Headington's Post Office is back at 12 Windmill Road with passports, banking and vehicle tax, after eight months shut. Plus two new counters in OX3 and OX4.

Headington has a full Post Office again. The branch was due to reopen at 1pm on Tuesday 15 September in a new home at 12 Windmill Road, OX3 7BX, according to the Post Office’s notice to customers.

It ends a gap of more than eight months. The old branch, inside the Co-op at 152 London Road, closed at 1pm on Saturday 3 January 2026. The Post Office said then that the postmaster had resigned and the premises had been withdrawn. (Post Office closure letter, 2 December 2025)

Two smaller Post Office counters have also opened in Headington and Cowley this month.

The new Headington branch

The Post Office’s reopening letter sets out the details:

  • Where: 12 Windmill Road, about 280 metres from the old branch, “along mostly level terrain”. The shop sells stationery and has a coffee shop.
  • Opening hours: Monday to Saturday, 9am to 5.30pm. Closed on Sunday.
  • Counters: two screened serving positions.
  • Access: a wide door and a ramp at the entrance, a hearing loop, and space for a wheelchair inside.
  • Parking: the St Leonards Road pay and display car park, about 120 metres away.

It is a full-service branch. The letter lists cash withdrawals, cash and cheque deposits, Drop & Go, Parcelforce, bill payments, paper and digital passport Check & Send, DVLA photocard renewal, vehicle tax, document certification and Bank of England banknote exchange. Travel money is limited to dollars and euros.

The Post Office described the move as “a commercial decision” it was not consulting on. It took comments on access to the new premises until 12 August. If the opening date slipped, it said, posters in the branch would say so. (Post Office reopening letter, 14 July 2026)

Two new Drop & Collect counters

The Post Office has also opened two “Drop & Collect” counters in convenience stores, run with Payzone. These are a lighter format, served from a handheld device. The letters for both describe the service as a trial.

Branch Opened Hours
Ox3 Convenience Store, 50 Gladstone Road, Headington, OX3 8LJ Wednesday 2 September Mon to Sat 7am to 10pm, Sun 8am to 8pm
Cowley Convenience Store, 193-195 Barns Road, Oxford, OX4 3UT Monday 7 September Every day, 7am to 11.59pm

Both offer the same three things:

  • collecting and returning prepaid parcels
  • bill payments
  • mobile phone top-ups

They do not offer banking. The Post Office says “more complex services like personal and business banking will not be available”. For anything else, it points Gladstone Road customers to Risinghurst and Wood Farm, and Barns Road customers to the Cowley Centre branch in Templars Square and The Square Post Office in Cowley. (Gladstone Road letter, 20 August 2026; Barns Road letter, 20 August 2026)

St Clements

The St Clements Street Post Office, at 74-75 St Clements Street, closed on 28 July “due to operational reasons”. The Post Office said it was due to reopen at 9am on Monday 24 August, and apologised for the late notice. (St Clements Street letter, 31 July 2026)

What it means for you

  • If you need a passport check, vehicle tax or to pay in cash: Headington’s Windmill Road branch does all of these again. While it was shut, the Post Office’s listed alternatives were Risinghurst and Wood Farm, about a mile away. Its letter said both excluded passport Check & Send and vehicle tax.
  • If you only send prepaid returns or pay bills: the new Gladstone Road and Barns Road counters open far longer hours than Windmill Road, including Sundays.
  • Before you go: the Post Office’s branch finder carries the latest hours. It warns that branches can change them.
  • If access at Windmill Road is a problem: the Post Office takes comments at comments@postoffice.co.uk or on 03452 66 01 15, quoting branch code 397137.

Driving to Windmill Road? Our parking in Oxford page lists charges and Blue Badge rules for the city’s car parks.