Pharmacy steps up to replace post shop

A Palmerston North pharmacy is stepping up, after the abrupt closure of a post shop left its community high and dry.

Full postal services were offered from the bookshop in the Pioneer Highway shopping centre for many years, until it suddenly closed down due to ‘‘unforeseen circumstances’’ and a ‘‘confidential contractual matter’’ with NZ Post on March 12.

But relief was on the way for distraught customers, particularly older people, who relied on the shop as Vautier Pharmacy next door took on a new contract with NZ Post.

‘‘We’ve seen howmuch our community values these services, and want people to know we will be ready to help them out,’’ pharmacy owner Lynne Vautier said.

NZ Post confirmed the pharmacy will have postal services available from next Monday, but payment and bill services will take a little longer and likely won’t be available until June.

Vautier Pharmacy Pioneer Highway manager Karlyn Smith said staff were undergoing training to get the payment and bill services up and running as soon as possible. ‘‘We’re pretty busy already, and it’s a big job... but it’s about keeping this community alive.

‘‘That post office was the heartbeat of our community.’’

Smith said pharmacy staff were close with their customers, many of whom had come in regularly for their prescriptions for years, and it was hard seeing how distraught many of them were about the post shop’s closure.

‘‘We’ve got an older generation alive in New Zealand, and others, that can’t do internet banking or travel far...

‘‘People have been coming in [without realising the postal shop was closed] and screaming in frustration, or crying to us saying they can’t cope without it.’’

Alistair Cameron, 76, was relieved the pharmacy was taking up the postal service. It was only a couple of blocks from his house, which is why he’d always paid his bills at the old post shop.

His doctors had advised him to get more walking in, but the trip to the Inner City Post and Lotto was a bit too far, he said.

Cameron knew many others relied on the postal service at the shopping centre.

‘‘Everyone will be so pleased ... good on the pharmacy owner.’’

NZ Post confirmed the pharmacy will have postal services available from next Monday.