A CHARITY-run post office, café, deli and children’s soft play area for West Hampstead has opened between the pews of St James’ Church following an innovative campaign. 

After months of building work and a £320,000 revamp, the 19th-century building will welcome its first customers from 1pm onwards. 

The Sherriff Road church successfully campaigned for six months to win permission to replace the West End Lane post office after it announced its intention to close last year. 

It received the stamp of approval in August last year after the Post Office ruled that the project would offer a lifeline to the area’s 1,500 weekly users who would be left stranded without its postal and financial services. 

Father Andrew Cain, who led the campaign, said that the team worked hard to also include a café serving coffee, pastries and lunch, as well as a stationery shop, deli and multi-level play area, in order to cement the Sherriff Centre as an important social hub for people of all faiths and cultures as well as a place of worship. 

Father Andrew Cain, the postie priest

Father Cain said: “I’m really delighted that St James’ is going to be at the heart of West Hampstead’s local community. Do remember all the profits from this will go back into West Hampstead through a charity for the community, unlike some other coffee shops who shall remain nameless, which don’t pay any tax.”

He added that he hoped they would become an inspiration to other churches across the UK to do the same and become more involved with their local communities. 

The cafe ready to go

Hampstead and Kilburn out-going MP Glenda Jackson will cut the ribbon at a separate celebration at the church on August 1 to mark the St James Festival. 

The post office will open from Monday to Saturday, 8am-6pm.

The children’s play area will open from Monday to Saturday 9.30am to 5.30am. 

Father Cain, who recently married his same-sex partner of 14 years, will be discussing equality and women bishops on 16 BBC regional radio stations on Sunday from 7am-9am, including BBC London Radio.