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Wellsford businesses and residents have reacted with anger and disappointment that the town’s last stand-alone bank, the ASB, will close at the end of the month (MM, Jan 22).
Wellsford Plus president and Hammer Hardware owner Mitch Martin is urging customers to write to ASB to register their objections and make their voices heard by management.
“I know that we are facing a ‘rising tide’, and the closure of banks in smaller towns is a reality across NZ,” he said. “But that doesn’t mean to say we don’t fight it – if we do nothing, we can guarantee we’ll get nothing.”
Martin said he accepted that ASB was making a business decision based on a number of factors, such as building and staff costs and customer footfall, but said there were wider issues at play.
“Our closest banks are now Warkworth and Whangarei. From a business perspective, we now have to travel a long way to get change, and it affects people over a huge area,” he said.
“I’m concerned at how the wider community continue to do their banking – some people are not computer literate or may not have a computer or smart phone, or even want one.”
Martin added that the closure was happening at a time when Wellsford and nearby towns were growing rapidly, with big new subdivisions planned and an influx of new residents and businesses into the community.
Saloon Bar owner Chris Bright agreed, saying on social media that the closure simply wasn’t justified.
“Drop to one teller if needed, but closing is crazy. Wellsford is a growing town not a dying one,” he said.
Martin added that while banks, like all businesses, deserved the right to make money,
He believed they also had a responsibility to serve those who banked with them in the community.
“I believe there is an ethical responsibility, right now,” he said. “New Zealanders are doing it tough with increased food costs and mortgages, and now it will be extra time and fuel to go down to Warkworth.
“Does a bank have a responsibility to not add to these costs when they are already making good money?”
Unfortunately, ASB could offer little comfort to Wellsford customers. Executive general manager of personal banking Adam Boyd said the decision to close the bank was “carefully considered, was not one we took lightly, and it is final”.
However, he said a smart ATM and bag deposit unit for business cash drop-offs would remain in Wellsford, and said if there were any issues with either, ASB would aim to rectify them as a matter of urgency.
“We’re committed to supporting all our customers with this change and ensuring they continue to get the service they need,” he said.
“We know the personal touch is important to some of our customers and we are in the process of proactively calling customers who frequently use our Wellsford branch, or who we know require extra support to help work through this change with them.
“We appreciate not all our customers are able to bank with us digitally or over the phone and therefore carefully considered the proximity and accessibility of an alternative ASB branch, with our Warkworth branch a 20-minute drive away and open 5 days per week, from 9.30am to 4.30pm.”
