Feilding will lose one of its three supermarkets as part of a decision to focus efforts on constructing a new New World store.
Grocery co-operative Foodstuffs has decided to close the doors on the town's well-loved Write Price supermarket, after servicing the town's and Manawatū District's "loyal" residents since 1981.
Head of external relations Antoinette Laird confirmed murmurs that the company were closing the supermarket and said many factors were taken into "careful consideration" before making the "challenging" decision to close the Write Price store.
"Write Price Feilding was purpose-built and opened in 1981," said Laird. "The store is very dated and requires significant investment to fit it out and bring it up to the standard most shoppers expect of a modern supermarket."
Foodstuffs also own the New World and PAK'nSAVE supermarket brands.
The co-operative would instead focus on constructing a modern full-service New World supermarket on the corner of Aorangi and Gladstone streets, a plan that has been touted since 2013 with the original proposal being to build a PAK'nSAVE supermarket on the site.
After significant delays, Foodstuffs announced in 2015 that the company would replace the current Fergusson Street New World with a new, larger, purpose-built supermarket, and had no plans to replace or upgrade the dilapidated Write Price.
Laird said the lease on the Write Price site was due to expire on October 2, but Foodstuffs were attempting to negotiate an extension to ensure Write Price remained open, and its 35 staff members continued to be employed, until the opening of the new New World supermarket.
"We are speaking to the owner [of the Write Price site] about seeking a lease extension until the opening of the new New World store, which would ensure staff remain employed and have the opportunity to apply for roles in the new supermarket."
Feilding residents have noticed groundworks taking place at the site recently and construction on the new store was "about to begin", said Laird.
But customers and lovers of the no-frills, discounted prices offering provided by the low-cost Write Price and PAK'nSAVE chains will lose this style of supermarket in the town, Foodstuffs advised.
"Analysis of the demographics, and projected population growth of the catchment indicates that the community is simply not large enough to sustain the two supermarket businesses," said Laird. "Our owner-operator structure means we need to give consideration to these facts as each business must be able to be financially sustainable."
Manawatū District mayor Helen Worboys said she knew some of the staff who worked at Write Price personally and they were devastated.
She told the Manawatū Standard that she had been in contact with Foodstuffs and said they had told her of their hope to keep Write Price open until the new New World was operational.
But long-term, she was concerned.
"If the town is left with no supermarket that caters for lower income people, that's a huge loss," said Worboys.
Worboys referred to the Horowhenua town of Levin, where there were both Write Price and New World supermarkets saying "If Levin can do it, why can't Feilding?".
She was also concerned that the closure would push residents to PAK'nSAVE in Palmerston North.
"When people do that, they do their other shopping over there as well."
Laird said Foodstuffs' priority at this time was ensuring the 35 Write Price employees were supported during the last few months of business.
"We appreciate this news is challenging for the staff and loyal customers of Write Price Feilding, and our priority at this time is ensuring staff have the support they need."
Write Price's owner-operator Peter Arthur also owns the PAK'nSAVE supermarket in Palmerston North and Foodstuffs are also investigating potential employment options there, as well as at the larger New World and at other Foodstuffs operations in the Manawatū region, Laird said.
Laird wished to alleviate concerns about funds saved in Write Price's Christmas Club savings scheme.
"We are still working on the details of how the closure will affect the Write Price Christmas Club, however, we can assure club members that their funds are held in trust and are secure," she said.
Competition supermarket Countdown, owned and operated by Progressive Enterprises, is Feilding's only other supermarket. The new New World will be located 500 metres from Countdown and both supermarkets will be visible to each other.
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