The Owairaka branch of Kiwibank has been served a 30 days closing down notice citing ‘safety risk for staff and public’ earlier last week.
The Kiwibank branch on Richardson Road also provides NZ Post services to the community and will shut its operations on Friday, December 22 at 5 p.m.
The owner of the franchise for 12 years Mr Bhasker Desai and his wife Varsha are ‘unhappy’ with this decision of the Kiwibank and are protesting to keep its operations running.
“I received a notice from Kiwibank on Wednesday, November 22 stating the banking facilities at Owairaka branch will cease on December 22 at 5 p.m.,” Mr Desai told The Indian Weekender.
“The notice also read that Kiwibank did a security survey in July 2017 and has hence invoked a clause that they can change the product or services citing security reasons,” Mr Desai added.
The business has been robbed seven times in the last ten years with its last robbery happening 15 months ago, in August 2016.
The NZ Post services such as selling stamps, the PO Boxes and a few minor services will remain operational,” Mr Desai said.
Mr Desai added that with this order the branch would also stop other major services offered such as New Zealand Transport Agency payments and services, Western Union, banking, money transfer, travel orders, money exchange etc.
Mr Desai said that stating security reasons is not justified to close this branch as the last such incident happened was in August 2016.
“I had emailed the Kiwibank’s offices asking to improve security after every such robbery attempts, but they never paid heed to our concerns, and now they have simply asked to stop the services,” claimed Mr Desai.
“I am being punished for no fault of my own,” cried Mr Desai.
“With banking and other services gone, I will be left with only selling stamps and a few minor works which cannot raise enough to cover my expenses, pay salary to one staff and or to even pay my rent,” Mr Desai told The Indian Weekender.
Mr Desai is talking to his customers about the change who too are ‘unhappy’ with the shutting down of Kiwibank services.
Mr Desai has appealed to the Puketapapa Local Board and has also started a petition to retain the business that has already gathered over a thousand signatures from the community.
“I have customers who have been coming to us from the very start, and many have joined us later. When I close down they will have to travel to Royal Oak, St Lukes or New Lynn to get their work done,” Mr Desai said.
“On an average, I get over 200 customers every day, and with the closing down, I will lose at least 1000 customers every week,” cried Mr Desai.
Mr Desai said that the bank has not offered any compensation for the loss that he is going to suffer because of the 'shut down'.
Mr Desai is holding a protest on Monday, December 4 at 5 p.m. outside the bank to oppose the ‘shut down’ along with the members of the community.
"I received the information of the shutting down of the Owairaka Kiwibank branch earlier this week and we are in touch with Mr Desai to help him in this difficult moment," Shail Kaushal, member of the Puketapapa Local Board told The Indian Weekender.