Whanganui Hunting & Fishing New Zealand - Gonville

Kicked out for not providing a "hard card copy" of my mask exemption even though there are no mandates now. Then given cheek on the way out from one of the sheep workers.

Got some helpful advice from staff. The range of options for what I wanted wasn't great, but it was just bad timing, middle of the roar. Would go again.

Whilst l really try to enjoy my time visiting various stores, venues and walks, l have to say my Husband and I felt fairly uncomfortable when we were leaving this store and the alarm went off. The lovely young guy who had served us hadn't quite checked the top we'd purchased. One of the staff said 'get back in here'!!! $150 next time will be spent at Wilson's...because the culture just feels awkward and rather tense. The other thing was I asked if they had any Boxing Day specials and the reply was ' we're open as a good service for you', this from another staff member who wasn't serving us. Interesting when a store usually opens its to make moolah and the service comes as a matter of running a great business. After all said and done the young guy helped us well even though he seemed edgy because of the pressure (l felt) so we hope he doesn't pick up the rest of that team's work ethic. Product and store layout l like.

My family and I have been a long time loyal customer of Whanganui Hunting and fishing since moving to Whanganui 22 years ago. I just did a quick review of my bank statements and see that over the past two years we have spent close to $18k in this store on fishing (kontiki, sea kayak, electric reel), hunting gear (rifle, scope, ammo), clothing, all our dive gear and camping gear etc. We travel NZ in our motorhome and visit all the various hunting and fishing stores. We can return to a store in Whangarei or Kaikoura and the staff will always be the same and recognise us and we have a good catch up. In Whanganui the staff appear to change all the time and are young and less experienced, however we have still loyally supported our local store. However today this relationship has come to an end and we will never again visit this store. My husband has just had nasal surgery (had polyps removed that give him bleeding noses and prevent nasal breathing). When he attempted to wear a mask his nose bleed badly and the surgeon said he would refrain from wearing a mask for at least six weeks and issued a medical certificate and mask exemption. Every other shop and venue in Whanganui has been so nice about this and accepting but not today. My hubby came home very upset after being very rudely pounced upon by all four staff when entering the shop and told he had to wear a mask and they would not accept his exemption. One rudely said we have staff in here who have serious asthma and we make them wear a mask. So with an attitude like this it is now plain to see why they have high staff turn over. My hubby explained his nose would bleed and they would have to clean it up if he put one in and they said he would have to clean it up. They also said at red light masking was compulsory and the government does not allow exemptions (which is totally false). After coming home upset he opted to visit another similar store in town for the first time Wilson’s Hunting and Outdoors and they were amazing - had no issues with the mask exemption and hubby was ultra impressed with their huge selection and came back with not only the shoes he was after but a boat rod and reel worth over $500. For businesses who choose not to follow the legal guidelines and discriminate like these folks they will do well to remember that when this pandemic passes people have long memories. You can kiss good buy to the revenue you could have gained from my outdoor mad family for the years to come which will have easily paid the wages for a staff member.

Very helpful staff, great products & friendly attitude.... when we were on holiday, they were working. Really appreciated their "sacrifice "

Just so people with medical conditions are aware you cannot enter this store without a mask even if you have a medical exemption. They will not accept it!!! They rather choose to discriminate against people with serious medical conditions. However other H&F stores do not discriminate as long as you have an exemption. They say it's a mandate for all stores it's not!!! Absolutely disgraceful I am just glad other H&F stores are choosing to treat people with dignity and not make someones life, who lives with a medical condition, harder by treating them as a second class citizen.

Look I love going into hunting and fishing wanganui just to get what I need and sometimes I just pop in for a look but honestly don't like going in lately constantly getting followed by the blonde lady that works there, hard to browse when being watched 24 /7 like come on, I get it people steal but you don't have to treat everyone like that, I walk to a table she goes to the table and sorts clothes I walk to another table she comes to that table I walk over by the jackets, she comes by the jackets it's so annoying let people breathe when there shopping, I've brought stuff multiple times and paid while your serving me, Let people breathe lady not everyone's a thief.

Came into store looking for a product that H&F don’t stock. Without prompting or asking Josh found item on-line and offered to get it in for me. So he did! Customer service well over and above the expected. Ten out of ten- many thanks Josh! Also, being immuno-compromised I greatly appreciate H&F’s ‘no mask, no entry’ policy. Much safer for customers and staff alike.