Petrol chain shuts 'high risk' station

Omokoroa resident Russell Heys is disappointed that his local gas station Z Omokoroa is closing down. Photo / George Novak

A Western Bay service station has closed due to staff and customer security fears after burglars ram-raided the business.

Z Energy closed its Omokoroa site yesterday in the "interests of safety" for staff, customers and the community.

Spokesperson Christine Langdon told the Bay of Plenty Times the company made the decision after reviewing security after a ram-raid last month, concluding there was a "high risk" to people.

The cost of upgrading security inside the store and on the forecourt would have been "well into the six figures".

"The investment did not stack up financially alongside the turnover at the site. Z Omokoroa is one of the lowest-volume sites in the country and volume had been dropping," she said

Ms Langdon said Z Energy would continue paying the lease to the landlord until it expired in August, and all four staff would be transferring to jobs at other Z retailer sites in Tauranga.

Branding would be removed and tanks emptied and isolated before Christmas with work to redevelop the site expected to start in February.

Local residents and business operators say the closure saddens them but the site's owner is promising "something bigger and better" will take its place.

Omokoroa local Russell Heys said he had been a loyal customer since he and his wife settled in the area in 1994.

"It will be a very sad day for this community. I feel really sad that another local business is closing.

"For everyone in Omokoroa this is our closest petrol station. But I don't just fill up here just because I need gas or some bread and milk, it's more than that. I'm patriotic and always support the local sheriffs whatever business they're in, and I fill up here, even though I have supermarket discount vouchers for Mobil."

Tauranga motorist Shaun Smith, who owns Smith Painters Limited, said he filled up at Z Omokoroa at least once a month before heading to Katikati for work commitments.

"It's a real shame. I come here because it's much easier for me to pull off the highway than in town, and because I like the customer service," he said.