North Devon Council customer services hub will move to Green Lanes later this month

A new customer services hub for North Devon Council will open at Green Lanes Shopping Centre in Barnstaple on Monday, June 16, transferring operations from Lynton House.

The Town Centre Hub will be open Monday to Friday and make it easier for residents to access face-to-face advice, the council has said.

It expands the council’s customer service facilities and will be open daily from 9am until 5pm, providing help and assistance to customers who are unable to use online or phone contact.

The new Green Lanes hub replaces the customer service desk at Lynton House in Commercial Road on the riverfront, which will close at 1pm on Wednesday, June 11. The Lynton House desk is currently open on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 9am until 1pm.

At Green Lanes, new working spaces will enable staff from various council services to assist customers where needed.

An interview room is available for private consultations 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 visitors the chance to speak with officers from Barnstaple's Neighbourhood Policing Team.

Council leader Councillor David Clayton said: “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.”

Members of the council's North Devon Community Lottery team will be at the hub on Tuesday, June 17, where prospective good causes and supporters can find out more about how the lottery supports fundraising for the local community.

Local police are also pleased with the new facility. 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.

“I want to stress 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. Anyone who wants to enquire about room bookings can email towncentre.hub@northdevon.gov.uk for more information.