Your views on the big issues
platform.VENDOR RETURN
VENDORS: Not all
vendors have been able to
return to their pitches at once.
Health issues mean some are
shielding and areas of the country are
subject to local lockdowns. We will
continue to support vendors who need
help until they can sell again.PPE: Safety is key, we do not want to
risk any vendor or customer’s health.
So we have provided ‘Welcome Back
Packs’ for each vendor that include
masks, gloves, sanitiser and wipes.
Vendors will also be given waterproof
bags to safely store magazines.PITCHES: Some pitches
may have moved, depending
on local safety measures and
circumstances. A large number of
vendors will now be o�fering
contactless payment, but they will
continue to accept cash – there is no
indication that handling cash or
magazines will transmit the disease,
but shoppers are moving towards
paying by contactless and we are
making sure vendors won’t lose out.OFFICES: Our local
o�fi ces and outreach teams
are working to social
distancing health and safety rules, and
we have installed clear plastic shields
at the counter in all o�fi ces to protect
vendors and sta�f. We will be carefully
managing all interaction as we support
vendors back to work – that means
strict queue management outside
o�fi ces, temperature checks and
allowing only one vendor into the
o�fi ce at a time to buy magazines.SUBSCRIPTIONS
AND SHOPS:
The world is not yet
back to normal, and we need the
support of people continuing their
subscriptions and seeking out copies
in shops. If a pitch is outside shops
that have been stocking the magazine,
we will stop selling in those branches.
Sales will continue in areas that don’t
have any local vendors.Every copy bought, whether via
The Big Issue UK app, a shop,
subscription or at The Big Issue Shop
makes a di�ference and helps us to
continue supporting vendors.@bigissue /bigissueUK @bigissueukGET IN TOUCH
[email protected][email protected]Dizzy heights
Oh if only we had a Richard here in Snowdonia [Vendor Expert, August 10], in fact we
could clone him, several Richard fi gures would come in handy. I am sure the Ogwen Valley
mountain rescue team, the air ambulance and many more besides would be overwhelmed
with grateful thanks.
Just when you think visitors can’t possibly get any da�ter, another half a dozen decide it
might be a good idea to “pop up Tryfan” for a poodle around, in shorts, plimsolls and half
a battery between them. You think I am jesting, well maybe a tad but seriously, that small
but infi nitely essential ‘backpack check’ could mean, quite literally the di�ference between
an enjoyable, well thought-out hike and an eight-man search and rescue operation into the
night using sni�fer dogs, helicoptor and Ysbyty Gwynedd A&E, if you’re lucky.
Big Issue reader, Caernarfon, buying from my friendly guy, KelvinVENDOR EXPERTSRecipe for success
Since my wife Shelagh had a stroke I have been the
cook in our family. Thanks to a recipe from your
vendor, chef Ian Du�f I was able to make a lovely
fi sh pie [Vendor Expert, July 27]. Thank you Ian and
I hope the help and publicity from The Big Issue
will help to relaunch your career. Can I suggest a
recipe book by Ian? Proceeds to go to The Big Issue.
David Monks MBE, emailCounty feedback
I’m afraid Roger Jenking [Letters, August 10] is mistaken. It was Berkshire County Council that was
abolished and replaced by unitary authorities in 1998, not the county itself, which continues to �lourish.
Indeed, the Royal County of Berkshire has both a Lord Lieutenant and a High Sheri�f, which would be rather
di�fi cult if it didn’t exist!
(Dr) Peter Durrant, Earley, Reading, BerkshireIn response to Roger Jenking’s comments about Windsor, yes the local government was reorganised in
1996, and Berkshire was abolished a council area. However, local government does not defi ne counties.
When originally created in 1889, councils were based on the counties, but have always been legally
separate. The ONS Index of Place Names in Britain 2016 lists the historic county alongside the local
government area, with Windsor listed as Berkshire and Windsor & Maidenhead. The Wikishire map
(wikishire.co.uk/map) shows the counties in all their glory.
Owain Vaughan, email08 | BIGISSUE.COM FROM 24 AUGUST 2020Yourviewsonthebigissuesplatform.
VENDORRETURNVENDORS:Notall
vendorshavebeenableto
returntotheirpitchesatonce.
Healthissuesmeansomeare
shieldingandareasofthecountryare
subjecttolocallockdowns.Wewill
continuetosupportvendorswho need
helpuntiltheycansellagain.PPE:Safetyiskey,wedonotwantto
riskanyvendororcustomer’shealth.
Sowehaveprovided‘WelcomeBack
Packs’foreachvendorthatinclude
masks,gloves,sanitiserandwipes.
Vendorswillalsobegivenwaterproof
bagstosafelystoremagazines.PITCHES:Somepitches
mayhavemoved,depending
onlocalsafetymeasuresand
circumstances.Alargenumberof
vendors willnow beo�fering
contactlesspayment,buttheywill
continuetoacceptcash– thereisno
indicationthathandlingcashor
magazineswilltransmitthedisease,
butshoppersaremovingtowards
payingbycontactlessandweare
makingsurevendorswon’tloseout.OFFICES:Ourlocal
o�ficesandoutreach teams
areworkingtosocial
distancinghealthandsafetyrules,and
wehaveinstalledclearplasticshields
atthecounterinallo�ficesto protect
vendors andsta�f. Wewillbecarefully
managingallinteractionaswesupport
vendorsbacktowork– thatmeans
strictqueuemanagementoutside
o�fices, temperaturechecksand
allowingonlyonevendorintothe
o�fi ce atatimeto buy magazines.SUBSCRIPTIONS
ANDSHOPS:
Theworldisnotyet
backtonormal,andweneedthe
supportofpeoplecontinuingtheir
subscriptionsandseekingoutcopies
inshops.Ifa pitchisoutsideshops
thathavebeenstockingthemagazine,
wewillstopsellinginthosebranches.
Saleswillcontinueinareasthat don’t
haveanylocalvendors.Everycopybought,whethervia
TheBigIssueUKapp,a shop,
subscriptionoratTheBigIssueShop
makesadi�ferenceandhelpsusto
continue supporting vendors.@bigissue /bigissueUK @bigissueukGET IN TOUCH
[email protected][email protected]Dizzyheights
Ohifonlywehada RichardhereinSnowdonia[VendorExpert,August10],infactwe
couldclonehim, severalRichardfigures wouldcomein handy. I am suretheOgwen Valley
mountainrescueteam,theairambulanceandmanymorebesideswouldbeoverwhelmed
withgratefulthanks.
Just when you thinkvisitorscan’t possibly get anyda�ter, another half adozendecideit
mightbea goodideato“popupTryfan”fora poodlearound,inshorts,plimsollsandhalf
a batterybetweenthem.YouthinkI amjesting,wellmaybea tadbutseriously,thatsmall
but infi nitelyessential‘backpackcheck’ couldmean, quiteliterally thedi�ferencebetween
anenjoyable,wellthought-outhikeandaneight-mansearchandrescueoperation into the
nightusingsni�ferdogs, helicoptorandYsbytyGwyneddA&E,if you’relucky.
Big Issue reader, Caernarfon, buying from my friendlyguyKelvinVENDOR EXPERTSRecipe for success
SincemywifeShelaghhada strokeI havebeenthe
cookinourfamily.Thankstoa recipefromyour
vendor, chef Ian Du�f I was ableto makealovely
fish pie[Vendor Expert, July 27]. Thankyou Ian and
I hopethehelpandpublicityfromTheBigIssue
willhelptorelaunchyourcareer.CanI suggesta
recipebookbyIan?Proceedsto go to The Big Issue.
David Monks MBE, emailCountyfeedback
I’mafraidRogerJenking[Letters,August10]ismistaken.It wasBerkshireCountyCouncilthatwas
abolishedandreplacedby unitaryauthoritiesin1998,notthecountyitself, whichcontinuesto �lourish.
Indeed,theRoyalCountyof BerkshirehasbothaLord Lieutenant and a High Sheri�f, which would be rather
di�ficultifitdidn’texist!
(Dr)PeterDurrant,Earley,Reading,BerkshireInresponsetoRogerJenking’scommentsaboutWindsor,yesthelocalgovernmentwasreorganisedin
1996,andBerkshirewas abolishedacouncilarea.However,localgovernmentdoesnotdefinecounties.
Whenoriginallycreatedin1889,councilswerebasedon thecounties, buthavealways beenlegally
separate.TheONSIndexof PlaceNamesinBritain 2016 liststhehistoriccountyalongsidethelocal
governmentarea,withWindsorlistedasBerkshireandWindsor & Maidenhead. The Wikishire map
(wikishire.co.uk/map)shows the counties in all their glory.
Owain Vaughan, email08 | BIGISSUE.COM FROM 24 AUGUST 2020