Tired of your local bank disappearing? This Big Four player is flipping the script with a $55 million plan

Many Aussies were left fuming after yet another round of bank branch closures.

Now, one major bank has responded with a $55 million move it says was ‘deliberate’.

But critics remain sceptical as the country barrels toward a cashless future.


NAB revealed it had invested $55 million to upgrade nearly 150 branches across Australia in what it called a ‘deliberate move to restore belief in the value of retail banking’.

Since October last year, the bank had already revamped 100 locations—82 of which were in regional areas—with 47 more upgrades expected by October.

NAB retail executive Paul Carter said the changes were about more than appearances.


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NAB commits $55m to branch upgrades. Image source: NAB News


‘We’re not just giving our branches a facelift—we’re investing in the people and places that make NAB what it is,’ he said.

‘These upgrades are about making banking easier, more personal, and more connected to the communities we serve.’

He said NAB still saw branches as ‘community anchors’ and acknowledged many Australians preferred face-to-face banking for major financial decisions.

One of the upgraded locations was the Greensborough branch in Melbourne’s north-east.

It featured a redesigned layout, improved accessibility, and dedicated spaces for private conversations.

Branch manager Tawfick Abdel-Khalik said the refurb was a message to the community that NAB intended to stay ‘for the long haul’.

‘When customers walk in and see the effort we’ve made, it sends a clear message: NAB is committed to this community and to providing the best service we can,’ he said.


The move followed NAB’s decision to introduce Saturday trading in November, later expanding the service to 29 branches by February.

It came against the backdrop of widespread public frustration over the continued shrinkage of physical bank services.

According to the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA), 230 bank branches closed during the 2024 financial year alone.

Over the past five years, 1,615 branches had shut down.

The Big Four banks were responsible for 190 closures last financial year, with ANZ, NAB and Westpac all reducing their branch networks by 11 per cent.

Commonwealth Bank saw a smaller reduction of 4 per cent—though it attracted backlash for replacing dozens of call centre roles with AI.


Earlier this year, the federal government reached a deal with major banks to keep regional branches open until at least mid-2027.

It’s not just about keeping branches open—it’s also about what services are still available once you walk through the doors.

While some banks are investing in upgrades, others are quietly cutting back on core offerings like cash access and over-the-counter help.

If you've noticed your local branch feels different lately, this story might explain why.

Read more: Banks ditch cash as customer experience sparks concern

Key Takeaways
  • NAB invested $55 million to upgrade 150 bank branches nationwide.
  • Most upgrades focused on regional areas, with more planned by October.
  • The move followed backlash over widespread bank branch closures.
  • Government secured an agreement to keep regional branches open until mid-2027.

Is a renovated branch enough to rebuild trust—or is it too little, too late?
 

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We have a Nab branch where I live, if you can call it that ! There’s a small desk as you walk in with a lady asking what you want if it’s cash out or in you are sent to the atm. If you have internet banking you are told to use that.
Nothing like a real branch at all !
 
Its never too little to late as long as it does what it says.
I live in Esk Qld 4321 the closest NAB bank to us is 1/2 an hr away. No public transport out this way and has many aged residents, if we can't drive or don't have a car anymore it is a challenge to get to Gatton even to think about let alone do.
We used to have a little branch here and it was closed. Yes we do have a post office which is all good and fine but I get embrassed when I've over spent and go in to top up with coin i throw in a bowl or taking my last dollar out as these workers as much as they might have to sign confidential policy. Its not the same as going to the bank and doing so because at least you can have a conversation about your circumstances and know it stays there. Also working properties don't always have the time to loose at least 3 - 4 hours & yes we maybe able to use the internet but do require answers to certain questions and it is better to look at a person when doing this as you do get a feel on what sort of customer care you are receiving not just someone giving answers over a phone so so impersonal. Also I'm in favour of a CASH society along with digital I deal in cash an
 
I bank with the NAB and they may be spending millions on upgrading branches but they have still closed lots of convenient branches and some if these new branches, sure you can talk to someone but they do not do any money transactions. If you can't do it by ATM and you iften can't and many do not do online banking, then you have to go even further afield. Again priorities are wrong as they only have a job fullstop because customers put their money in the bank. If we all started pulling our money out every payday they would be in the cactus.
 

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