BNZ plans to close its Cashel/Fitzgerald and Russley branches, while the Co-operative Bank has proposed closing its Papanui branch.
Westpac’s help stations in Halswell and St Martins remain unstaffed under level 2, and it would stay that way if its proposal to close the branches goes ahead.
Westpac spokesman Will Hine said a total of nine employees working across the Halswell and St Martins branches would be offered transfers to nearby branches. They would continue to work their current contracted hours.
“We are still consulting with those team members about the proposal.”
Halswell Community Project manager Kate Cleverly said it would be a sad day for the community if it meant there was no longer a bank where residents could actually go and see someone.
She said the nearest Westpac is in Hornby, and the only other bank in the suburb is a KiwiBank, inside the Halswell NZPost Shop which does not provide full services.
“It’s hard to know what kind of impacts it would have at this stage. but I imagine for older folk banking there who are used to going locally it’s going to be a bit tricky.”
