The ANZ has confirmed dwindling customer numbers over recent years has forced a decision to close the Hesse Street branch in coming weeks.
And to add salt into the wounds of locals, the Bendigo Bank - the soon to be last remaining dedicated bank in the community - will shortly be closing its doors on Saturdays.
“After conducting a detailed review of the Queenscliff branch we found a significant drop in the number of customers using [it] in recent years. At the same time we have also seen an increase in customers using digital banking,” an ANZ spokeperson told The Rip.
“It was a difficult decision and we would like to apologise to our customers for any inconvenience it may cause.
“We are writing to our customers to let them know about this closure and to let them know they can visit us at our Ocean Grove branch which is 14 kilometres away.”
The nearby Queenscliff Post Office offers basic ANZ banking services, including deposits, withdrawals and payments.
“We are consulting the branch staff members who currently work at Queenscliff. We are fully supporting them through this transition period and making every effort to find redeployment opportunities for them,” the spokesperson said.
The National Australia and Commonwealth banks closed their Queenscliff branches in the late 1990’s and early 2000’s respectively.