Westpac Branch Lilydale to close in September

Customers are lamenting the loss of a major bank branch in Lilydale, one of a number set to shut up shop across Melbourne.

The Westpac bank branch in Main St Lilydale is closing at the end of September.

Loyal customers are upset Westpac will close its Lilydale branch at the end of September.

The closure has been described as a huge shame, with many locals lamenting the loss of the service and popular staff who work at the branch.

Westpac said declining customer use of branches was to blame for the closure, with the Bank of Melbourne also set to close its Croydon branch.

Lilydale Township Action Group president Neal Taylor said the closure would have a massive impact on the community.

“Lilydale is the gateway and the hub for this part of the Yarra Ranges and the whole way up through Warburton and Healesville,” Mr Taylor said.

“We’re a hub; we’re not a suburb, we’re a gateway and we need these services to be here.

“People expect and need these services coming from the outer parts of the Yarra Ranges.

“For them to abandon Lilydale adds further complications for people; it’s ridiculous.”

More than 100 people have commented on the closure on the Yarra Valley Noticeboard Facebook page, with one woman describing it as “such a shame” with many sorry to see the loss of the branch’s “lovely staff”.

A Westpac Group spokesperson said with more than five million digitally active customers, it was investing in services to complement how its customers choose to bank.

“Declining customer use of branches means that in some instances, we may take a difficult decision to leave a branch location,” the spokesperson said.

“In these instances, we continue to support our customers by expanding access via Bank@Post, telephone, mobile and virtual banking.”

The spokesperson said it had a robust process in place to help employees to find new opportunities within Westpac Group, meaning the majority of employees affected secure a new role and continue their career in the Group.

The nearest Westpac branch for people living in Lilydale will be at Chirnside Park Shopping Centre.

It comes after one of Melbourne’s largest suburbs was left with just one bank branch to service tens of thousands of residents.

Commonwealth Bank of Australia will operate the only bricks and mortar branch dedicated to Reservoir’s 50,000 residents, after Westpac and National Australia Bank recently announced they were permanently shutting up shop.

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