Invercargill’s Windsor Westpac Branch Set to Close in June
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- Westpac’s Windsor branch in Invercargill will close on June 21.
- Local MP Penny Simmonds criticizes the closure, citing impact on elderly and disabled.
- Customers directed to Invercargill City branch, less than 3km away.
Westpac has announced the upcoming closure of its Windsor branch in north Invercargill, citing that the building does not meet the bank’s seismic criteria. The last day of operation for this branch will be Friday, June 21.
Local MP Penny Simmonds expressed deep concern over the closure, describing it as a significant blow to the suburb’s elderly and disabled residents. “The closure will be a major disruption to the Windsor community’s elderly and disabled residents, many of whom walk or use scooters for transport, and simply don’t travel into the city centre,” she said. “These people have now been left high and dry, like many other small communities around Southland who have faced bank closures.”
Simmonds had written to Westpac last week, urging them to reconsider. Despite her pleas, Westpac decided to proceed with the closure. The bank cited major seismic strengthening issues at the branch, stating that remediation work was “not possible without significant disruption.” Simmonds suggested that local customers would prefer to tolerate the disruption if it meant their local bank could remain open.
A company spokesperson highlighted that the Invercargill City branch, which opened last year with a modern look and feel, is less than 3km away from the Windsor branch. It is easily accessible via a regular bus service. However, Simmonds argued that the bank’s suggestion of “minimal disruption” shows how out of touch they are. “A 5.4Km round trip to Westpac’s Invercargill branch, on foot or by scooter in Southland’s inclement winter weather, is not something that many elderly or disabled people will be able to manage.”
Following the closure, Westpac will have two remaining branches in Southland: one in Invercargill on Esk Street and another in Gore. The bank serves about 38,000 customers in the region. To ensure a smooth transition, Westpac plans to contact regular customers and assist them with transferring their services to the Invercargill branch, which offers a comprehensive range of banking services. The bank is also exploring options for free and accessible parking for customers at the Invercargill Central mall.
This closure follows a pattern for Westpac in the region. In 2020, the bank closed its Invercargill South branch due to failing to meet earthquake standards. In 2021, the Winton branch was also closed, which disappointed many local customers. At that time, a spokesperson noted a significant decline in over-the-counter transactions, both locally and nationally.
Westpac’s historical presence in Invercargill included branches at Waikiwi, South City, Windsor, Esk Street, and Don Street, after taking over Trust Bank Southland. However, closures have been ongoing, including the Waikiwi branch in 2013 and the South Invercargill branch in 2020.