The new branch, next door to the previous branch in George St, replaced one that was dated and considered uninviting to the customers it served.
"Even though the branch is in the middle of the CBD, we have an interesting demographic, with a lot of elderly customers and a lot of customers with children," Mr Cochrane said.
"For those groups, the old branch was not suitable. You had to walk for miles to get to a teller and there was nowhere to entertain the children."
The new branch had been designed so all transactions were carried out at the front and a new sound-proofed room had been included in the design so children could be entertained while their parents were talking to bank staff, Mr Cochrane said.
The branch would soon have the latest technology to assist business customers.
Cash-counting machines would be installed that would allow businesses to tip their coins in, have them automatically counted and a receipt issued, all with in a few minutes.
The new branch was part of the Westpac strategy of being more community-focused, he said.
Late last year, Westpac chief executive George Frazis announced the bank was opening 10 community branches in Auckland.
Mr Cochrane said Dunedin was well served with six branches, but money had been allocated to modernise them and improve their systems.
Local managers would be given more autonomy to make their own lending decisions.
"We want our managers to have a local focus, and they will have the authority to act locally."
As part of the changes, the three-tonne safe from the old branch was shifted into the new branch early yesterday morning.
Mr Cochrane had an anxious wait as six men heaved and pushed the safe from branch to branch.
"There were six people sweating and one very concerned area manager," he said.
