Te Ngae PostShop set to close

The Te Ngae PostShop. Photo/Stephen Parker

Major changes are in store for the Te Ngae PostShop, meaning customers will have to go elsewhere to do their banking and pay bills.

New Zealand Post has announced it will shift services from the Te Ngae PostShop to another business in the area.

The company is looking for a local business, such as a bookstore or supermarket, to operate postal services on its behalf, said media spokeswoman Amanda Vaisigano.

She said it was was hoped the business would be near to the closing PostShop.

Postal services will be available at the new location but over-the-counter banking services and bill payments will no longer be offered. Customers would have to go elsewhere or use online or telephone banking.

Four other PostShops offering the Kiwibank services, on Tutanakai St, Amohau St, Ngongotaha Rd and Malfroy Rd, are kilometres away.

The shop would likely close after the services were moved to the new location, unless the business taking over the service chose to operate out of the current site, Ms Vaisigano said.

She said there were four staff working at the PostShop but would not say whether they would lose their jobs. The company would work with the takeover business to see if they were able to employ the four.

The Kiwibank ATM would remain, meaning customers would still be able to withdraw cash and check their balances.

The move was part of a series of changes the company was making throughout the country.

"The reason we are doing this is because New Zealand Post is changing in response to how and where customers are using banking and postal services. We also need to control the cost of providing services in order to remain a viable business," she said.

New Zealand Post store network general manager Jon Andrews said having local businesses operate postal services on its behalf was not a new concept.

"This way of working is already in use in over 750 communities around New Zealand," he said.