In my experience sellers would rather you took the magazine (except for one I met in Manchester who took my money and then asked if I'd mind if he kept the magazine because he only had one!) - they are not asking for donations. Anyway, hasn't it gone up to £3?
The Big Issue.
- Thread starter gavroche
- Start date
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In my experience sellers would rather you took the magazine (except for one I met in Manchester who took my money and then asked if I'd mind if he kept the magazine because he only had one!) - they are not asking for donations. Anyway, hasn't it gone up to £3?
I didn't alter the quotation. But I'm happy for the nuances of your position to be explained to me if I've misunderstood...
MontyVeda
a short-tempered ill-controlled small-minded troll
- Location
- Lancaster... the little city.
this is the whole thing, my bold....
I have a mobile phone... it was given to me about 8 years ago. I put £10 credit on it every few months.
Both beggars and Big Issue sellers are often bought a coffee by the kind and giving amongst us.
If a beggar asks me if i can spare a roll-up, I tend to give them a chunk of tobacco, a handful of papers and if i have a spare lighter, one of those too if needed.
It's easy to jump to a conclusion, but it's not always the right conclusion.
Cycling Dan
Cycle Crazy
A lot of them around here who sell it don't speak English or all they can say is big issue or answer a price related question. I find it a massive turn off so I never buy it. Although in town there is a person I have heard of who does tricks and all sorts.
classic33
Leg End Member
Would you buy one from someone who you know to be a dealer & when you say no, he tells you where to go?
Four of the local sellers have their housing paid for, can afford to drink all day long and yet still sell it as though they actualy need the money.
An Irish newspaper followed the trail left by one lot of Eastern Europeans, from Manchester where they bought them to Romania, where the money actually ended up. They were driven to work in a Rolls Royce.
Four of the local sellers have their housing paid for, can afford to drink all day long and yet still sell it as though they actualy need the money.
An Irish newspaper followed the trail left by one lot of Eastern Europeans, from Manchester where they bought them to Romania, where the money actually ended up. They were driven to work in a Rolls Royce.
Saluki
World class procrastinator
- Location
- ...Norwich over the water.
We seem to have a lot of Eastern Europeans selling the BI locally. A couple of them are very aggressive about selling. They stand in front of you and brandish a BI and demand that you buy. I always refuse when confronted by those tactics. One woman slapped me when I said no. I was not very happy about that.
Another of our local sellers seems to always have plenty of money to spend in the pub every evening. He told the barmaid (a client of mine) that he gets around £300 a week from selling the BI, he gets housing benefit and JSA on top. It doesn't encourage me to buy a copy TBH.
Another of our local sellers seems to always have plenty of money to spend in the pub every evening. He told the barmaid (a client of mine) that he gets around £300 a week from selling the BI, he gets housing benefit and JSA on top. It doesn't encourage me to buy a copy TBH.
MontyVeda
a short-tempered ill-controlled small-minded troll
- Location
- Lancaster... the little city.
How does that work? If i had a job street trading, I'm sure my JSA and housing benefit would be reduced accordingly. OR are BI seller immune from the rules the rest of us job seekers abide by?
Pale Rider
Legendary Member
It shouldn't work, but the sellers want to thieve from the rest of us and they are assisted by their supervisors.
One of the reasons many sellers are bussed a few miles to a pitch is so they can sign on in one town, but not be spotted working there.
Saluki
World class procrastinator
- Location
- ...Norwich over the water.
Maybe the JSA folks don't know
ScotiaLass
Guru
- Location
- Middle Earth
That's assault!!
Saluki
World class procrastinator
- Location
- ...Norwich over the water.
So true but when trying to contact someone at the Big Issue offices they wanted to know the person's name! I told them it was a Romanian woman, about 5'4" and about 35 years of age. I don't suppose that the woman would have been willing to give me her name so that I could report her. Naturally there is never a policeman around when you need one. Then again, I would have been seen as pretty churlish to report an alleged homeless person to plod, I think.
MontyVeda
a short-tempered ill-controlled small-minded troll
- Location
- Lancaster... the little city.
The sellers are registered (and should wear ID), and their 'employer', The Big Issue Company will probably be keeping tabs on how many units each seller is shifting, it really shouldn't that easy since, as far as i can tell, they're self employed.
