30/01/2002

Bank of Ireland to invest £6m in flagship Belfast branch

The Bank of Ireland has announced a £6 million investment in a flagship Belfast city centre branch.

According to the Bank of Ireland the investment is set to create a branch designed to set new standards in financial services for personal and business.

Unveiling the plans, David McGowan, Chief Executive of Bank of Ireland Northern Ireland, said the new city branch would open at the junction of Castle Place/High Street in the summer. However no new jobs will be created as a result of the expansion as 60 staff from the three existing branches will transfer over into the new base.

Mr McGowan said: "The three current branches each have drawbacks that prevent us from developing the quality of city centre branches that our customers deserve. We have chosen a building and a location that allows us to create the most advanced branch outlet in the city by designing it from the customers point of view.

"The branch will have more staff available to serve customers than the existing three branches combined. This means we can have state-of-the-art facilities comparable to, if not better than, any branch in the British Isles."

Mr McGowan said the investment was part of Bank of Ireland's strategy of maintaining and improving its branch services throughout Northern Ireland while further developing telephone and internet banking through Banking 365 for personal customers and the Business On Line service.

Bank of Ireland has also recently completed a new branch at University Road in Belfast at the cost of £1.25 million, replacing the old University branch nearby. (MB)

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