We don’t usually review banks, but this one is exceptional. The Sampath Bank Super Branch on Dharmapala Mawatha is a bank open at useful hours. It’s open from 7 AM to 10 PM, 365 days a year.
Why do you even need branch banking, in these days of ATMs? Well, sometimes you need to cash or deposit cheques or ask questions or get something complicated done. For YAMU, for example, our business account doesn’t come with an ATM card so access to human banking is annoying but essential.
In that regard, the Sampath Super Branch is a great innovation. It’s an attractive looking building with ample parking and it’s open all the time. There’s obviously a demand for these services, since when we visited late one night the place was still packed with people.
Sri Lanka is well covered with ATMs, but if you need human and humane banking, the Sampath Super Branch is good for it.
