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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

BIg Issue seller outside Wilkinsons

78 replies

timetogrowup · 15/12/2012 14:41

I live in a small town, standard sort of high street, had a Woolies, got Boots, Superdrug and Wilkinsons. We have a Big Issue seller out now and again - not every day. Yesterday after a night of -6 it was raining on to frozen ground, immediately icy underfoot, not many people out. Big Issue seller, young girl in cardigan out in the rain next to a big sheltered aread at the entrance to Wilkinson. I bought the magazine asked her why not stand out of the rain. She said Wilkinson's staff told her she couldn't stand in there. It's big and not busy - no way could she block the doors or be intimidating.

I went in and although I'm shy, the Christmas music and all the glitz and "good tidings to all men" atmosphere made me feel very bad that she was standing out in the rain. I found the manager and asked if it was true. He said he couldn't let her because if he let one they'd all expect it. There has never been more than one. I pointed out if he said OK today he wouldn't have to say OK tomorrow. We eventually agreed to disagree, and I said I wouldn't be buying anything after all on principle (yeah I'm so tough!) . It just seemed so sad.

It's possible she'd figured that standing there in a wet cardi gets her more sympathy sales but I was very tempted to go to the charity shop and buy her a coat. But I had an appointment to keep...

ps should I invite her for Christmas dinner?

OP posts:
kaumana · 15/12/2012 20:12

How do you know that they don't have slippers too , food, and a warm house as they are entitled to full benefits?

Perhaps, a check on your elderly neighbours to see if they can afford to heat and eat would be a good thing..

NannyEggn0gg · 15/12/2012 20:54

We have quite a posh department store on our high street. It has a BI seller there every week. He doesn't interefere with the shoppers, he doesn't cause any trouble, he just stands (sheltered) and sells the magazine.
I highly doubt he has any impact on the store's sales.

I think Wilkinson's (and some posters') attitudes are appalling.

Original poster
timetogrowup · 15/12/2012 20:59

I'm not that lovely but I am sad at the lack of empathy. I think maybe it's getting scarcer. All that's needed is to say "It's wet, you've got no coat, stand over here and get out of the rain until it stops. "

It is not a contract to have a pitch, it's not an invitation for others to follow (she's the only one in the town) it's not even saying that when the rain stops she can stay.

That Telegraph article doesn't change my view at all.

I'm going to leave it here (probably). Thanks for the comments.

OP posts:
SantasBigBaubles · 15/12/2012 21:15

wilkinsons are being unreasonable and grinchy

LadyBeagleBaublesandBells · 15/12/2012 21:16

I agree time and others on this thread.
What happened to empathy for the homeless?
And because some Romanians have taken advantage ( I'll give the Torygraph the benefit of the doubt on this one), there are still people living on our streets in freezing temperatures, from young runaways to those with mental health issues.
Think about them while you cosy up at home with your CH at full blast.

Darkesteyes · 15/12/2012 21:16

OP i agree with you. Its bloody ridiculous the lack of compassion we have today. I think Wilkinsons attitude is fucking appalling.
The lack of empathy shown by people here is appalling too.

Darkesteyes · 15/12/2012 21:17

Sorry i meant the lack of empathy shown by some on here is appalling.

proofreader · 15/12/2012 21:29

well I have known quite a few Big Issue sellers over the years, and none of them
were 'homeless' as such, just 'vulnerably housed' which could mean anything other than actually owning your own house outright. In addition most of them were addicted to heroin and used the paper money for their habit. I am not judging , just saying.

ElectricSheep · 15/12/2012 22:16

'Vulnerably housed' is not really to do with 'not owning your own home outright' proof reader

Much more to do with living in a squat (with no electric or gas on, sometimes no water/plumbing working); or in a derelict council house (many of these boarded up near where I am) in an emergency hostel; in B & B; sleeping on the floor of a friend's house; or an overcrowded house such as an extended family of 10 in a 3 bed house. All of which are seriously hard to live in long-term and can come to an end at any time.

proofreader · 15/12/2012 22:20

sorry but no Big Issue seller I have met was in those circumstances, they had council flats or private rented like everyone else. I have met quite a few,

LadyBeagleBaublesandBells · 15/12/2012 22:31

I thought the main point of the Big Issue and it's sellers was to give the homeless some sort of purpose and dignity?
And now some have achieved that and have finally got a roof over their heads and are still being knocked back.
There are some truly horrible people on this thread.

proofreader · 15/12/2012 22:38

If i was 'truly horrible' I wouldn't have spent the time talking to and meeting Big Issue sellers would I? I am just saying like it is. As I said the vast majority of them had a heroin habit and were using the money to fund that, not some Smilesean bootstrap ethic, I can assure you.

IllEagle · 15/12/2012 22:40

The Big Issue does give purpose and dignity. Just like any other job, just like the staff in Tesco just now, still working at after 10pm at night.

It's not a special case.

Treat everybody with respect for the jobs they do.

usualsuspect3 · 15/12/2012 22:43

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

kaumana · 15/12/2012 22:45

Sorry, but some of those posting on here that there are horrible/ ignorant posters, really need to do their research a bit bit better. The initial point of selling the BI has been lost due to (in part)Eastern Europeans coming over to ignore this is not helping anyone.

PastalaFestivista · 15/12/2012 22:53

What I don't get is that our local supermarket (Waitrose - ahem!) allows every other bloody charity under the sun to shelter in the entrance, and accost all the customers as they arrive and leave. Meanwhile the lovely Big Issue vendor is out in the cold - and rain.

Logic please?

IllEagle · 15/12/2012 22:59

Big Issue seller is not a charity.

zsazsaapplenod · 15/12/2012 23:05

Well I collect for charity and have been moved from shelter under my local supermarket, Waitrose, whilst the BI seller is allowed to remain!

zsazsaapplenod · 15/12/2012 23:11

I should add that the BI seller who is at Waitrose is not Romanian but there are a Romanian family who sell the BI in various parts of the city. The mother regularly begs outside our church on a Sunday morning. There are family members that do not sell the BI but sit on the pavement with plastic cups in hand.

They do have a large house approximately 4 miles from where I live. My DD's father lives nearby. Furthermore, they also have a car.

I am all for genuine people selling the BI but NOT people exploiting the system.

IllEagle · 15/12/2012 23:44

If the Big Issue seller is selling the Big Issue, he's a genuine seller.

It's up to you whether you choose to buy it or not.

No warranty is provided as to whether they are in your opinion sufficiently homeless/needy to be a Big Issue seller.

For this reason, Big Issue seller should be treated the same by business as other people selling things that most people don't want - fine, but not on our premises please.

NK493efc93X1277dd3d6d4 · 16/12/2012 00:17

In London 95% of big issue sellers are Romanian women chanting "big issue please" over & over again - drives me to distraction.

usualsuspect3 · 16/12/2012 00:39

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

lidlqueen · 16/12/2012 00:54

well they do tend to have coats and scarves at least...

usualsuspect3 · 16/12/2012 00:56

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

lidlqueen · 16/12/2012 00:59

Grin taking all our good spots outside supermarkets.....