Regions closing Gainesville, Helen branches among others

HELEN - As a belt tightening move, Regions Bank has announced the closing of 121 of its branches, including ones in Gainesville and Helen.

Regions Corporate Communications Manager Evelyn Mitchell said Gainesville's Lanier Village branch will be consolidated into the Thompson Bridge branch two miles away while the Helen branch will be consolidated into the Cleveland branch.

Branches in Toccoa, Cornelia and Dillard are also closing. Mitchell said the closings will take effect Jan. 29.

With the closing the company expects to realize future net cost saves of $21 million annually. Mitchell said employees at targeted branches will be relocated within the company.

The plans were announced as part of Regions third quarter earnings report.

"Regions is consolidating a total of 121 branches across its 1,900-branch footprint due to proximity to other locations or opportunity for performance improvement," according to the document. "These branches will be closed in early 2010 and will have minimal customer impact."

(AccessNorthGa.com's Ken Stanford contributed to this story.)