By GEORGIA WESTGARTH
THE only bank in Lynbrook, ANZ, is shutting its doors due to a huge drop in foot traffic, and disgruntled customers have called on the Bendigo Bank to fill its hole in the community.
Casey councillor Wayne Smith, also a Lynbrook resident, said, “people are disappointed”.
“Many Lynbrook residents changed their banks to go to ANZ because it was local, and there’s no other bank branch in Lynbrook,” Cr Smith said.
ANZ customer Yvonne Tisdale wrote to the Lynbrook Social Page on Facebook: “Well, now our only bank in Lynbrook is closing, we moved to ANZ because it was local, might have to go to Bendigo Bank as they give back to the community.”
An ANZ spokesperson attributed the closure to more than an 18 per cent drop in daily transactions over the past year.
“It has not been an easy decision to close our Lynbrook branch, and we apologise to our customers for any inconvenience it may cause,” they said.
“We have written to our customers to let them know the branch will close from 27 April, when they can visit us at our Hampton Park branch about 2km away.”
But Cr Smith said it was not that easy.
“Hampton Park is not easy to get to without your own transport and it’s about convenience and shopping local,” Cr Smith said.
“I know there’s a group of residents trying to get Bendigo Bank into Lynbrook, there has been contact made and initial discussions with the Bendigo Bank Carrum Downs branch.”
In a statement an ANZ spokesperson said online banking has also played a part in the demise of the Lynbrook branch.
“We have seen an increase in customers using digital channels to bank such as our mobile banking app, goMoney or internet banking,” they said.
“We are currently looking at options to leave our ATM in Lynbrook either at its current location or a different one.”
ANZ Lynbrook advises customers can use a Bank@Post located at 75 Lynbrook Boulevard in Lynbrook which will offer deposits, withdrawals and payments for customers using ANZ debit or credit cards.
