For the fifth time in as many years a bank branch in The Local’s readership area is closing. And this time they are even taking their ATM with them too!
Local customers were advised by Westpac in a letter dated 18 September that the New Lambton branch will close on Friday 9 October.
In the letter Westpac’s regional general manager Bree Moody said “You can now manage most of your banking from the comfort of your home, office or while you’re on the move. In recognition of our customers’ changing preferences…the branch will close from 1pm on Friday 9 October 2020.”
In a letter published in The Local after the closure of the Newcastle Permanent’s Lambton branch in March 2018, the then manager of Westpac New Lambton wrote “Westpac is committed to providing high quality banking services to New Lambton and we want to assure the community we intend to do this for many years to come.”
State Member for Wallsend, Ms Sonia Hornery MP, has slammed the bank’s decision and called on the NSW Government to do more to ensure the most vulnerable in the community are not left behind following the announcement of another bank branch closure.
“Almost half of people aged 70 and over and 28% of bank customers in general are not registered for online banking. Ms Hornery said in a statement.
“The continued closure of these banks without any thought or care for a significant number of their customers is having a huge impact on the community.
“These highly profitable financial institutions and our Government need to do more to ensure that the most vulnerable in the community are not left behind and forced to turn to unscrupulous services in order to meet their financial needs,” Ms Hornery said.
The branch manager at Westpac New Lambton and Westpac media relations were contacted by The Local for comment regarding the branch closure, but neither responded prior to publication.
