What passes as space age in 1964 tends to appear dated 40 years later.

And while Bank of Bermuda's office at the eastern side of Hamilton has been subject to occasional improvements during the intervening four decades it was looking decidedly "yesteryear-ish" by the end of 2005.

The bank decided to close down the entire ground floor and set about a total transformation that took more than a year to complete.

Banking continued at the location using the second floor space as a temporary front office and the drive-through automated tellers in the car park, but now the ground floor has been re-opened.

Today, customers walking into the branch on the corner of Church Street and Court Street can be forgiven for thinking they have strolled into the future.

Gone is the shadowy, closed-in feel of the previous layout and in its place is a stunningly brightly lit, creatively designed interior that has a three-person welcome desk as its centre-piece.

The HSBC group's corporate colours of red and white dominate the interior decor.

There are sit-down chairs and computer screens so customers can do their on-line banking right there in the office, there are ATM cash machines, and traditional teller desks for those who still prefer the personal touch.

Much as fins were the futuristic stylistic requirement for cars in the 1950s, so today offices must have an obligatory sprinkling of plasma screens to complete their "with it" credentials. The new Bank of Bermuda office does not miss this trick.

Seniors' banking remains a focus of the Church Street branch with dedicated seniors' tellers and a seniors' banker.

The bank believes the revamp of the office is an important show of commitment, not only to seniors, but to all its customers and the wider community in the eastern side of the city.

At the official ribbon cutting ceremony chief executive officer Philip Butterfield would not say how much the work had cost or whether the job had been completed bang on schedule, although on the latter point he said it was finished "near enough" within the time-frame envisaged.

He said: "When we moved the branch to the second floor, customers were excited about the changes to the interior, which reflected a more modern and fresh atmosphere.

"We've been updating our branches island-wide to reflect this new look.

"The Church Street branch has been in operation since 1964 and we are pleased today to reopen the branch on the ground floor, celebrating a new era in its design and layout."

A newspaper article from 1964, with an artist's rendition of the new Church Street branch and description of its many facilities, was on show at the re-opening, and Mr. Butterfield noted that one of the boasts from 43 years ago was the ability to collect your statement from the bank tellers - something that can be done today instantly at home via internet banking or at the Church Street's express banking computer terminals.

Asked what was his favourite feature of the new look branch, Mr. Butterfield replied "the staff."

The revamp at Church Street includes improvements to the bank's training centre at the location, extra ATM machines, and a "Giving Back to the Community" mural display highlighting Bank of Bermuda's philanthropic efforts.

The second floor will continue to be used by the bank with some of its banking services elsewhere in Hamilton moving to that location.