ANZ Bank has defended the use of non-local tradesmen in fitting out its new Warrnambool branch in Liebig Street.
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A building industry source who brought the issue to The Standard this week said all the workers were from out of town.
“They even brought in plumbers from Melbourne to put in the toilets,” he said.
A bank spokeswoman said the ANZ always tried to source contractors from local areas where possible. “Warrnambool is an important region for us and it’s important we support local tradespeople,” she said.
“In this case we’ve had a mix of local and non-local people.”
She said the bank had specific areas where existing work contracts were already in place and there were other jobs where the manufacturer supplied its own tradesmen to complete the required jobs.
Leasing agent David Turner said it was standard practice for banks and other major national businesses to have fit-out teams specialising in a specific design.
“Warrnambool will be one of the first venues in Australia to have ANZ’s new design roll-out,” he said.
“You’ve got to have contractors who know this design — they are specialists.”
ANZ has secured a new site on the main street’s eastern side, almost opposite its current location which it has occupied for about three decades.
The revamped branch is expected to open soon.