Taranaki Newspapers Limited (TNL) Building (1986)

In the early 1980s print media was still a booming industry. New Plymouth boasted two daily newspapers, the Daily News (now the Taranaki Daily News) in the morning and the Taranaki Herald in the late afternoon. Both were published by Taranaki Newspapers Limited (TNL).

Prior to the formation of TNL in 1962 the Daily News staff worked in a building on the western corner of Currie and Powderham Streets. After the merger, TNL purchased the Sargood Son and Ewen Ltd. building on the opposite corner. This was demolished and by early 1966 the Daily News had moved across the road into a new building. 

Meanwhile, the Taranaki Herald staff had been based in a building built in 1909, almost next-door to the new Daily News premises. In 1984 this building, and a smaller one nearby, were demolished. The Herald staff then moved across the road to Roebuck House while the left-hand side of building was built.

In late 1985 staff were finally able to move into both the new section and the re-furbished Daily News premises. The official opening took place on 30 January 1986. The new complex was designed by Thomson, Buchan & Chong and the contractors were Roebuck Construction Company Ltd. 

Just over 3 years later the Taranaki Herald closed, a casualty of declining sales NZ wide for afternoon newspapers. The Taranaki Daily News has faced similar problems as the internet offered a new way for people to source news.

In April 2018 they moved out of the Currie Street building and into the State Insurance/Transfield Worley Building on Gill Street.

A new office complex - Courtenay Business Park - designed by Jackson Architects was developed on the corner site. The ground floor of the original building has been re-developed into office space with internal car parks. Half the upper level was demolished and replaced with a new office space, a 'green belt' and more car parks.

In a curious twist, the staff of the Taranaki Daily News are now (2024) based back in this new co-working space on Currie Street. 

Related items:

Millions spent by TNL (Taranaki Herald 21 July 1984)

Work On Target (Taranaki Herald 21 September 1984)

Old and New Offices (Taranaki Herald 17 August 1985)

Taranaki Herald staff on the move (Taranaki Herald 14 December 1985)

TNL's New Building (Daily News 30 January 1986)

Officially in our new home (Daily News 31 January 1986)

Extreme makeover planned for old newspaper building (Taranaki Daily News 21 June 2017)

We're Moving (Taranaki Daily News 7 April 2018)