1,400 have signed petition to save Mayo bank branch

AN online petition to save the Bank of Ireland branch in Ballyhaunis from closure has already secured 1,400 signatories.

Recently, Bank of Ireland announced a number of closures of branches all over Ireland, with three in Mayo – Ballyhaunis, Kiltimagh and Charlestown.

Now, Ballyhaunis Chamber of Commerce has launched an online petition calling for that decision to be reversed.

In a statement, the Chamber outlined: “While we recognise that there is a trend worldwide for internet banking and a lot of services are available online, there is still a need for personal contact in many issues.

“Ballyhaunis town is unique in Ireland with the level of employment associated with a small rural town and we would leave most similar towns in the shade with the amount of employment provided here.

“We have a number of industries employing in excess of 500 people each, along with many indigenous businesses built up here over decades. The town also boasts a number of smaller retailers and producers, manufacturers that contribute to a very active community that extends out to adjoining areas like Ballinlough, Granlahan, Tooreen, Aughamore, Kilkelly, Brickens, Gorthaganny, Cloonfad, etc.”

The Chamber is appealing to every resident of the town and every business in the area to sign the petition and share it with neighbours, employees, friends, work colleagues and people you know who commute to and from the area or who return to the area regularly.

“We want to create an awareness of the effect the closure is having on our community."

Ballyhaunis Chamber of Commerce is also lobbying all local public representatives about the issue.

“We feel we need to challenge those decisions and not just take them lying down. Maybe if enough people make it known that we are not happy about the decision and demand it to be reversed, people power just might have a positive effect. So please join our campaign to keep our bank branch open and help to revive our community."

Sign the petition here: https://my.uplift.ie/petitions/keep-ballyhaunis-bank-of-ireland-branch-open