Whanganui Chronicle
  • Whanganui Chronicle home
  • Latest news
  • Sport
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
  • Death notices
  • Classifieds

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • On The Up
  • Sport
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Residential property listings
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology

Locations

  • Taranaki
  • National Park
  • Whakapapa
  • Ohakune
  • Raetihi
  • Taihape
  • Marton
  • Feilding
  • Palmerston North

Media

  • Video
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-Editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

Weather

  • New Plymouth
  • Whanganui
  • Palmertson North
  • Levin

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Whanganui Chronicle

Covid 19 coronavirus: Whanganui home handymen and women get to work

Laurel Stowell
By Laurel Stowell
Reporter·Whanganui Chronicle·
26 Mar, 2020 04:00 PM2 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Carters Whanganui manager Bryce Rose takes a break from the retail frenzy. Photo / Bevan Conley

Carters Whanganui manager Bryce Rose takes a break from the retail frenzy. Photo / Bevan Conley

Whanganui hardware stores had a mini retail bonanza before the Covid-19 lockdown as handymen and women stocked up on DIY materials for their home projects.

The surge of sales began immediately after the Prime Minister's announcement at 2pm on Monday that level 3 restrictions had come into force, Carters Whanganui manager Bryce Rose said.

"It was absolutely, utterly crazy. Our yard has been stripped of just about everything."

On Tuesday Carters did three times its normal trade in one day, and it only started to die down on Wednesday.

People wanted timber, fencing, paint "anything anyone can do at home", Rose said.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

They were planning to paint houses and build fences, decks and playhouses. Many were seizing the opportunity of a month at home to work on projects they have been planning.

Carters was unable to fill all the orders.

It wasn't the only outlet experiencing a retail rush, with other hardware and landscaping sales also hitting the roof.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Through it all, Carters staff observed social distancing with 2m gaps between people and 2m distances marked out on counters.

• Covid19.govt.nz: The Government's official Covid-19 advisory website

VirusFacts2
VirusFacts2

The store is taking non-contact restrictions very seriously, Rose said.

It is now in lockdown, under alert level 4 restrictions. The only exception will be supplies for critical building work, such as work at Whanganui Hospital that must carry on.

Discover more

How Covid-19 is affecting Whanganui residents

16 Mar 04:00 PM

Covid-19 coronavirus: Horse training gets the nod

25 Mar 04:00 PM
New Zealand

Coronavirus Covid-19: International pilot students in strict lockdown

25 Mar 05:20 AM

Mayor urges Whanganui community to stay safe

25 Mar 04:00 PM

Those orders will be handled without human contact, Rose said.

"We will take the order by phone, make it up and put it in a collection point for them to collect."

ALERT_STAGES
ALERT_STAGES

When the store re-opens it will have to be massively restocked, which cannot be done during the lockdown.

Save

    Share this article

Latest from Whanganui Chronicle

Whanganui Chronicle

$3.2m confirmed for rural health centre

07 Jul 09:14 PM
Whanganui Chronicle

Taihape books return to premier final

07 Jul 05:01 PM
Premium
Opinion

Kevin Page: Semi-retired life and the quest for dry shoes

07 Jul 05:00 PM

From early mornings to easy living

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Whanganui Chronicle

$3.2m confirmed for rural health centre

$3.2m confirmed for rural health centre

07 Jul 09:14 PM

Raetihi's existing health facility will be transformed into a 'wellness centre'.

Taihape books return to premier final

Taihape books return to premier final

07 Jul 05:01 PM
Premium
Kevin Page: Semi-retired life and the quest for dry shoes

Kevin Page: Semi-retired life and the quest for dry shoes

07 Jul 05:00 PM
Kaierau end Border’s reign, secure finals spot

Kaierau end Border’s reign, secure finals spot

07 Jul 05:00 PM
Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky
sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • Whanganui Chronicle e-edition
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Subscribe to the Whanganui Chronicle
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • NZME Events
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP