‘Weekend ruined’: Sign outside Bunnings infuriates Aussies

Regional Aussies were left disappointed after their trip to the hardware store left much to be desired.

Half the reason many Aussies take a weekend trip to Bunnings is because of the beloved sausage sizzle.

The smell wafting over to you the second you step out of the car is enough to make you forget about your shopping list, as the thought of a perfectly grilled snag nestled inside a soft piece of bread with *just* the right amount of onions takes over.

So it’s little wonder someone online declared their weekend “over” when they visited the volunteer-run BBQ – only to discover a surprising sign in its place.

“Apologies, our community sausage sizzle is closed today,” read the notice, which was placed over the usual sausage sizzle menu.

“Thanks for your support and understanding.”

But supportive and understanding the man was not, as he took to the r/australia Reddit forum to vent his frustration.

Aussies were saddened after seeing this sign outside a regional Bunnings. Picture: Reddit

“The next Bunnings is a one-and-a-half hour drive,” the man, who lives in regional Australia, said.

“So I just went home to bed and cried myself to sleep.”

Thankfully for him, Redditors rushed to the comments to show their solidarity.

“Why is Bunnings still open then?” one person asked. “What’s the point?”

Someone else called the move “absolutely un-Australian,” while a third questioned “is this even legal?”

“Royal Commission NOW!” declared a fourth.

“Thoughts and prayers,” another empathised, while others called it “a travesty” and an “outrage.”

Occasionally, a community group has to cancel their sausage sizzle. Picture: NCA NewsWire/David Geraghty

It turns out, there’s an innocent reason why this, and other sausage sizzles, don’t go ahead.

“Occasionally, a community group cancels their sausage sizzle, which occurred at one of our NSW stores over the weekend,” Bunnings Regional Manager, Deb Thompson, told news.com.au.

“While we always offer the spot to other local community groups, we are sometimes unable to find a replacement at such short notice.

“We appreciate the community’s understanding and look forward to holding future sausage sizzles.”

Despite this, some Redditors claimed that staff should have taken matters into their own hands and stepped in.

“This is crazy,” said one. “When I used to do the sausage sizzles at my local Bunnings, they HAD to go ahead. If no community group was there, the Bunnings staff would do so and donate proceeds to local charity.”

“Yeah, I also used to be the set up person on weekends when I worked there, and if the group didn’t show we ran it ourselves,” another ex-employee claimed.

“It was always chaos but it happened a few times.”

“We are a regional store so not as busy as the city so probably less staff on,” the original poster replied.

People have suggested that there should be a website stating which stores have an active sausage sizzle. Picture: Supplied

It comes after a Reddit post went viral a few years ago when a user suggested there should be a website that states “whether or not there is a snag tent at a Bunnings.”

“I’m sick of the anxiousness, wondering whether or not a Bunnings will have my weekly dose of the ‘one with’ on a public holiday, or when they open and close on a regular weekend,” they wrote.

“Yeah, there should be an app called ‘Snag it’,” someone suggested in the comments.

“It should just be part of the Bunnings app or website. Tells you who, when, where,” another added.

But others argued that “true Bunnings enthusiasts enjoy the thrill of the gamble.”

“Random reinforcement is the best way to get hooked,” insisted one fan.