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Indoor charity canvassers

3 replies

drummergirl34 · 12/07/2017 22:45

In our local town centre, there's a passage that's about 2.5-3m wide. There are canvassers who stand in a (large uk highstreet) shop entrance and when people walk past, these people wave at you like you're little children, call you over, beckon you to come over, etc from their stand. You can tell them no, and when you walk past they leave you alone, or, the other person (there are two) will do wave at you, call you over etc. They call you as you walk past, and when you walk in / out of the shop.

The next day, there are different people, and the same happens and the process of telling them no after having endured their - what are pretty much - taunts. The next day, different people and so it continues.

It's got to the point where these people are more than 'annoying', and because there are different people, despite already telling the agency no once, the different people will do their tricks all over again. It's impossible to avoid them because they're in one of the four passages (the shopping centre is a square).

I know it's wrong for street canvassers to stand in the store entrance according to rules applied by the institute of fundraising, but what about when this is happening indoors? I've spoken to the information desk of the shopping centre and they've stated the people have not directly paid them, so they may have paid the store money to be there.

Who would I complain to, the town centre management, the store? It's getting to the point where I feel really bloody harassed and because the passage is so small, you can't exactly avoid them.

Are they doing anything illegal?

OP posts:
user1492287253 · 13/07/2017 06:05

i would complain to the management of the shop and in writing to the shopping centre.
i have just had this in Milton keynes shoppi g centre. harrassed daily by chuggers. it puts me off going to the centre and ruins the whole ambience

prh47bridge · 13/07/2017 09:20

If they are collecting for a charity they probably haven't paid anyone. However, they must have permission from the shop if they are inside. Laws relating to street collections do not apply to collections in a shop. That doesn't mean they can do anything they want but it is impossible to tell from your description whether or not their canvassing breaks any laws.

If they are simply waving at people and attempting to engage them in conversation it is unlikely they are acting illegally. However, having described that behaviour in the first paragraph, you then refer to it as taunting in the second paragraph. If they are taunting people (i.e. making insulting remarks to provoke people) that is detrimental to their cause and may cross the line.

If you cannot simply ignore them you should complain as the last poster suggests.

specialsubject · 13/07/2017 12:34

Contact the charity and tell them why you won't be giving.

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