Post Shop's fate to be decided in April

The Redwood Village Post Shop faces an uncertain future when its contract with New Zealand Post expires in April 2010.

The shop, located on Cleghorn St and operated within Take Note bookshop, has been for sale for two years to no avail, as its owners Jim and Cherie Lochead look to retire after 14 years in the business.

NZ Post documents obtained by The Marlborough Express under the Official Information Act show the franchise contract for the post shop and Kiwibank store expired in October, but was extended to April 2010 to allow for the busy Christmas period.

The documents revealed potential options for the store post-April 2010. This included upgrading, moving to a different location, maintaining the existing store, or closing it.

But NZ Post head of retail operations and marketing, Scott Pollard, did not think an upgrade was viable in the long term.

The post shop is crucial to many older residents in the vicinity of Redwood Village, including residents of nearby Bethsaida Retirement Village, and those who used it as an alternative to the busy Main St one.

The NZ Post review obtained by The Marlborough Express said customer numbers at Redwood Village Post Shop were on a "constant and steady incline" due to "limitations" at the Main St post shop and the older population of the Redwood area.

One option suggested in the documents was a proposed upgrade to a Post Centre, which would offer more postal and courier services. Another included the expansion of the adjacent Hospice Marlborough shop Deja Vu.

The documents also suggest the declining postal market in favour of online was not large enough to support three post shops in Blenheim.

Hospice Marlborough Trust chairman Gerald Hope said he had not been contacted officially about the proposed hospice shop expansion option.

"There are a lot of rumours flying around but nothing is certain."

Mr Hope would certainly "be interested" in talking with NZ Post at some stage about the much-needed expansion to the shop.

"But as for running a post shop, it's not our core business."

NZ Post media communications manager Keith FitzPatrick said details would be finalised by April.

Asked if it meant the shop would close or relocate, Mr FitzPatrick said he was unable to comment. Owner Cherie Lochead referred all comment to NZ Post.

- The Marlborough Express