Wairoa to lose another bank with BNZ shutting in May

The BNZ branch in Wairoa will close in May due to low usage. Photo / File

Wairoa mayor Craig Little is bitterly disappointed that the local BNZ branch is closing in May, which will leave the district with just two over-the-counter banking providers.

He said the move will have huge ramifications, with only a Westpac branch and a Kiwibank/Post Shop remaining in Wairoa.

"It's very disappointing for us, and I know a lot of people are pretty grumpy about it," Little said.

"I understand banks are a business, but they make plenty of money."

A BNZ spokesperson said the decision to close the branch was not made lightly.

"Our customers simply aren't visiting some of our branches - in the last six months, fewer than 375 people have used the Wairoa branch on more than one occasion," they said.

"Nearly three-quarters of the customers who have accounts based at that branch are digitally active and the number of customers who use the Smart ATM there has risen to nearly half, when pre-lockdown it was just 14 per cent."

BNZ is also closing branches in Waipukurau and Dannevirke.

Little said it was wrong of the banks to assume everyone can be trained up and go online.

"A lot of old people absolutely will not be able to do that and don't want to do that, and that is their right," he said.

Wairoa District mayor Craig Little said the pending closure of BNZ's Wairoa branch will have huge ramifications. Photo / File

Little added that customers till have to go to the bank for services like a mortgage or personal loan, which is going to mean a journey to the nearest BNZ branch in Gisborne or Napier.

"That's a one-and-a-half, two-hour trip for the people of Wairoa, and then they've gotta get home so they've really got to take a day off work," the mayor said.

BNZ are encouraging all of their Wairoa based customers to talk to their team in the branch and book in for digital banking sessions to help them learn or refresh their online banking skills over the next few months.

"We are also working with the council to help provide digital activation sessions at the Public Library Digital Hub," a spokesperson said.

"BNZ will be running sessions to help people become more familiar with online banking and Scam Savvy sessions to help them know what to look for to avoid falling victim to scams."

When the branch closes there will be a Smart ATM in a 24/7 lobby with note and coin deposit.