‘We’re changing banks’: members line the street after branch closures announced

Hordes of people have closed their bank accounts after a popular Tasmanian bank moved online. One woman – a 25-year customer waited on the street to prove her point.

HUNDREDS of Bank of Heritage Isle members have flocked to their local branches over the past week after news they would close permanently this month in a move online.

The Beaconsfield branch closed permanently yesterday leaving no physical banking presence in the area.

Barbara Best from Clarence Point yesterday closed her accounts with the Tasmanian division of Police Bank Ltd after 25 years as a member.

She was one of more than 20 members lined up outside the Launceston Branch on St John St before noon.

Mrs Best said she found about the branch closures from her Facebook feed and couldn’t understand it.

“When [it was] taken over by the Police Bank I thought it was a very healthy little branch down here in Tassie,” she said.

Bank of Heritage Isle customers wait outside the Launceston Branch after branch closures were announced. Picture: PATRICK GEE

“It was making money and local people were employed, so it was working very well.”

In a statement published last week, chief member officer Andrew Rasby blamed the branch closures on “digitisation” and the industry-wide trend of customers opting to use tap and go and online banking.

BOHI customers have been urged to order a debit card, download the Heritage Isle app and sign up for online banking, but Mrs Best said the option of face-to-face banking was still important.

She said “heaps” of members were closing their accounts and switching banks due to the push online.

Bank of Heritage Isle was founded in 1965 and has three branches in the Tamar Valley and one in Hobart.

Mrs Best said; “Most people joined Heritage Isle because of what it was and because they lived and worked in the Tamar Valley.”

The Hobart and George Town branches have already been shut down due to coronavirus measures, and will not reopen.

The Launceston branch will close permanently on May 22.

There will be 22 job losses as a result of the closures.