Let us review the experience of the local banks in regard to in-town and Route 7 locations. People’s United moved its Middlebury operations from in-town to Route 7 quite seamlessly. Meanwhile, National Bank of Middlebury has found their Route 7 branch valuable to customers, yet maintains that the Main Street building remains popular. They attribute this to the proximity to the post office. Note that Citizen’s Bank closed their Merchants Row branch, now continuing the office off Route 7 South.
With five banks competing for area business, these institutions are very sensitive to customer needs. Do you suppose that any of them would want to locate a branch at the site near the library now proposed for the town offices?
Alpine Bingham
Middlebury