Teen beauty spot drinkers are ramblers, not rebels
- Dave Burrows
Clampdown on Shrewsbury chuggers
Monday 20th February 2012, 2:00PM GMT.
Police this afternoon called for new rules to be introduced in Shrewsbury to clamp down on aggressive charity collectors amid fears shoppers are being intimidated into handing over cash or setting up regular card payments.
Officers said officials at Shropshire Council had been asked to look into the possibility of introducing a new policy.
It would mean charity collectors would have to apply to hold collections in the town.
And police said they hoped that if a policy was introduced it would include a number of restrictions to stamp out the problem of chuggers – aggressive charity collectors.
Police want charities to be given a set time and day to hold collections, be restricted to a specific number of people in each team, and to not be able to be ‘pushy’.
Details of the possible new rules come after police revealed in November that shoppers were being intimidated by chuggers.
In one incident an elderly woman was reported to have been taken to her local bank by a charity worker to set up a regular direct debit payment after she was stopped on Pride Hill.
And police said other people had also complained about the ‘unacceptable’ way some charity workers were trying to get cash for their cause.
Sergeant Claire Greenaway, who is in charge of policing in Shrewsbury town centre, today said: “A council official has identified this issue and given instructions to the licensing department that they need to get a policy in place.
“The situation hasn’t changed unfortunately. What we would want to see is a policy in place so the chuggers would have to agree certain times and days to come and that there should be an appropriate number of people in a team.
“They should also ask one question such as ‘can you help us’ and if the answer is ‘no’ they shouldn’t be chasing people down the street asking questions.”
No-one from Shropshire Council was available for comment.
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If intimidated by a chugger, use the old Anglo Saxon term that we all know and love. Works a treat.
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I do not shop in Shrewsbury anymore I’m 51 years old and feel under threat. I now shop in Telford. So do other members of my family. I estimate that in 2011-today £2500 worth of sales hve been lost that’s just my in my family?
Shropshire Council you keep getting this wrong. Parking costs up etc…. Wait a minute to save building a new shoppng centre in Smithfield road why not sack everyone at Shire hall and turn that into a shopping centre, and with the money saved on salaries put on free busses for all!
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Telford was built for retail and Shrewsbury was built for defence,
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Is tht Defence against shoppers?
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Outsiders..People not from rooond these parts.
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Telford was built to house people. Shrewsbury (Scrobbesburh) existed as a market town before the fortifications. Your obvioulsy not from around these parts either.
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So it was built inside the river loop for easy parking then was it..and yes i was.
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I’m 49 and nothing worries me. Just walk on by or take a different route.There are plenty of places you can park without paying.
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Indeed their are in coleham, frankwell asda car park, bellvue ,copthorne, all ranging from 3 – 2 hours- 40 mimns , you can also park along the mount all day.No need to pay, and it gives you the chance for a brisk walk to and from the parking space.
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Who’s going to collect your rubbish, light the streets, educate your children, help old people who need care, the list goes on…and if you can afford to run a car then you should be prepared to pay a little to park it on someone elses land for your convenience… and if you feel intimidated by sleepy little Shrewsbury then there’s no hope!
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They shouldn’t be allowed to be on Pride Hill.
Simple.
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The tactics these people use make a mockery of the hard work done by these charities, it also negatively synchronises the charity with the smarm and bullying tactics of these so called “chuggers” the practise should be banned outright.
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good
get these leaches off the streets, they should be ashamed of themselves they are the lowest of the low
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Raising money for charity is the lowest of the low?? Rapists? Murderers? Child abusers? Put things in perspective..
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I think the lowest of the low was the person who took two bags of nice pottery I stupidly left in the doorway of Save the Children. Fancy stealing donations to charity!
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They are a nuisance, pure and simple.
Ban them from town at weekends, and only allow them in certain areas on their own, and not in packs, two days a week!
However, I would be happier if they were banned completely.
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The charities are doing themselves a disservice by these street poachers.
Donating to non-profit charities is great when you can afford it, something people can do in their own time when they choose; not harrassed by some kid on the street who’s getting paid £8 an hour to blag direct debits
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I just say NO, its not that hard then carry on walking if they want to follow me fine, it will resort to less polite no, followed by an aggresive one.
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Exactly, a lot simpler than having to police a banning order.
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What ever happened to ‘obstruction of a public highway’
Obstructing free passage – Section 137 Highways Act 1980
If a person, without lawful authority or excuse, in any way wilfully obstructs the free passage along a highway, they are guilty of an offence.
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Bit harsh, they’ve got as much right to be in town as you..
sectin 137 Lighten up act 2012
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Massive gap in the law, very little Shropshire Council can legally do, other than try to reach a compromise with the public fundraising Regulatory Authority.
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A short P*** Off does the trick, the same goes for the foreign girl that sells the Big Issue at the bottom of Pride Hill.
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I wouldn’t stand for her saying that to you, if I were you.
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So classy , telling a “foreign” girl to p off when she’s selling Big Issue.
Gosh I bet it makes you proud to be British.
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What is she doing selling bigger shoes???
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Johnny Foreigner selling the Big Issue, the cheek of it. Imagine foreign chuggers, enough to make your blood boil, eh John..
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Well said john. Funny that she can afford a blackberry, must be all the oh so right on naive lefties filling her coffers instead of helping those really in need.
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Nah they get them free when they get off the pre paid ferry, just before getting into their free helicopter and flown to their free mansion with gate house ……..well according to the Mail they do, so that must be right.
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Yes, but that blackberry has to feed her and her family for a fortnight.
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I’d love it if John was Welsh and the “foreign” girl was born here in England.
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With the name JOHN JONES what do you think. I don’t hide my true name, and at 70 can still look after myself.
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Glad that you’ve clarified that you’re an aggressive intolerant old Celtic xenophobe.
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That comment opens another debate into why there is no respect for the older generation…….hmmmmmm
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Surely harassment is against the law, why don’t the police do something about it? such as issuing warnings that if the persist they will be arrested.Oh this means they will have to get out of their cars and stations and walk about in the street, proberly against the health and safety rules.
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Do you think that Police time is well spent cautioning people for engageing someone in conversation..
‘ Catch real criminals ‘ would be your comment if that was to happen.
Do you want fish to go with that chip on your shoulder..
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As for chuggers just walk past it is not rocket science , who is creating a fuss here for something to do ??
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just go with the old classic “I’m not 18″ they either leave you alone sharpish enough or look confused so quickly that someone clearly over that age said it you have the time to run away.
They are a joke though, the fact alone that you get 2 positioned at the junction of pride hill and butcher row looking like a hawk is the issue. they should only be allowed to go in designated areas, for example the memorial at the top of pride hill and not be allowed to go more than 3 meters from it. They break that zone, they get chucked off pride hill.
Otherwise they should be told no in the first place and ony be allowed to go to the quarry or somewhere else where it’s open, not bottlenecks.
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The problem is easily resolved.
1. On being approached by a chugger …
2. Open your mouth.
3. Say “No”.
4. Walk away.
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It’s even easier than that.
Always carry some pan-pipes with you and if you are chugged simply join in an impromptu jamming session with them.
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What are these chuggers jamming? Are pan-pipes especially wide?
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In my experience most of them carry a percussive instrument into which they request you add more beans, or possibly money. I’ve never got close enough to find out. However they rattle it in a rhythmic fashion, inviting you to join in. If you haven’t got pan-pipes, you can always stamp your foot in time. Many people it seems have got the idea of stamping their foot at the idea of chuggers, but have missed their opportunity for street entertainment.
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I can’t see what’s so difficult.
The charity chuggers have to have a permit from the council to set up in town the same as any street trader, so all the council have to do is revoke their permit!
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Hi guys Im the hotdog man I work in the town on pride hill most days other than the big issue girl ringing out and the plague of buskerz in the town the charity workers are a nightmare it ruins the whole shopping experience , they prey on the vulnerable hounding them! I watch them and they kill my business as everyone stops shopping they just look at there feet and walk 5 times faster than normal this must be affecting the businesses on pride hill???
Shrewsbury is not a city it’s a small market town with lots of old buildings and quirky little shops these charity workers are excessive and aggressive and not wanted or needed in our town!! Don’t we have enough charity shops ??
Stop
For
A
Dawg
And
A
Chat
If
You
See
Me
=^D
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“it ruins the whole shopping experience ”
As opposed to the smell of hotdogs?
Your stall blocks the flow of pedestrians no less than they do.
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Typical response from an individual who shows a bit entrepreneurial get up and go.
I do not like Hot Dogs but i doubt very much the smell of shopping , and i have not seen this guy chasing people down the pride hill laughing and winding shoppers up if they say something on the lines you should not pester people .
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I meant response from a person who desires to have a pop at an individual who shows a bit of get up and go entrepreneurial spirit.
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Aren’t the charities showing entrepreneurial get up and go by actively seeking out contributions? Of course they are, and it works !
One person’e street entrepreneur is another’s street aggravation.
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Yes and no,
one is selling a product, one is asking for money in “hand out form” unfortunately the hand out lad or lass creams some off some of the hand out cash ,so does the charity, and pennies are left for the poor unfortunates whose name they are using to collect money.
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“Ignatius J Reilly”
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The Chuggers are paid £8+/hr and are clawing 25% of our charity giving.
Appropriate response is “I give directly to ensure it all gets there. Now get out of my way, you scrounger..”
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Not a wise thing to say to a person you do not no, and could be seen as confrontational.
I remember seeing in Chester a beggar sat by the river a bloke walking past showed him a few quid and then threw it in the river and said “don’t give to scroungers” the beggar got up and flattened him with one punch . So my advice would be just politely decline and walk by, not a need to be aggressive or over the top rude.
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How can someone working for the money be a scrounger??
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All you need to do is say ‘Sorry, I don’t speak English.’ They tend to leave you alone after that.
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Good advice. No hablo ingles
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Another one scared to speak their mind, why not just tell them what you think. What is the matter with today’s people.
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Do you mean “sori no spika da eengleeshe” ?
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Chuggers are just as bad as the “charity collectors” that hound people, cold calling door to door. I simply say that I already give towards my chosen charity (which is true, the RSPB). There are thousands of charities out there and they all want your money. They also all profess to being more important and desperate than anyone else. Chuggers, leave the general public alone and get a decent job, your not wanted.
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I saw this one article on avoiding chuggers that made me laugh. I like Numbers 5 & 6 personnaly. http://www.darlosworld.co.uk/2010/07/29/how-to-avoid-the-chuggers-charity-muggers/
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Perhaps we will be given a rest Shelter seam to have removed their marketing “Street Raids”.”How to raid your street”.
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YEAH bring back hanging for them!
RA RA RA
you know what really gets my goat in this world, its charity workers
scum of the earth them lot, fancy trying to raise money for a good cause as a job
shame on them, lay them off and get them on the dole instead
ra
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I wouldn’t be surprised to hear of them being laid off on returning to hq with your goat in the collection tin. ;-)
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When I used to fund raise for Greenpeace we used to dress up as animals and go around the pubs. We were thought to be entertaining and we never harassed people. We always got prior permission to collect from landlords. On the advice of head office we hid our tins when on the street. 15-20 years ago we were raising over £100 an evening and every penny went straight into the GP bank account We had fun and so did the pub customers.
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That was some money, proof that we should keep giving fun. You didn’t offend anyone, gave of yourself and the money came rolling in.
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All you have to do is blank them!! works for me :) one thing i reckon we can all agree on is the fact that are a pain in the ar@e!
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Disgraceful, they could be learning a skill like filling shelves at Tescos for nothing.
I wonder how many of them have a degree plus student debts?
Oh to be young again.
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All it takes is a firm “i’m busy” or “sorry i’m in my lunch hour”.
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