Taylor Nikora says he has received a lot of support from the community since the announcement. Photo / Mike Tweed
Taylor Nikora says he has received a lot of support from the community since the announcement. Photo / Mike Tweed
Taylor Nikora says he will “explore every avenue” to keep an NZ Post centre in Whanganui East.
Nikora, the owner of Lindsay’s Lotto, Post & More at the Whanganui East Shopping Centre, bought the shop last October and received a phone call about the changes a month later.
The Chroniclereported last month that NZ Post planned to close 142 centres around the country by the end of the year.
The petition says the centre is an essential service and shutting it will impact elderly and mobility-limited residents, local businesses and “the overall wellbeing and connectivity of our community”.
Nikora told the Chronicle in January that there were two retirement villages nearby, and older people were his biggest clientele.
Taylor and Kiriana Nikora bought the shop in October 2025.
Bates, a National MP, said he had drafted a letter to send to NZ Post chief executive David Walsh, asking him to reconsider closing the Whanganui East centre.
“It was good to visit and chat through the impact on them,” he said.
“They [Lindsay’s Lotto] have also said there’s been a lack of responsiveness by NZ Post.”
Bates said while NZ Post, a state-owned enterprise, “has to make financial decisions”, it also had to understand the effects on the community.
He also planned to talk to Four Square Castlecliff owner Vivek Bangia.
“We understand that any change to local services can be unsettling, particularly where people are accustomed to using services in a certain way,” she said.
“We have communicated this change as early as possible, so that customers have time to plan, and can assure them that all feedback we receive will be considered.”
Nikora said while the post centre did make up a large part of his business, “the margins are really small”, but it did bring in a lot of people.
“For instance, an elderly person might have a grandchild who lives in Christchurch, so they’ll buy something and send it away.
“But this really isn’t about the money. It’s about the convenience for people. We send a lot of stuff.”
He said he had received a lot of support from the community and was visited by the owners of Aramoho Mags & Lotto and Four Square Castlecliff.
“Customers are even asking to take copies of the petition with them.
“It’s been really good.”
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 local government, primarily Whanganui District Council.
