Thursday 19 August 2010
City Street Begging Tackled As Brighton's Big Issue Sellers Get Branded Pitches & Uniforms
Official Big Issue sellers in Brighton & Hove will soon be much easier to locate and identify following the introduction of branded pitches and uniforms.
Brighton & Hove City Council's partnership community safety team has been working with the Big Issue, CRI, Sussex Police and city centre businesses to identify and mark up 20 pitches for homeless and vulnerably housed people to sell the magazine.
The partnership is aimed at tackling the issue of street begging and helping to make the city centre feel safer for shoppers.
Sergeant Siggs from the Street Community Neighbourhood Policing Team of Brighton & Hove Police said: "Having a very visible method for the members of the public to identity legitimate Big Issue vendors is a good step forward.
"Hopefully the public will have confidence in supporting legitimate Big Issue vendors rather than giving money to persons saying, "Would you please buy my last Big Issue?" only to be asked when you hand over money whether they can keep the magazine.
Vending gives vendors a sense of pride that they are on those first steps back to work and provides the vendor with a structure to their day. I welcome the introduction of the uniforms."
Early indications are that the partnership approach is working. The street count in April showed that there were five beggars operating in the city, compared with 10 for the same period last year. In February there was just one.
The marking of the pitches coincides with the introduction of a nationwide uniform for vendors. The Big Issue, with the support of fair-trade wine company Fairhills, created the branded tabards in a bid to make genuine vendors more visible and approachable.
George Prall sells the Big Issue outside Boots in North Street: "My approach has always been to encourage the public to buy and read the Big Issue.
"With a tabard I"ll sell more magazines. It makes me look professional and shows the public I"m a genuine professional wanting to earn money."
Big Issue sellers have to sign up to a code of conduct and pitches are monitored, so shoppers feel safer and the vendors are better supported.
Vendors buy the magazine for 50% of the cover price so have to carefully manage their sales and money. It is hoped that the combined effect of these measures will lead to an increase in sales and the integration of vendors into the community.
Councillor Dee Simson, Brighton & Hove"s cabinet member for community safety, said: "We are continually working with our partners to reduce antisocial behaviour but we need the public to help us too, by always buying and taking their magazine from an official Big Issue seller at a designated pitch rather than giving to those begging on streets.
"By giving to the Big Issue you are helping to get people out of the cycle of homelessness, begging and street drinking."
Profits from magazine sales go to the Big Issue Foundation which supports local services, such as the council, in getting people off the street and into housing.
There are 19 main pitches in the city. They are at:
•QS – Blatchington Road, Hove
•Peacocks – Blatchington Road, Hove
•WH Smith – George Street, Hove
•Tesco Metro – Lansdowne Street
•Waitrose – Western Road
•HMV – Western Road
•M & S – Western Road
•Air Street
•Waterstones – West Street
•St Pauls Church – West Street (no vending after 7pm)
•Body Shop – North Street
•Donatello"s
•East Street
•St James"s Street
•Gardner Street
•Sainsbury"s – New England Street
•Seven Dials
•Open Market – London Road
•Sainsbury"s – Lewes Road
There are also two training pitches at: Boots, corner of North Street/Queens Road; 99p Store, North Street, one restricted pitch at Brighton Station and one weekend (10am-3.30pm) pitch in Kensington Gardens.
by: Mike Cobley
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