NRMA closes Wollongong, Kiama branches

An NRMA spokesperson confirmed the branch had closed to The Mercury, as the company refocused to an online model of servicing customers.

"Over the past few years, we've seen a significant decline in people visiting our NRMA Insurance branches as customers increasingly prefer to contact us online or over the phone," the spokesperson said.

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Customers have been redirected to using the insurance company's online platforms or advised they can make payment through Australia Post.

A number of other financial institutions have gone away from having bricks and mortar stores, with banks reducing in person services in the northern suburbs of the Illawarra.

NRMA's branches at Woonona and Shellharbour remain open, as well as the Nowra shopfront.

Staff at the closed branches have been offered roles at the remaining NRMA locations.

The NRMA branch in Wollongong was located on lower Crown Street, in a section of the mall often criticised for low foot traffic and high commercial vacancies.

Sales and leasing agent at WHK Commercial Property Tony Moschella, who is renting the ground-floor premises said there had been some interest from local and out-of-town tenants.

Mr Moschella said, however, that a number of shops along that strip of Crown Street were for lease, citing a lack of foot traffic and not enough car spaces as a barrier to new tenants.

The current structure of Crown Street Mall between Keira and Kembla streets has been a sore point for some retailers, who have cited the lack of vehicle access as an impediment to sales.

Wollongong City Council considered opening the mall to bicycle traffic ahead of the UCI World Championships, and relaxed enforcing the ban on bicycles during the week of September 17-25, however has not lifted the ban.

Shop fronts for financial services have left smaller suburbs of the Illawarra, in a trend away from bricks and mortar services for banks and insurance companies as more people use online platforms.

With the former David Jones building now in new hands, change could be coming to the Wollongong CBD, and perhaps NRMA's move is a sign of something coming.

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