A couple bidding farewell after almost two decades of service to Newtown Post Office are urging customers to continue supporting their local independent branch.
Kulwant 'Kelly' Nijjer and his wife Kuljit 'Kully' Nijjer have thanked their loyal customers who have supported them over the past 18 years in Shortbridge Street.
The couple's last day at the post office is Thursday (May 4) then the branch will be closed on Friday for an audit before the new postmaster arrives.
"The customers are the best of the best," Kelly said. "If I upset people, which I may have, I’m very sorry about that. Please forgive me because it’s been a very tough job. It’s very hard to run this place.
"But the one big thing I want to say is I would like to thank everybody for supporting us especially the ones who are still coming in here after 18 years and saying that we will be missed.
"We are sad to go and there’s no lie about that, but I have to move on at some point and I think the time is right now."
Kelly added: “The Post Office was brilliant. But things have happened where there was controversy and I think that has started to destroy the Post Office. I’m getting out while the goings good.”
Kelly's wife Kully added: “We’ve had so many dramas we could have written a book on this place.
"The staff have been absolutely fantastic, that’s what kept us going, and all of the funny moments with customers.
"A lady brought me a big bunch of flowers and it made me cry."
One of Kelly and Kully's many customers who are devastated that they're leaving is Jeanette Lee, from Newtown.
"They’ve been amazing. They go out of their way for you. Nothing is a problem. They sorted my passport out because I’m not good with technology. They are lovely people, really down to earth and I’ll be sad to see them go.
“Lovely people with a heart of gold who will do anything for you and I will be sad to see them go.”
Before leaving, Kelly also addressed local reports that Post Office services would be moving to the Spar shop in Broad Street.
"Rumours were going around for about a year. I had resigned, and I was going to leave on March 31. Last October I found out that the Post Office had given the Post Office to the Spar. I straightaway withdrew my notice. About two weeks after a bloke approached me and he said, ‘I want to buy your business’ and that was it.”
He added: “My message to the people of Newtown is please support the next postmaster because he is going to need it because it is getting harder and harder. Keep on coming in and use his services which is the most important thing.
“I didn’t want the post office to close that’s why I wanted it to remain as an independent rather than being at a Spar or something like that.”
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