Susan Gordon, Staff Reporter
Marie Powell of Scotia Bank - JUNIOR DOWIE / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
THE BANK of Nova Scotia (BNS) plans to relocate its Spanish Town branch to a more convenient location within the Old Capital early next month.
The bank said inaccessibility and the lack of parking for its customers were the driving forces behind the decision to relocate.
At present, BNS Spanish Town is located at Adelaide Street, near the market. It will relocate to the new Oasis Plaza on March Pen Road, beside the Mainland International store. The new branch is scheduled to open on February 6.
"We're moving primarily because of new opportunities for additional space, improved parking and security for our customers," said Vice-President for corporate affairs at BNS Marie Powell.
Since BNS owns the existing facility, the relocation is expected to increase its costs somewhat because the new arrangement involves a lease agreement with the plaza. The BNS Director of Facilities Management, Kirk Miller, says the additional cost is just a small price to pay for customers' satisfaction as the existing branch which has been in Spanish Town since the 1970s is now difficult to access.
"It was a crazy area of Spanish Town with the taxis and the market," said Senior Manager for Public and Corporate affairs at BNS, Joylene Griffiths-Irving .
Miller said the new location, although on the periphery of Spanish Town, will still be close enough to the centre of the town and can be accessed easily by the Spanish Town by-pass and the Highway 2000.
Asked whether the existing conditions are deterring customers from doing business at the bank Miller said, "they have been enduring it." He further explained that there has been a downturn of commercial customers because of the inaccessibility.
The new Oasis Plaza is built with only one entrance in and one entrance out and is "one of the more secured plazas in Spanish Town," according to Miller. He said after the relocation the bank will dispose of its existing property.
Financial Gleaner understands that though the staff count and services will not change for the new branch, customers will be guaranteed additional parking and greater accessibility.
The new location is the same size as the approximately 10,500 square feet of the Adelaide Road branch, however, the structure is on one level so Miller foresees a more spacious-looking interior. At present, the staff operates in a two-storey building.
