Sunday 13 March 2016

Bank set to bolt on Wycheproof

The Wycheproof community has received information that the ANZ Bank, Wycheproof Branch will close on 1 June 2016.
This is a major blow for the Wycheproof community which is in a period of revitalisation with new businesses opening and young business people choosing to settle in Wycheproof.
The news has created anxiety for both residents and business owners, including farmers, who rely on face-to-face banking. It also means the loss of two part-time jobs in our small community and employment training opportunities.
So far the ANZ Bank has not provided any information about the closure to Wycheproof Branch account holders.
Wycheproof VISION (town forum) has invited representatives of the ANZ Bank to a community meeting on Tuesday 22 March 2016, 7pm, at the Senior Citizens Rooms, Broadway, Wycheproof.
“The meeting is an opportunity for ANZ Bank personnel to explain the reasons for the pending closure of the Wycheproof Branch and provide information regarding future ANZ banking for account holders in our community”, Wycheproof VISION President, Jacinta Miller said.
“The meeting will canvass options for the community to lobby for the retention of the branch, to maintain an ANZ Bank presence in our town, or seek alternative banking solutions. We believe the Wycheproof community has a good business case to put for the retention of face-to-face banking in Wycheproof.

“While the community has not been told of the bank’s reason for closing the branch, it is presumed that the emphasis now in banking, for customers to use internet or electronic banking is behind this decision. The bank has not taken into account the fact that most of our rural residents rely on face-to-face banking due to limited or non-existent access to the internet. The action of the bank makes little sense in the face of this”, Ms Miller said.