Bay of Plenty Times
  • Bay of Plenty Times home
  • Latest news
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
  • Sport
  • Video
  • Death notices
  • Classifieds

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • On The Up
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Residential property listings
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
  • Sport

Locations

  • Coromandel & Hauraki
  • Katikati
  • Tauranga
  • Mount Maunganui
  • Pāpāmoa
  • Te Puke
  • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua

Media

  • Video
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-Editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

Weather

  • Thames
  • Tauranga
  • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Bay of Plenty Times

BNZ to close 38 branches breaking promise not to close regional branches until 2022

Tamsyn Parker
By Tamsyn Parker
Business Editor·NZ Herald·
18 Nov, 2020 10:16 PM3 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

BNZ is to close 38 branches. Photo / file

BNZ is to close 38 branches. Photo / file

The Bank of New Zealand is to close eight branches by Christmas and a further 30 over the course of next year going against its promise not to close any more regional branches until 2022.

Paul Carter, BNZ chief customer officer, said it had not made the decision lightly.

"We made our commitment on regional branches in good faith. Not only was it a commitment to the communities we serve, it was also a commitment to our people, as closing a branch used to mean losing jobs.

"However, Covid changed everything. Our customers have embraced digital services and tools and our bankers are serving customers irrespective of where they are.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"We've shown we can work from anywhere and there are job opportunities for all our people - it reflects the ongoing shift in how our customers are choosing to bank with us."

Carter said it was closing the branches as customer demand for its digital services accelerated and its people opted for increased flexibility and remote working.

"Covid-19 has accelerated trends we've been seeing for some time. Around three-quarters of our customers are digitally active and they are increasingly choosing to do their banking this way, or over the phone.

"The majority of our customers are banking online and our talented bankers are often waiting in empty branches for customers that simply do not arrive."

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Carter said historical ways of banking like cash and cheque transactions had fallen significantly and the majority of transactions conducted in BNZ's branches had moved to BNZ's Smart ATMs and online.

BNZ is to close 38 branches. Photo / file
BNZ is to close 38 branches. Photo / file

"Branches will still have a role in how we serve our customers. We will continue to invest in modern customer centres to help customers take advantage of online banking and our digital tools, and where they can access specialist services."

It had recently opened new branches in Auckland's Commercial Bay and a Whakatipu customer centre.

The branches it will close by Christmas are Courtenay Place​, Greerton, Manurewa, Mosgiel, Mount Maunganui, Pakuranga, Papatoetoe and Petone.

It will close another 14 branches between February and March 2021 based in Cromwell,
Geraldine, Huntly, Katikati, Ohakune, Ōpōtiki, Orewa, Otorohanga, St Heliers, Taihape, Waiheke, Waimate, Wairoa and Westport.

A third tranche of 16 branches will close between April and June. Those branches are in Akaroa​, Balclutha, Coromandel​, Dannevirke, Hanmer Springs, Kaikohe, Methven​, Reefton,
Stratford, Takaka​, Taumarunui​, Te Aroha, Waihi, Waipukurau, Whangamata and Winton.

BNZ will have around 100 branches and partner centres open after the closures.

Carter said changes to its branch network were part of a wider review of all BNZ locations to consolidate its workforce.

BNZ's move follows that of ASB which recently announced the closure of 23 branches.

Save

    Share this article

Latest from Bay of Plenty Times

Bay of Plenty Times

Bike racks back for Rotorua buses, Tauranga's a month away

02 Jul 11:55 AM
Bay of Plenty Times

NZ e-bike brand shines at Eurobike global showcase

02 Jul 03:13 AM
Bay of Plenty Times

Woman dies after crash on Tauranga Eastern Link

02 Jul 01:22 AM

There’s more to Hawai‘i than beaches and buffets – here’s how to see it differently

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Bay of Plenty Times

Bike racks back for Rotorua buses, Tauranga's a month away

Bike racks back for Rotorua buses, Tauranga's a month away

02 Jul 11:55 AM

BoP public buses are being modified after national concerns over night-driving visibility.

NZ e-bike brand shines at Eurobike global showcase

NZ e-bike brand shines at Eurobike global showcase

02 Jul 03:13 AM
Woman dies after crash on Tauranga Eastern Link

Woman dies after crash on Tauranga Eastern Link

02 Jul 01:22 AM
Wet, wet, wet: Rain warning for BoP as more tropical weather looms

Wet, wet, wet: Rain warning for BoP as more tropical weather looms

01 Jul 11:38 PM
From early mornings to easy living
sponsored

From early mornings to easy living

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • Bay of Plenty Times e-edition
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Subscribe to the Bay of Plenty Times
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP