact.
The hub in Green Lanes replaces the customer service desk at Lynton House in Commercial Road, which will close at 1pm on Wednesday 11 June 2025. The Lynton House desk is currently open on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 9am until 1pm.
New working spaces will enable staff from various council services to assist customers where needed. An interview room is available for private consultations with council staff for customers wishing to discuss more sensitive topics, and there are seating booths, two consultation rooms and a meeting room which can be booked by outside agencies.
Devon and Cornwall Police will also have a regular presence at the hub, allowing town centre visitors the chance to speak with officers from Barnstaple's Neighbourhood Policing Team.
Following the opening, members of the council's North Devon Community Lottery team will be at the hub on Tuesday 17 June, where prospective good causes and supporters can find out more about how the lottery supports fundraising for the local community.
Leader of North Devon Council, Councillor David Clayton, said: "We are so excited to be able to open the doors of our new Town Centre Hub and welcome customers on 16 June. The hub makes it even easier for our residents and customers to get face-to-face advice and assistance, right in the heart of Barnstaple.
"We are committed to making the hub a space where people can access advice from a range of partners and we are delighted to be able to share the space with the police, further strengthening our relationship as we continue to work together to make Barnstaple and North Devon a place people can live, work and enjoy safely."
Sector Inspector for Barnstaple, Inspector Andy Wills, said: “Having access to a private desk space in the town centre will be extremely valuable for officers working in and around Barnstaple. It means our Neighbourhood Team can maximise the time they spend out on foot; being visible and proactive in our town centre and preventing them needing to return to the main station to carry out bureaucratic duties, which is essential to effective policing.
“The work we do frequently requires partnership working with housing officers at North Devon Council, so it’s convenient that our office space will be co-located with them. There are also some great private meeting spaces which the team can utilise for appointments with members of our community.
“I want to stress that the Town Centre Hub is an extra space we’re going to be utilising to optimise local policing. The Enquiry Office at Barnstaple Police Station will remain accessible to the public during normal opening hours, which are listed on the force website.”
The unit in Green Lanes had been unoccupied since the council purchased the shopping centre in 2021 and had not received commercial interest despite being actively marketed.
More information about the hub can be found on the council's website. Those wishing to enquire about room bookings can do so by emailing towncentre.hub@northdevon.gov.uk for more information.