The Holiday Coast Credit Union branch was earmarked to be scaled back to just an ATM and a deposit service, but will carry on as normal for at least three months after a public forum earlier this month changed managers’ minds.

“The meeting was really positive, and the outcome was a commitment by the community to bring us more business,” Holiday Coast CEO Neville Parsons said.

“The community heard the details of how businesses were using us as a total clearing house.

“We displayed ATM statistics that show over 70 per cent of transactions [at the Credit Union ATM] are made by non-members. The response was “We’ll certainly look to bring more business over to the Credit Union and encourage other members of the community to do the same”.”

Locals have been given three months to make the branch more profitable, and meetings during the grace period will discuss sales figures.

A reshuffle of Tuesdays and Thursdays will extend business hours to 6pm, and the move brought praise from Nabiac Village Futures Group president Kit Carson.

“I think the response to the change of hours will be good. A lot of people who live here don’t work here, and by the time they get back from working in Forster or Taree the branch is shut,” he said.

“That’s why people at the meeting specifically asked for different opening hours.”

The Nabiac St forum attracted about 50 locals, Mr Parsons and three local Credit Union staff.

The Credit Union’s change of heart surprised Mr Carson, who arrived at the meeting resigned to losing the branch.

“[The meeting] went better than I expected. What they’re doing now is a positive move.

“Their willingness to hear the community was very pleasing, and it’s important that the CEO was there.”

Mr Parsons said he was not surprised by locals’ pledge to use more of the branch’s services.

“The issue was that the community didn’t fully appreciate that the branch has to be used to justify it being there. The power is with the community.”

The three-month armistice was welcomed, with a bleak forecast if things don’t improve.

“If the branch does close at the end of the three months it’ll be a nail in the coffin of a small community,” Mr Carson said.

“I understand [Holiday Coast] are trying to improve their market share, and you can’t force them to run at a loss.

“Hopefully we all understand it’s a matter of give-and-take from all of us,” he said.