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Retail Ruckus

CROFTON DOWNS MITRE 10 OUT OF ZIP TIES — LOCAL PROJECTS FROZEN IN PLACE

Three weekend jobs abandoned by Sunday lunch. One trailer still parked on Churchill Drive with a tarp flapping.

The Mitre 10 servicing Crofton Downs has been out of zip ties since Thursday. At least four suburbs' worth of weekend projects are now on hold.

Meredith Faleolo, 44, drove up from Ngaio to sort a trellis before the next southerly. "Whole peg was empty. Not low — empty. I stood there like a knob holding a $12 trellis and a bag of screws I didn't need."

Staff said the delivery truck had "been and gone" without them. They suggested the Petone branch, which is across a harbour and, on a Saturday, across the patience of anyone who's driven SH1 in wind.

Gareth Whitwell of Khandallah was mid-fence when he ran out. "Left half a fence. Neighbour's dog is now my dog. That's the maths." He said Deano on the paint counter — "makes a better flat white than the cafe next door" — offered him garden twine as a substitute. Gareth declined on principle.

A Mitre 10 spokesperson said stock was "expected this week. Probably." Asked to be more specific, they were not.

As of filing, Gareth's tarp is still flapping, Meredith's trellis is still in the boot, and someone on the Crofton Downs community page is offering eight zip ties for $20.

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Reader Letters

tired_in_karori

Mate, what a piss-take! Only in Wellington would we run out of such a basic thing and turn it into a full-blown crisis. I just hope the weather stays fine for those poor folks stuck without their zip ties.

greenjandal

Taking the ferry just for zip ties? What next, chartering a chopper for bolts?

Garry (Halswell)

Mitre 10 used to be so reliable. Back in the day, my dad and I would go every weekend. Always had what we needed. Different times now, I guess.

Sandra McKenzie

Garry, I know the feeling! We used to have a corner hardware that had everything under the sun too. It's sad to see how everything's changed so much.

couchgremlin

Bloody hell, just use the garden twine! It works, I've done it before. Half these people having a moan probably never did DIY before lockdown.

MumOf3

Couchgremlin, twine might hold today but come tomorrow's weather, it's all gonna fall apart! They should’ve gone to Bunnings. Might be further but at least they’d have stock.

conspiracy_tyke

I reckon someone's buying up all the zip ties and hoarding them. There’s more to this than meets the eye. Maybe they're starting their own Mitre 10?

bothered_betsy

They didn't even say when more stock is coming! Could be weeks. Fences and trellises will be flapping until Christmas.

wayne1987

Lol.

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