The Tribune

BANK of The Bahamas Ltd (BOB) has announced that its Thompson Boulevard branch will close from August 31, 2015, and its portfolio will be transferred to the Harrold Road branch on the Tonique Williams-Darling Highway. No jobs will be lost.

Harrold Road will become the new home branch of customers with accounts currently at Thompson Boulevard branch - located in the Ministry of Education’s building in Oakes Field - except in those cases where customers have indicated a preference for another BOB branch.

According to BOB’s management, the process is anticipated to be seamless. Management noted that preparations are well underway for the move with extending the teller counter at Harrold Road and redeploying all employees of the Thompson Boulevard branch. Most will go to Harrold Road and others deployed to other New Providence branches to enhance service delivery.

Management said the closure of the Thompson Boulevard branch and redeployment of staff is a part of the bank’s overall strategy to rationalise its network. With three branches in less than a five-mile radius, management does not expect the closure of Thompson Boulevard branch to have any significant impact on business for customers banking in western New Providence.

This strategic restructure includes plans to consider expansion of the branch network to other economically viable locations throughout the Bahamas, including the Family Islands.

The bank has completed preliminary groundwork in South Eleuthera, encouraged by prospects for a revitalised economy, starting with the multi-million dollar development of a Four Seasons branded hotel and residential community. With an imminent launch of a branch in South Eleuthera, BOB plans to provide modern, innovative full-service banking to this development, its employees and the residents of South Eleuthera in the near future, said management.

In the meantime the bank said it is taking all necessary steps to ensure that Thompson Boulevard’s and all BOB’s customers continue to receive the highest level of service. The BOB Express ATM will remain in place at the Thompson Boulevard location and the bank is also enhancing its online banking service so that customers can save time by completing more real-time transactions electronically.

Bank of The Bahamas Ltd is a modern, full-service bank with 13 branches in seven islands and a long history of firsts in the local banking Industry. The bank offers retail banking services, corporate and commercial banking, premier banking and Trust services.