The chief executive of SBS Bank has responded to an East Gore pensioner, who told Allied Media last week he was “disgusted” its Gore branch would not let him withdraw cash at the counter.
Allistair Meikle, 84, went to the Gore branch of Southland Building Society (SBS) Bank last month, and when he asked to withdraw cash from an account, was told he could not do so, and was not given an explanation.
On September 30, Mr Meikle emailed SBS Bank Group chief executive Mark McLean, making his case on why the bank he had been with since he was 15 should have cash available.
Mr Meikle said he received a phone call from Mr McLean on Friday.
“He said nothing’s going to change as far as the SBS is concerned,” Mr Meikle said.
“They’re not going to be having money [cash] in their bank to dish out to people like myself who go in and want some.”
The email to Mr McLean detailed Mr Meikle’s 69-year history banking with SBS, which had included cash withdrawals and borrowing money to buy homes in Southland.
SBS Bank stopped offering cash services at its Main St branch at the end of August.
“I shouldn’t have to beg the bank to respond to my request to withdraw my own money . . . they said they couldn’t do that,” Mr Meikle’s email said.
“Mark, how then can I spend my own money?”
Mr Meikle said Mr McLean apologised to him, but not regarding the cash withdrawal bugbear.
“He was just apologising that he didn’t reply to me sooner because his . . . staff didn’t pass the email on to him,” he said.
,On Thursday, New Zealand First MP Shane Jones, speaking at the Gore Town and Country Club at a public meeting, slammed SBS Bank Gore for denying Mr Meikle cash on site.
Mr Meikle, in response to comment made by Mr Jones, said he supported the party’s proposed buyback of Australian-owned Bank of New Zealand (BNZ).
Mr Meikle said he would remain with SBS as he was not comfortable changing to a Gore bank that was not New Zealand-owned.
“I’ve got nowhere else to go,” he said.