Begging 'backlash' for Big Issue

Vendors are losing income

A slump in sales of The Big Issue has been blamed on negative media coverage of begging in Scotland's cities.

The magazine said its vendors are losing income because of a backlash against begging.

Accredited homeless people who sell The Big Issue have voiced concern that some other vendors are adopting an aggressive sales approach to compete with street beggars.

Others are said to have given up selling the magazine because they believe they can make more money from begging.

People are failing to distinguish between Big Issue vendors - who are out there working - and beggars Kathleen Caskey Big Issue spokesperson

Weekly sales of the magazine in Scotland, which was founded a decade ago to give homeless people an income, have fallen to about 30,000.

The Big Issue cited Aberdeen as an example of where recent publicity about begging may have had a negative impact on vendors.

Kathleen Caskey, spokesperson for The Big Issue in Scotland, said: "Our vendors in Aberdeen are reporting that they're selling about a third fewer magazines in the city than before there was this ill-informed outcry about beggars.

"People are failing to distinguish between Big Issue vendors - who are out there working - and beggars.

"Our vendors in Aberdeen are getting hurt in the pocket."

On the streets of Aberdeen the public appeared divided over the role Big Issue vendors played.

'Push harder'

One person said: "I don't know if it's employment but it's certainly more than begging."

Another said: "I don't regard them as beggars at all and they're doing their best to earn a living."

Kevin, a Big Issue seller from Glasgow, said he was often treated as a beggar.

He said: "People think because you're homeless, it wouldn't matter if you were standing there selling household goods, because we're homeless they look at us as if we're beggars anyway.

"It doesn't matter what we're doing, people think of you that way and because it's a magazine you're selling certain people think of you as a beggar.

"When you're in the homeless scene you're in a hostel and you know beggars and Big Issue vendors.

"The beggars are making a bit of money and vendors think they have to push it a bit harder."