A customer has raised concerns that a hardware store asked for his name and driving licence information in order to purchase a machete.The 58-year-old St George’s resident made the purchase at Masters on Dundonald Street, Hamilton.He contacted The Royal Gazette afterwards to say: “I went because I needed a machete for yard work.“The cashier said they were kept in a locked room. We went to pick one and then when I gave the cashier my credit card she said she needed to see my driving licence.“She said ‘I will have to register your name. Anyone who buys a machete, their name has to be registered and goes on a list. I was stunned by that.”The man, who asked not to be named, added: “I have concerns about confidentiality and privacy.“I’m not a gang member I was buying a gardening implement and I find it outrageous that they are taking my name and licence data from me.“Secondly, these kids are using guns these days, not machetes. I would like to know what Masters are doing with the information.”Mark Stearns, Masters store manager, said: “We started doing this when there were a number of machete attacks some years ago.“There is no list, all we do is record the customer name and licence number on the receipt. It was done to deter the gangster element.”He added: “I am sorry the customer feels this way. We are doing nothing with the information it is simply a deterrent.“It is simply a way of making it more difficult for the wrong element from purchasing machetes.”