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Franklin leaders say the closure of four NZ Post retail outlets will be “annoying” and “disruptive” for some locals, particularly those who rely on in-person postal services and will now need to travel further to neighbouring towns.
Four NZ Post locations across Franklin will stop offering NZ Post services from June 2026, as part of a nationwide reshaping of the postal operator’s urban retail network.
NZ Post has confirmed services will be withdrawn from the following locations:
- NZ Post Paerata, 1056 Paerata Road – closing 4 June 2026
- NZ Post Clarks Beach, 6 Seaway Road – closing 5 June 2026
- NZ Post Patumahoe, 13 Patumahoe Road – closing 9 June 2026
- NZ Post Takanini, 1/15 Princess Street – closing 10 June 2026
NZ Post Te Kauwhata was flagged to be closed in June, following Tuesday’s statement but the Franklin Times has been informed this was an error.
The changes form part of a wider move that will see NZ Post remove services from 142 urban retail partner stores nationwide during 2026, while retaining a network of 567 remaining outlets.
NZ Post says the decision reflects long-term changes in how customers use its services, with parcel sending, online order collection and returns now far outweighing traditional letter mail.
Franklin Ward councillor Andy Baker says while the closures reflect long-running changes in how people use postal services, the loss of convenience will still be keenly felt in affected communities.
“There will obviously be those who use NZ Post services in those communities who will miss the convenience and be forced to travel to neighbouring centres, and I imagine that loss of convenience will be annoying,” Baker says.
However, he says the move should be seen in the context of shifting technology and customer behaviour rather than a decline in Franklin town centres.
“I think it is more a reflection of a move away from the traditional services of NZ Post created by changes in technology and people’s way of doing things,” he says.
“This has been an issue for NZ Post for some time, so these sorts of changes don’t come as a surprise to me as it is a move to more efficiency.”
Looking ahead, Baker says growth areas such as Paerata could eventually support new services.
“In regard to Paerata, I would hope that in time, as the new retail centre develops, there will be the opportunity, driven by demand, for a new outlet to be established.”
Port Waikato MP Andrew Bayly says he was informed of the proposed changes earlier this week and, while not unexpected, believes the impact on some residents will be significant.
“These changes were signalled in October last year, so it’s no surprise. However, it is disappointing and the proposed changes will be very disruptive for some people,” Bayly says.
He says the loss of NZ Post services in Clarks Beach, Paerata and Patumahoe means residents who need personal advice or face-to-face assistance will have to travel longer distances.
“New Zealand Post has been steadily reducing its services for some time, and closing its services at these stores means those needing personal service and advice will have to travel further,” he says.
Bayly says the move mirrors decisions made by banks to consolidate physical branches into larger centres.
“There is still a large part of our community that prefers or chooses to use postal services in person, evidenced by the large queues at the post shops,” he says.
“My experience of these local service providers, especially in rural communities, is that they are friendly and supportive, and do much more than just provide a postal service.”
