By KATH GANNAWAY
ANZ customers gathered on Friday for a reluctant, and at times teary, farewell to the staff who have been part of their lives, and part of the business community.
The ANZ Bank announced in May that it would close the branch, saying there had been a dramatic fall in customer numbers over the years.
Despite community opposition to the closure, it became evident the decision would not be rescinded, making for a difficult month for staff members who had been inundated with, at times, emotional gestures of support, and loss, especially from their long-term customers.
Chamber of Commerce President Graham Taylor was joined by customers making their final transactions in the local branch, as he presented gifts to manager Wendy Chapman and her team, Debbie James, Bernice Thoms and Monica Archambault. Another team member, Chris Hudson, was unable to be there for the last day.
“It’s important that we thank you because it’s you guys that this is all about,” he said.
He said the personal service and care provided at a local level was what people would miss most.
“It’s a sad day, but a new challenge as well,” Ms Chapman said, fighting back tears.
“We are going to miss you all.”
Ms James said having lived in Healesville for more than 20 years, it had been wonderful to work locally and to forge the kind of relationships that come of being an integral part of the main street community.
“Ever since the announcement was made, our customers have been amazing towards us.
“It just goes to show how integrated the people are in our community.”
Ms Archambault is staying with the bank at their Lilydale branch. She said saying goodbye was bittersweet.
“I adore my customers. We are all very connected to our customers and even though I’m staying on at Lilydale, I will miss the Healesville team and everyone who has been part of our branch,” she said, managing, not so well, to fight back the tears.
One of the branch’s long-standing business customers, John Stanhope from Black Spur Nursery, said it was a sad day for the staff, and for the ANZ who he said would lose business over their treatment of the Healesville community.
“The staff have been fantastic, part of our community and it’s not fair that they just get thrown on the scrapheap by people who don’t care,” he said.
Mr Taylor re-stated the chamber’s view, labelling the ANZ’s treatment of the Healesville community and their staff as intolerable and arrogant.
“We don’t accept the information the ANZ has been putting out that the branch was unprofitable,” he said.
“In this day and age with the huge profit margins that the ANZ has been reporting, we don’t understand why a township of 10,000 people, in the eyes of the corporates, can just be ignored.
An ANZ spokesman told the Mail on Monday that the decision to close had not been made lightly.
“We would like to thank our customers in the Healesville community for their understanding and invite them to our Lilydale branch,” she said.
She said the ANZ ATM would remain at its existing site.
