Kiwibank is considering closing its Christchurch CBD branch on Colombo St.
A Kiwibank spokesperson told chrislynchmedia.com the proposal is subject to consultation with staff and feedback from the community.
"If the proposed change goes ahead, we would support our branch team through any transition, including exploring the many opportunities across the bank," the spokesperson told chrislynchmedia.com.
A decline in demand for over-the-counter transactions at the branch was the reason cited for the proposed closure.
"This reflects a trend across our network," the spokesperson told chrislynchmedia.com.
"As of June 2024, 97% of customers whose main bank is Kiwibank connect with us via our digital services.
"Since 2017, demand from customers aged 65 and older has dropped by 60%.
“If the proposed changes go ahead, we will reallocate resources to areas that benefit more customers, such as investing in branches in higher foot traffic locations and in our digital services.
"Christchurch would still be serviced by full-service branches in malls with extended hours, along with eight Local for Kiwibank Agents providing basic transactional banking services," the spokesperson told chrislynchmedia.com.
A final decision on the closure was expected by mid-March and Kiwibank would communicate the outcome soon after.
