They said a lot of customers would be “gutted” about the change.
“Customers aren’t going to be able to have that same experience ... half the customers struggle to use the pay at pump anyway ...
“Then we’ve also got the customers that hate paying at the pump and don’t want to do that. They’d rather just fill up ... and come inside and get some snacks and stuff and continue on.”
The staff member said many customers went to Mobil Reid and Mills and enjoyed catching up with staff and buying a pie and coffee before going to work.
“It’s very disappointing.”
The staff member said the car wash would continue operating, but on a self-service basis.
They said they had been told “nothing” about why the station would become unmanned.
They said it looked like Mobil was doing that across the country “because they want to be more competitive with Waitomo and NPD”.
Speaking of the Reid and Mills team, they said that in their view, “If you talk to any of the staff, the morale’s down, the team dynamic and culture is down ...”
In their opinion, Mobil claimed to be “all about the community” while “shutting down shops left, right and centre”. “It’s just rubbish.”
The Rotorua Daily Post put the staff member’s concerns to Mobil, and asked why the station was becoming unmanned, how many staff had been made redundant, and what changes would be made to the station’s services.
A Mobil spokesperson said the company was converting several of its service stations across the country to “Mobil Express sites”, which would offer the same fuels.
“Only affecting select sites, the new model will bring Mobil in line with several other fuel retailers in New Zealand who similarly operate unattended sites across the country.
“New Zealand’s energy needs are evolving. As a business focused on the reliable supply of fuel that Kiwis rely on, we’re trying to address those new demands in a highly competitive market.”
When Mobil Oil New Zealand launched Mobil Express late last year, chairman Wayne Ellary said the initiative was an important step in the company’s retail strategy.
“Mobil Express strengthens our ability to serve customers across different demographics. It combines the trusted quality of Mobil fuels with modern, streamlined payment options, ensuring we continue to deliver value and reliability,” Ellary said.
The fuel company said then that it was converting 14 Mobil sites to the new self-service station model, with further conversions planned in 2026.
Mobil Oil NZ retail manager John Masters said at the time that the sites were designed to make refuelling convenient while maintaining the advantages customers expected from Mobil.
“We’re optimising our footprint and evolving our store formats, including the introduction of the new self-service station model where appropriate.”
The new offering would compete with the offerings from Z Energy’s U-GO stations and Waitomo Petrol’s offering.
The Reid and Mills station has been on the site for decades, with historical photos showing the business in operation dating back to the mid-1950s.
Megan Wilson is a health and general news reporter for the Bay of Plenty Times and the Rotorua Daily Post. She has been a journalist since 2021.
