Special Notices

Visa Debit Card Outage - October 20, 2026

At the close of business yesterday, our Visa provider assured us that full functionality would be restored to your Benchmark Visa debit card by 8 AM this morning. As you may have discovered, that has not happened. Please accept our profound apology for any inconvenience this has placed on you. The last thing we want to do is have a product or service we provide not fulfill out pledge to you. Please know that we are working diligently with our provider to have full functionality restored to your debit card before the close of business today.

Until full service is restored, please take an alternate form of payment - check, credit card, or cash - as you shop. If you prefer cash, you can still use one of our ATMs to withdraw cash.

Our branch or drive-up tellers will be happy to assist you with making a cash withdrawal from your account. We appreciate the trust you have placed in Benchmark to assist with your financial needs. Again, please accept our sincere apology for this inconvenience.

Holiday Closings & Special Hours

Benchmark will close to observe the following holidays in 2026:

Holiday

Date

New Year's Day

Thursday, January 1

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

Monday, January 19

President's Day

Monday, February 16

Memorial Day

Monday, May 25

Juneteenth

Friday, June 19

Independence Day

Saturday, July 4

Labor Day

Monday, September 7

Columbus Day

Monday, October 12

Veterans Day

Wednesday, November 11

Thanksgiving Day

Thursday, November 26

Christmas Day

Friday, December 25

We encourage you to use Internet Banking, Mobile Banking, Banking by Phone (800) 245-7506, BCBonTheGo, and our convenient ATMs when the bank is closed.


Business Hours During Inclement Weather

If our bank closes early, opens late, or will be closed, announcements will be made through our Closings & Delays page, BCB Alerts, our Facebook page, and the following radio stations in these markets:

  • WBBC (Blackstone, Crewe, Kenbridge, and Victoria)
  • WEVA (Emporia)
  • WFLO (Farmville)
  • WHLF (Halifax and South Boston)
  • WKSK (Lawrenceville and South Hill)
  • WLUS (Boydton, Chase City, and Clarksville)

Are You Ready to Weather Any Storm?

In the face of a natural disaster or another emergency, Benchmark wants your banking to be among the least of your concerns. Being prepared to weather whatever storm strikes will help you to have peace of mind until all systems are once again on "go."

There are several things you can do to ensure your financial operations proceed as normal even though your local branch may not be open:

  • Cash and credit cards: Be ready to pay for what you need. Be sure to have cash and credit cards with you, particularly if you are traveling. In the event of widespread power outages, you may not be able to get cash from ATMs or your usual cash-back retailers. Take with you what you believe you will need. If you have more than one credit card, take at least two with you in the event your provider’s system is not working during the storm or its aftermath.
  • BCB Mobile Banking: Most, if not all, transactions attempted on mobile banking will be available to you. If you have not taken advantage of our mobile banking app, visit Google Play or the App Store to download and register.
  • BCB Internet Banking: If you are away from home and have access to secure Wi-Fi, you should be able to access Internet Banking. Please be sure you do not use a public computer or open access Wi-Fi where others can possibly see your personal banking information.
  • Online payments, automatic drafts, and direct deposits: Online bill pay payments, automatic drafts, and direct deposits should process normally since they are not necessarily dependent upon our offices being open. Some could be delayed, so please be aware. You may be assessed a late fee for anything delayed. However, most providers are prepared to work with you to reverse fees post-storm in the event your payment was attempted and delayed.
  • Mobile Deposits: Mobile deposits are processed upon receipt dependent upon our ability to access your activity. In the event of widespread power outages, your mobile deposits may be delayed. Please do not depend on having access to those funds in the event our offices are closed during a natural disaster.
  • Is my branch open? Benchmark’s footprint now stretches from Wake Forest to Farmville and Emporia to South Boston. We will do our best to have your branch open to serve your banking needs, though life safety concerns and the availability of electricity will determine branch operations. Please check your local radio, television, and other public communications that typically share inclement weather closures.
  • News via Facebook: If you or someone close to you is active on Facebook, be sure to "Like and Share" our Facebook page. Our updates with the most up-to-the-minute information regarding branch activity will appear on your news feed.

We hope that we are all spared any serious impact, though we want each of you to be prepared for whatever comes our way. It is our honor and privilege to serve you and assist you on your banking journey. Please do not hesitate to let us know how we can help you navigate any banking concerns due to any impact you may encounter.