Respect the Big Issue

muffin · 17-05-2003, 00:43

Sitting outside Coles/John Lewis the other week I was watching a Big Issue seller trying his best and being really polite when he got the knockback so often. Coles being Coles is rather expensive and the people who shop there must have rather more disposable income than those who frequent the Haymarket. One thing is certain, the shoppers I saw that day visiting Coles were ignorant tight fisted peasants, coming out with their big bags full of expensive garb and not having the common decency to even say "sorry" never mind part with a quid bit, having just spent many pounds on themselves. I hope I never end up out on the street but I know it can happen to anyone all so quickly.

Jon · 17-05-2003, 00:49

http://www.sheffieldforum.co.uk/viewtopic.php?t=970&highlight=

muffin · 17-05-2003, 15:15

Thank you for the URL.

However, my topic was about 'Respect' and not about sellers of the Big Issue or if there are too many of them or not.

Jon · 17-05-2003, 18:08

Yes muffin i have a great respect to the people who sell the big issue in all kinds of weathers but i feel there are too many of them

mouse · 18-05-2003, 00:50

Okay then lets put it another way, its about the DISrespect some people have as they swan in and out of shops ignoring the big issue sellers (whether they be good or bad). So many times on this forum we read about how nice and friendly Sheffielders are, but not friendly enough to utter even a grunt when asked to contribute to something they might not believe in. It doesn't take much to be polite does it? Infact its FREE!!

Jon · 18-05-2003, 01:08

Quote:

Originally posted by "mouse"

Okay then lets put it another way, its about the DISrespect some people have as they swan in and out of shops ignoring the big issue sellers (whether they be good or bad). So many times on this forum we read about how nice and friendly Sheffielders are, but not friendly enough to utter even a grunt when asked to contribute to something they might not believe in. It doesn't take much to be polite does it? Infact its FREE!!

Have a walk down the Fargate on a Saturday and you will get fed up of big issue sellers and people with clip boards trust me most of us are polite (but enough off the Fargate run how much can we take)

Andy · 18-05-2003, 09:06

It's true, unfortunatly, that there are too mant Big Issue sellers in our city. Because in an ideal world nobody would need to sell the Big Issue.

Certainly there are too many people on Fargate selling junk/doing surveys/getting in the way - the council should put a stop to this. I feel the Big Issue should move out from the city centre and ask some of their sellers to take patches in the suburbs.

I always buy a copy. And I always try to say "already got one, thanks" to the other sellers, rather than ignore them.

Sidla · 18-05-2003, 15:36

I always politely say 'no thanks' and the best ones normally say something along the lines of 'have a nice day' which is cool. 100 times worse than Big Issue sellers are people who come and ask you for money so they can 'buy something to eat'. You feel very intimidated and find it a lot harder to refuse. I always feel like teling them that they can get free food and shelter if they go to a homeless refuge.

I remember 1 particular person who I ran into numerous times in a few differing locations. He always asked for 20p to 'use the phone'. He had shaggy black hair and looked a bit like Hagrid. I've not seen him for a while now though, so he might have moved on.

t020 · 18-05-2003, 16:36

to be fair though, I don't ask to be bothered by big issue sellers when shopping in town. if I am walking around with someone having a conversation and it is rudely interrupted by someone trying to sell me a magazine I don't want, I do not feel obliged to disrupt my conversation and answer the big issue seller. maybe if they set up stalls and let people approach them rather than vice versa, they may increase their sales.

Miss_60 · 19-05-2003, 12:42

When I lived in Newcastle I had a friend who worked in an Off license...obviously establishments like this attract alcoholics. An alcoholic used to frequent this beer off and because of his illness got a hell of a lot of money from the Benefits Agency as he used to flash it about... anyway he used to get hold of some Big Issue magazines and used to earn a tidy little sum by flogging them and getting money off the dole!!!!! ...I'm no way implying that Big Issue sellers are thieving Pikey's but it does put you off buying one....... There also used to be a couple who would stand and beg near the students halls of residence. With the change they used to get they would go to the offy and buy a bottle of Strongbow...they also had a flat nearby too....shocking or what!

...........something that disturbs me greatly is that NO ONE should be homeless in this day and age

DaBouncer · 19-05-2003, 13:03

Quote:

Originally posted by "MISS SIXTY"

I'm no way implying that Big Issue sellers are thieving Pikey's but it does put you off buying one.......

Whats a theiving Pikey?

max · 19-05-2003, 14:50

There's another thread covering this. Basically pikey is a derogatory name for a gypsy.

katey_h23 · 29-05-2003, 11:26

When buying the big issue only buy from vendors with badges - this means they are registered to sell the big issue. Before getting registered they have to meet various criteria and are only allowed to sell it for max 2 years. Working with the big issue they receive training, education and help/advice, to give them better options and to get them off the streets.

Selling the big issue is often the only job they can get, and approaching people gives them confidence; teaching them skills of working with the public - having to talk etc to strangers.

For more info read: http://www.bigissueinthenorth.com/

Please remember to say "no thank you" rather than "sorry"

Phanerothyme · 29-05-2003, 13:40

Quote:

Originally posted by "Miss_Sixty"

anyway he used to get hold of some Big Issue magazines and used to earn a tidy little sum by flogging them and getting money off the dole!!!!! ...

Simple Rule, look for the badge, all Big Issue sellers have photo Id badges for precisely this reason.

If everyone went up to the big issue sellers just to say 'sorry no thanks' then they would have an equally hard time.

I don't say to the Star sellers 'sorry mate already got one'. I buy the big issue mainly because it's actually quite a good magazine and peripherally because it 'helps the homeless help themselves'.

It's a great idea, and has been copied worldwide.

Anyone comes upto me begging for money for food and I will offer to buy them some. If they accept I'll ask them what they want and we'll go and get it. If they refuse, it's usually because they didn't want it for food.

I was asked for change by a beggar on the tube once, and he said he needed it for a ticket. i offered to buy him a travelcard for the day and then he admitted
'son, eem jus' an ol' alkie lookin fer is nex brew'. So I gave him some money and became his best friend.

MMik · 29-05-2003, 15:44

I agree with t020 about a stall, it would give "them" (without trying to pigeonhole anyone) the opportunity to sell things other than just the big issue. If the council can put up with and sanction street selling, then maybe it could fund such an enterprise, I'm sure the cost would be small. As for being interupted during a conversation, does the same apply when you bump into someone or is there then time to say "sorry"? Its just a few seconds wasted in a whole lifetime. Its not a lot to ask really. I can understand anyone ignoring the sit down beggars in the underpasses ie bottom of Norfolk St.

t020 · 29-05-2003, 15:53

if i bump into someone and its my fault of course i say sorry, but thats not quite the same as being interrupted by a big issue seller, if anything, they should apologise for interrupting. i don't see why its rude to ignore them if i didn't ask to be bothered by them, and the same goes for people who take surveys and people who ask you for "some money for the bus home".

Zamo · 17-10-2003, 09:48

In Liverpool...

Police have accused up to 60 Big Issue sellers of being involved in a heroin and crack cocaine dealing ring. A total of 54 people - not all of whom sell the magazine - have been arrested in the crackdown by Merseyside Police.

Thirty of them have been charged, four released and a further 20 are still being questioned.

The Big Issue said it had no way of knowing if those arrested were genuine vendors because the police had refused to give them any information, and accused the force of carrying out a publicity stunt.

Detectives say they have recovered Class A drugs, a replica gun, a sword and a number of knives during the operation, which has been going on for 15 months.

Superintendent Alan Cooper from Merseyside Police said: "We were investigating claims by the city centre business community that aggressive beggars and other people who frequented the city were actively involved in the sale and supply of heroin and crack cocaine."

source

OK, so it's not Sheffield but I bet it goes on here too. So the majority are just poor unfortunates trying to better themselves? I bet most of them laugh their a*ses off at people who buy their crap magazine.

Still, as a new boy in town at least I now know where to go to score!

Good to see the Big Issue taking it seriously by dismissing it as a publicity stunt though.

TeeVee · 24-10-2003, 17:14

put a TV guide in it (TV companies whoever just let them do it for humanitarians sake!). Or why don't Big Ish ask "TV choice" if they can staple just the terrestrial (saving space) TV pages inside and give them half of what the TV mag costs (20p) and add this to the top of big issue. (whats 20p)

Vendors could then buy an interview suit (haircut, gilette, toothpaste etc..) with the quadrupled sales and get a job letting another hard luck story have their patch sooner. And so on actually adding meaning to "helping the worthless off the streets"

At 40p "TV choice" would still keep their cheapskate couch taters who obviously wouldn't switch to Big Ish. and they'd get more revenue from Big Ish. So TV choice are winners and Big Ish vendors would be.

So why hasn;t someone done it ?

Big issue is becoming tired and annoying concept now.

alchresearch · 24-10-2003, 20:03

The Big Issue has been banned from sale in Liverpool. See here

Andy · 24-10-2003, 21:41

I'm not sure I understand why Liverpool Council have banned Big Issue sellers. Sure, some of them may be involved in drugs, but isn't the Big Issue a way out of that world?

Part of me thinks that the council simply think that there's no room for homeless people in their 24 hour always happening super-dooper world class city of culture.