Bank of Ireland says there will be no redundancies as a result of its decision to close one of its Limerick city centre branches to customers after 185 years in operation.
The bank has announced it will close its customer service at 94 O’Connell Street and merge the operation with the recently refurbished branch at 125 O’Connell Street. Staff were informed last week and it’s expected that the merger will take effect in early February.
A spokesperson for the bank said that there will be no additional job losses as a result of the merger “but the bank has an ongoing programme of voluntary redundancies at the moment,” she told the Limerick Post.
Up to 70 office staff will remain based at the 94 O’Connell Street premises which Bank of Ireland holds on a long-term lease.
Bank of Ireland says the merger, which follows recent refurbishment and technological improvements at 125 O’Connell Street, will allow the bank to maintain a local presence on a more cost-efficient basis.
The building has been open since 1827 and Ger Imbusch of the Limerick Civic Trust, said it was a shame to see such an architectural gem closing as it was a place that generations of Limerick families would know very well.
The bank spokesperson said the building would be retained for their business but would no longer be open to the public.
