The March 1 letter from the Rushworth-based organisation came as a complete surprise to the owners of the Birdwood Ave supermarket that houses the agency.
In the letter, the reason given for the closure was customers’ increased use of online and phone banking services.
Supermarket staff said they had not noticed a decline in use of the agency and that use of the facility had remained consistent for several years.
The agency is located in a specially constructed corner of the Stanhope supermarket, which was purpose-built when the agency relocated from the Stanhope Business Centre.
Glenda Cowie, who was involved in a heavy recruiting campaign for community bank usage when the facility first opened at the business centre, said this had “come out of the blue’’.
“The supermarket got the letter one day and we got the same letter the following day. We all got such a shock,” she said.
The decision has exacted a quick response, not only in the form of a public meeting on Monday, March 20, at 6.30pm in the Stanhope hall, but also in contacting future bank providers.
“We have sent letters to the Tongala and Kyabram community banks inquiring if they may take it on. We dropped off a letter last week to pose the question,” Mrs Cowie said.
Mrs Cowie said she wanted a better explanation from the Rushworth Community Bank operators of the agency
“When we first opened the branch at the business centre, we worked hard to get all the town’s clubs and organisations to change their banking over,” she said.
"Everyone is a bit flat with the pub having closed recently. We are running activities and events in Stanhope, getting grants, and then this happens.
“It’s a bit flattening.”
