Belco yesterday announced the relocation of its Somerset bill payment centre to the Somerset MarketPlace as part of the company's centralisation process.

Effective from Friday, the centre at the MarketPlace will be open from 8.30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Customers will also be able to pay their bills at any time during store hours by depositing their payment in a drop box at the Belco counter. Belco's Somerset branch, currently located opposite the Somerset Police station, will close its doors permanently at 5 p.m. on February 28.

In a statement released yesterday Belco said the relocation of the cashiering service comes seven months after the company centralised its overhead line services, moving the crews that had previously been dispatched from the Somerset depot back to Pembroke. The reorganisation of overhead line crews thus eliminated the need for depots in Somerset and St. George's, and it has been Belco's intention to keep the branch offices in operation only until appropriate alternative payment service locations could be secured.

"Belco is excited to be working in partnership with the MarketPlace on this new service," said Belco's manager of customer service.

"All of our discussions about closing the Belco Somerset office hinged on us finding a convenient secure and customer service focussed alternative location where customers could continue to pay their bills in the West End."

Scott Carswell, vice president of MarketPlace supermarkets, added: "This is an exciting arrangement for us.

"It offers our customers a one-stop shopping experience where they can shop with us and pay their Belco bill at the same time.

"The extended store hours of 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday offers an increased degree of flexibility to Belco's customers."