NAB bucks branch closure trend by opening more city branches on Saturdays

As the major banks close more regional branches, one of the big four is taking a different approach for face-to-face dealings on Saturdays.

NAB has gone against the grain, opening more of its branches on Saturdays while other banks close outlets.

NAB will open 17 more branches on Saturdays – from February 1 – bringing its total to 29 after a trial late last year.

The major bank is also installing 39 new ATMs at branches across the country.

National Australia Bank will open more city branches on Saturdays. Picture: NewsWire / Glenn Campbell

The Saturday trading hours are a win for NAB customers in the cities, even though NAB says 93 per cent of transactions are done online.

However, regional Australians are continually being left behind by the banking sector.

Nearly 800 bank branches have been closed in regional areas between 2017 to 2023, according to the Australian Prudential Regulatory Authority.

The big four Australian banks have removed 217 ATMs in the past 12 months. More than 8300 bank-owned ATMs have been removed in the past seven years.

All of the NAB branches open on Saturdays are in capital cities, except one on the Gold Coast. Picture: NewsWire / Luis Enrique Ascui

“We’re taking a fresh look at how we serve our customers and Saturday trading is the perfect complement to the $41m we’ve invested in renovating our branches over the last year,” NAB personal bank executive Paul Carter said.

“We want to make sure that our customers can bank when it works for them.”

Ten of the branches are in Melbourne, seven are in Sydney, four are in Brisbane, two are in Adelaide and three are in Perth. The Gold Coast, Canberra and Darwin have one each.

In a NAB statement, a couple identified only as Cameron and Brooke from Melbourne’s eastern suburbs say the bank being open Saturday has helped them prepare to get a mortgage.

“Knowing we can now come in on a Saturday instead of having to leave work early or visit the branch during a lunch break when working from home is great,” Cameron said.

Originally published as NAB bucks branch closure trend by opening more city branches on Saturdays