ANZ held a pair of consultation sessions on the East Coast earlier this month, where residents submitted a list of questions to bank representatives.

Ms Rattray said the bank had merely “paid lip service” to the concerns voiced by residents before pulling the pin on a vital community service.

“The consultation that the ANZ representatives agreed to undertake from the first public meeting and then again at the second public meeting I believe has just been a sham," Ms Rattray said.

“They only addressed two of the 17 services that couldn't be provided or undertaken at the same level as what they were able to at the existing link agencies, and one of them was only a deposit increase from a limit of $3000 to $5000 which is inadequate for any small business - particularly after a busy long weekend.

“It just smacks in the face of promoting tourism and all of those things that comes with promoting Tasmania.”

ANZ customers in Bridport, Bicheno, Swansea, George Town, Cygnet and Geeveston will now be forced to make alternative financial arrangements, with some terminals having already been removed from Local Link agencies.

A number of small businesses are also believed to be concerned that an absence of adequate banking facilities could result in the loss of customers.

“If you've got to go to Scottsdale or you've got to go to Launceston to do your banking, do you also get your groceries while you're there, do you also go to the bottle shop?” Ms Rattray said.

“You use other places and then you don't support your local places so much."  

Lyons Liberal MHR Eric Hutchinson agreed ANZ had failed to listen to the concerns of its customers.

“These are growing communities, with new businesses opening and more visitors in the area,” Mr Hutchinson said. 

“The actions of ANZ leads to serious questions about their integrity when it comes to customer service and plays into the national discussion about community expectations of banks.”