Glencoe in a froth over closure of town’s only bank

Glencoe is up in arms over a decision to close the town’s only bank on August 14. First National Bank placed a notice on the window of their branch on De Beer Street which has angered business people and residents.
Leading business people, including Andrew Meli of Spar, Hannes de Wit of Tops, Richard Nel (a former Glencoe Mayor) of Glencoe Motors, former Town Clerk Coen Retief and estate agent, Audrey Emslie, have all thrown their weight behind a campaign to keep the branch open.
“We campaigned for FNB to open a branch here in 2001 when ABSA shut shop. We encouraged business people and residents to open accounts at FNB and even the municipality supported us. However, now we feel betrayed as FNB are closing the branch without even consulting us. They just put a notice on the window,” Mr Meli said, adding that he had encouraged his staff to all open FNB accounts.
Richard Nel said a town ‘is not a town without a bank’. “Many Sithembile residents will be forced to pay out money for transport to Dundee. There is also a large rural area that uses the Glencoe branch. Security is also an issue – people will be forced to travel with money as many, especially elderly people, are scared to use ATMs.”
Mayor Thulani Mahaye has been contacted to help the campaign and he has promised to write an official letter to FNB to ask them to reconsider the closure. FNB was asked to comment but none has been received as yet.