The Big Issue - UK (2020-04-30)

OPINION

S

incelastweektherehasbeenaloosening

ofthelockdown.Germanfederalismis

now ensuringthatdifferentrulesapply

in 16 states.Inaddition,citiescandecidetheir

ownrestrictions.

Here inNorthRhine-Westphalia,manyshopshave

beenallowedto reopensinceMonday, withrelatively

stricthygienerules.Publicopinionisdividedon

whetherthisistherightstep or whether it increases

thelikelihoodofanother

lockdown.

We havedecidednotto

startsellingonthestreet

againyet. Our financial

meansare sufficientfor

sixmoreweeks,wegetso

manydonationsthatwe

can provideour vendors

withsupermarketvouchers.

We have expandedour

streetworkandinaddition,

withpartnersfrom our

network,we have openeda

hygienecentrewithshowersandaclothingstore.

Most of our vendor pitchesare infront of

supermarkets,wheresecurityservicesare currently

organisingaccess,oftenthisisstressful.Two weeksago

we putuppostersatallvendor pitcheswiththetitle

‘Wearestillhere’anda referencetoourdigitaledition.

Now we visitthevendors’ pitchesand decide where it is

possibleto sellagainandwhere

itisnotreasonable.

OnMay 1,we willnotpublishanormalmagazine,

butan ePaperincooperationwiththefootballclub

BorussiaDortmundandthefootballblogschwatzgelb.

detogeneratedonationsandattention.

In May we willalsoresumesaleson atrialbasis.

Our currentissue isscheduledto run for two months.

We are testingdifferentpossibilitiesfor contactless

purchases.We have masksandglovesfor our salesstaff

andwe willhave to seehow itworksout.

Butaregularmonthlybodo will be published again

on June 1 – hopefully.

Aslockdownmeasuresbeginto

looseninotherEuropeancountries,

BastianPütter,editorofDortmund’s

streetpaperbodo, tellsusbrighter

times may be coming for its vendors

‘Public

opinion is

divided on

whether

this is the

right step’

Manyofourvendorscountthemselves
amongthe4.5millionprivaterentersin
theUK.
That isthecase for Leicestervendor David
Bailey,whomovedto theEast Midlandscity
in2 0 17from Readinginthehopethatthe
“strongrecoverycommunity”couldhelp
himcontinuehisprogressinbattling
drugaddiction.
After spellsinahostelandshared
accommodation,the5 0 -year-oldsecureda
privateflatlastOctoberandpaidrent with
acombinationof moneyheearnedfrom
sellingThe BigIssue,UniversalCreditand
PersonalIndependencePayments(PIP).
ButhetoldThe BigIssue thatproblems
withhisPIPpaymentsandthesuddenloss
ofhisBigIssueincomehasmadethings
tight. Although he is protected from eviction

throughnewgovernmentguidelines,he

isfacingarent billasnormaleven withhis

reducedincome.

“The firstpaymentisdue sincethe

lockdown hasbeenon andI’ve notheardany

differentfrom my landlord,” Davidsays.

“It’saniceflatandthegovernmentpays

twothirdsof therent throughUniversal

CreditandthenIwas toppingup£2 00 with

thePIPpaymentswhichmadeitdoable.

“So I’llbegettinga£2 00 whackoutof

my UniversalCreditpaymentsandthatwill

leave meshort for themonth.Icouldreally

dowithThe BigIssue beingback.”

The BigIssue hascontinuedto support

Davidthroughoutthelockdown with

£25vouchersaswell ashelpinghimgeta

smartphoneto accessremotemeetings with

the Dear Albert rehab programme.

PRIVATE RENTING

DAVIDBAILEY,50,

LEICESTER RAILWAY STATION

Thelockdowncouldn’thavecomeat a

worsetimeforLeeWelham.

HetellsTheBigIssuethathe

hasbeen“leftinlimbo”after

governmentadviceto delay

movingdatessaw himstuckinhis

temporaryaccommodation.

Lee iscurrentlyinahousesharebut

was dueto maketheswitchto another

sharewithprofessionalswhichwould

have seenhisrentpaymentsplummet.

The Cambridgevendorhad

beenhopingthatthemovewould

reducehisfinancialburden.Butthe

coronaviruslockdownhasmeantthat

hehaslostplentyof incomeand isstill

facedwiththerentbill.That means,

like manyotherBrits whohave made

1.4millionapplicationsinthelast

month,hehashadto turn to Universal

Creditto get by, whileThe BigIssue has

continuedto financiallysupporthim.

“I needUniversalCreditto survive

and to be fair to them it was very quick.

The BigIssue hasbeenvery helpful.

Butfor my mentalhealth,itwould

have beenmassiveto makethemove.

“I’m afranchiseesoIspeakto

vendorsallthetimeand theyhave

beencomplainingto meaboutgas

and electricmeterswhileintemporary

accommodation.LuckilyIdon’t

havethat.

“The lockdownhasbeenhard on

me. AsavendorI’m usedto being

outside and being seen by people.”

TEMPORARY ACCOMMODATION

LEE WELHAM, 36, CAMBRIDGE

30 APRIL-06 MAY 2020 BIGISSUE.COM| 09