Tier 4 a ‘devastating blow’ for Big Issue sellers on biggest week of the year

The Big Issue has called upon the public to support the organisation as hundreds of vendors are being forced off the streets as Tier 4 Covid-19 measures in London, south-east England and South Wales take effect.

Christmas week is traditionally the busiest week of the year for Big Issue vendors, but 350 vendors will be unable to sell the magazine on the street as the new strain of the Covid-19 virus caused governments around the UK to backtrack on Christmas plans.

Tier 4 measures mean residents in all 32 boroughs in London have been told to stay home. All non-essential retail must also close while ‘Christmas bubbles’ are now limited to Christmas Day only and now comprise of only three households.

Long-time vendor David Martin, 59, who sells the magazine outside Tesco in Hammersmith, West London, is now gearing up to face the festive season alone and is heart-broken that lockdown means he won’t be able to wish his customers a happy Christmas.

David said: “Because of Covid my sales would have been down but I was already getting sales and donations, people have been very generous this year so I’m going to lose quite a lot this week.

“And this week is our time of year where we do really well. I wish there was an excuse that means I could go to my pitch but I can’t do it, it’s against the law.

“People will have Christmas cards and presents that they won’t be able to give me so I can’t look forward to that. I have Christmas cards to give people too. It’s all a mess.

“I have one or two cards from my customers which I will be keeping for Christmas Day so I have something to look forward to.

“If it weren’t for The Big Issue, I wouldn’t have got through the lockdowns this year. It’s thanks to them that I did.”

Steve Taylor, 48, (pictured) who sells the magazine outside Pret on Old Street, London, described the Tier 4 announcement as being a devastating blow.

“This lockdown has stuffed us right up. It’s usually the best week of the year for all vendors,” said Steve.

“It’s absolutely ruined me. This year as a whole has been a non-starter and this is the absolute cherry on the cake.

“I was thinking it was all too good to be true about Christmas and low and behold everything has messed up.

“The city has been atrociously quiet because of Covid and I was hoping to be out this week to sell some magazines but there’s no chance of that now.”

Lord John Bird, Founder of The Big Issue, said: “With hundreds of our vendors unable to sell, we once again urgently need your support to survive and be there for our vendors beyond Christmas. If you can’t reach your local vendor, please buy a copy of the Christmas special from our Shop, subscribe or make a donation, to enable us to be there for our vendors, both now and in the future.”

If you can’t reach your regular vendor, you can buy a copy from www.bigissueshop.com for £4 with 50% of net proceeds going directly to a fund which provides emergency payments for vendors.

You can also support The Big Christmas Appeal by making a one-off or regular donation, or by subscribing at www.bigissue.com/support.