NZ Post outlets in Whanganui East and Castlecliff will close this year.
the Whanganui East residents will soon have to cross the river to use a post centre.
Post centres at Lindsay’s Lotto, Post & More in Whanganui East and Four Square Castlecliff are set to close this year.
They are two of 142 urban partner stores across the country set for closure, NZ Post announced on Tuesday.
Four Square Castlecliff owner Vivek Bangia said he brought NZ Post to his store several years ago.
“When we were told NZ Post was looking to close it, I wrote back and said, ‘What happens to the community?’.
“From day one, that’s what it’s always been for us, a community thing.”
Bangia said customers would need to travel to Gonville when his centre closed.
That would affect older people and those working during the week, he said.
“Unlike other post shops, we are open on the weekends,” he said.
“If I went running to the company and said I wasn’t making any money and it wasn’t financially viable, I could understand them pulling the pin.
“But it was never about making money. It was about service.”
Without Four Square Castlecliff, the closest is Gonville Post + More, which is 3.4km away.
Closing Whanganui East means the closest centre for those living in the suburb is in the Aramoho Shopping Centre, 2.4km further by vehicle, or 1.8km further on foot or bicycle via the Aramoho rail bridge.
Mobility scooters cannot use the rail bridge because of the metal chicanes at each end.
In a statement to the Chronicle, NZ Post said the changes had been to make sure it had the right mix of stores and services in the right locations.
“We determined this through a careful, evidence-based process that analysed detailed customer patterns and retail network data to understand how people are using NZ Post today, especially the growth in parcel sending and collection.
“We also took a detailed look at drive time data and engaged with our retail partners so we could understand where changes made sense.”
The Castlecliff centre is expected to close in June, with Whanganui East to follow in late 2026.
Lindsay’s Lotto, Post & More owner, Taylor Nikora, said he and his wife bought the business last October, and received a notification from NZ Post about the changes a month later.
“There was a submission process to put your point of view across, and we did that, of course,” he said.
“Our biggest clientele is our elderly people, with two neighbouring retirement villages. It’s really handy for them.
“We’re in walking distance, or they come and visit on their [mobility scooters].”
Nikora said NZ Post’s decision would impact his shop “quite a bit”.
“Honestly, it’s quite scary, given this is the first time we’ve gone into business.
“There is lots of thinking to do on what could replace it, but we’ll get there.”
Age Concern Whanganui manager Michelle Malcolm said she was surprised about the closures, because neither outlet was strictly a post office.
“I would think it is pretty cost-effective to have them there,” she said.
“What’s it saving them [NZ Post]? They don’t have to pay overheads or staff.
“It just makes things even more difficult for people, especially older people.”
Bangia said he was not sure how successful other Whanganui post centres were, but he never had any complaints.
“Personally, I owe everything to the community.
“What I am today is because of them. We try to help them where we can, and put our best foot forward.
“I have asked them [NZ Post] to reconsider, but you can only fight against an organisation so much.”
The closures follow an update to the deed of understanding between NZ Post and the Government, which resets the minimum store requirements and allows changes to the retail network.
NZ Post is a state-owned enterprise, with the Government as 100% shareholder.
Mike Tweed is a multimedia journalist at the Whanganui Chronicle. Since starting in March 2020, he has dabbled in everything from sport to music. At present his focus is on local government, primarily the Whanganui District Council.