All Stars Badminton — Attraction in Howick

PROSPECTIVE PLAYERS BEWARE!! There’s a flood of negative reviews for this Badminton facility in the past few days. And I wish to include one more negative review. I only wish I could give 0/5 (zero out of 5) marks. Hopefully, the negative reviews will help change the management/attitude.

Li-Ning Badminton Centre, East Tamaki, Auckland has “Strictly” implemented the “BADMINTON SHOES ONLY” policy from 1st May 2025. This apparently would permit Management to fine Non-conforming players. While this rule would appear to be logical at face value, my experience with the Manager makes one wonder whether it is another money making racket that management has come up with.

I was part of a group which played regularly at Li-Ning Centre for many years. Our group wore sport appropriate shoes all the time, never had any H&S issues (other than slipping on wet area on court due to rain water which had dripped from the leaky roof), never had centre management point out to us that we had marked the court surface by wearing “Non-marking Shoes” etc.. However, over the years we got the feeling that, Li-Ning Centre Auckland management came up with various novel ways of charging extra.

Due to the new policy coming into effect, we consulted the manager to check each of our group’s players shoes. According to his assessment, even some “Non-marking shoes” were NOT acceptable (because they were not “Badminton shoes”??) !! If players were found with these shoes, they would be fined!! Which means, that the new policy implementation is at the finicky discretion of management.

Coincidentally, the centre publicizes that “Players may be able to buy or hire Badminton Shoes”. Thus, the reason for me to be of the opinion that this is a money making racket and, placing this warning in the public domain.

When new courts were built recently, it appeared that Li-Ning Centre owners were community minded. Sadly, implementing a Strict Badminton Shoes only policy with a fine at the discretion of management may be a step in the opposite direction.

By the way, according to management, implementation of the policy is also to ensure H&S. HOWEVER, the older courts (eg. Court Numbers 10-13) have surface joining seams lifted in a few places (trip hazard), black mould growing in corners and ventilation fans working sporadically. Also the leaky roof mentioned earlier. Each and every one of these issues had been brought to the attention of the manager, who has done nothing to ensure management’s obligations to comply with these H&S aspects.

Response to Reply by site owner: Manager has not addressed important concerns raised. Single sentence response indicates no proper response and arrogance. Will not be returning to play here unless management attitude changes. In response to a rare "Good Review" someone else has posted, I note site manager commented "people do not realise this is not a business but a community facility for players to follow rules and enjoy the games." HA! HA! Community facility?? That is a good joke.

Response to amended reply by Manager: Dev, the above is my honest review. I tend to agree with many others that you have very poor people skills. FYi, I stopped playing at your facility end April 2025. Maybe now you can figure...

bad lighting, community and lack of hygiene. 1 star ★ i wrote this myself btw The New Zealand Badminton Centre unfortunately leaves much to be desired, with multiple critical issues that significantly detract from the overall experience. Despite being a dedicated sports facility, it falls far short in areas that should be non-negotiable for any reputable center.

Abysmal Lighting The lighting at the New Zealand Badminton Centre is nothing short of frustrating. The courts are poorly lit, with several areas dim and unevenly illuminated, making it difficult for players to see the shuttlecock clearly. This lack of proper lighting is not only a major inconvenience, but it also poses a safety risk, as players may not be able to react quickly enough in low-light areas. For a facility that should prioritize proper lighting to accommodate the fast-paced nature of badminton, the current setup is unacceptable and feels outdated.

Unwelcoming Community and Atmosphere The atmosphere at the New Zealand Badminton Centre is dishearteningly cold and uninviting. There’s little to no effort to build a sense of community or encourage interaction among players. The staff seems indifferent, and there’s a lack of initiative to organize events or tournaments that could foster a more engaging environment. This creates a very isolating experience for newcomers or those looking to connect with other players. Rather than feeling like part of a vibrant badminton community, players are left to navigate a lonely, unengaged space that does little to encourage social connection.

Filthy and Neglected Hygiene Perhaps the most disappointing aspect of the New Zealand Badminton Centre is its shocking lack of hygiene. The restrooms are regularly dirty, with wet floors and unpleasant odors, making them far from the clean, well-maintained facilities one would expect. The changing rooms are also in a constant state of disrepair and neglect, leaving visitors feeling uncomfortable and unsanitary. The lack of attention to basic cleanliness extends to the courts themselves, which often seem to be swept half-heartedly. In a place where athletes come to exercise, the persistent hygiene issues are downright unacceptable and a clear reflection of the management’s disregard for player wellbeing.

Conclusion Overall, the New Zealand Badminton Centre is a huge disappointment. The poor lighting, lack of community spirit, and filthy facilities make it one of the least enjoyable places to play badminton in New Zealand. The center has a lot of potential, but without serious improvements in these crucial areas, it remains a place most players would be better...

We found out about their shoe policy change only during arrival to the centre at the time of our court booking. It is extremely disappointing as there was no update or warning about the policy change during the online booking process for members. It was also not clearly stated in their website. I would've thought pertinent information like this should be front and center on the website as it significantly affects players. In addition, when checking their Facebook page retrospectively, it says that the changes are effective from the 1st May 2025. This is also what is signposted at the centre. However, they were already implementing it even before this date (we came today on 21 April) and were refusing us entry.

Because of this, we were forced to go barefoot, or otherwise forfeit the booking. We noticed that other people had the same issue as well, so it was clearly not communicated well to anyone.

I think there needs to be improvements and consistency regarding communication as the hassle could have been avoided by adding a notice in the online booking platform or sending an email to members about the changes. I also do not appreciate the signs saying one thing and then being told another (i.e. different dates for policy change). Considering how expensive court bookings are in this centre, I expected much better. Needless to say, this experience has really put me off from considering to use this centre in the future.

22/4/25 UPDATE in response to the owner's comment: The statement by NZ Badminton Center (below) is an outright lie. We have only been to the centre one other time prior to this one, which was last year - much earlier than when the shoe policy was changed. We have not received any prior warnings about the policy update at all aside from on the day when we arrived on 21 April.

It is clear that NZ Badminton Centre does not want to take responsibility for the miscommunication, and would rather put the blame on...