Call to save Raumati Beach village PostShop

PROTEST: A number of people protested yesterday about the impending closure of the Raumati Beach village PostShop.

A large number of protesters gathered outside the Raumati Beach village PostShop yesterday morning to vent their anger at NZ Post's decision to close the business on May 22.

The protesters, both young and old, some carrying placards, want the PostShop, located in Raumati Rd, saved.

Closure reasons, cited by NZ Post, included the company was unable to find a business to provide the services on its behalf, and popularity of the PostShop at Coastlands.

NZ Post held discussions with the Raumati Beach Four Square, on the corner of Raumati Rd and Margaret Rd, in the weekend, to see if it was interested in having a PostCentre [different from a PostShop as it would only focus on postal services] there but it wasn't, a spokeswoman said.

Raewyn Lamond, who used to own the post business, as a franchise for 12 years, with husband John, before they sold it to New Zealand Post a few years ago, said the business had been profitable when they owned it.

"We were a profitable business.

"It was thriving when NZ Post took it over.

"They [NZ Post] have run it into the ground and now they're saying it's not profitable.

"And to say a lot of people are loving the Coastlands PostShop, well I say rubbish, as we got to know so many people when we ran our business."

In 2013 NZ Post announced a strategy to change the way it delivered services in a number of communities around New Zealand.

The Raumati Beach village PostShop was chosen as the pilot store to trial the changes.