How do you say no to Brighton beggars?

Dorset Seagull · Jul 5, 2017

Last Christmas I sat and had a chat with a beggar for about 5 mins and then gave him a fiver before I went. We don't get many beggars around our way so I realise you can't do that in a place like Brighton. I think he was more pleased about the chat than the money.

As it was a cold day and was surely going to be a very cold night I saw a slightly different side to the "they will only spend it on cans of strong lager" argument. In their situation I think I would prefer to be pissed out of my head most of the time to block out the cold and hopelessness of the situation.

AmexRuislip · Jul 5, 2017

dazzer6666 said:
Just got back from a few days in Edinburgh. Equally bad, if not worse, problem there........and very alcohol-related judging by the empties surrounding some of those asking for money.

I'd agree on this, they're everywhere, especially by the Costa Coffee on Hanover St and Waverley Station.
Not so many on the Royal Mile, but I guess that's for tourists?

studio150 · Jul 5, 2017

Don't break stride just a shake of the head.

For those that give money regardless of how often. how do you choose to give to that person as opposed to others you see.

dazzer6666 · Jul 5, 2017

AmexRuislip said:
I'd agree on this, they're everywhere, especially by the Costa Coffee on Hanover St and Waverley Station.
Not so many on the Royal Mile, but I guess that's for tourists?

Yeah definitely.......not as many as Princes St though, where almost every doorway seemed to be occupied. I suspect they get moved on on the Royal Mile.

AmexRuislip · Jul 5, 2017

dazzer6666 said:
Yeah definitely.......not as many as Princes St though, where almost every doorway seemed to be occupied. I suspect they get moved on on the Royal Mile.

Apart from the beggars, did you enjoy Edinburgh, it's a fantastic place culturally?

herecomesaregular · Jul 5, 2017

dazzer6666 said:
Yeah definitely.......not as many as Princes St though, where almost every doorway seemed to be occupied. I suspect they get moved on on the Royal Mile.

I was shocked by a recent trip to Belfast - lots of homeless youngsters in doorways in the evening, who looked more like fresh faced runaways than the career-homeless-beggars (awful way of describing it I know, but you know the ones I mean, totally fecked by years of substance misuse and not wanting to engage with services available) in Brighton. The Belfast homeless was a very sad sight.

dazzer6666 · Jul 5, 2017

AmexRuislip said:
Apart from the beggars, did you enjoy Edinburgh, it's a fantastic place culturally?

Always do......daughter has been living there for four years (just graduated from the Uni), and have part of my work team based there so visit very often. Absolutely love it.

Jogged up to Arthurs Seat a couple of times this weekend. Amazing to have a place like that so close to a city centre.

herecomesaregular · Jul 5, 2017

Cloughie said:
I volunteered at a charity combating homelessness whilst at university. It amazed me that they asked people not to give anyone money, but to direct them to facilities where they could receive proper help with accommodation, food, cleanliness, education etc. On reading the story quoted, unfortunately it rings true from many, many of the things I experienced myself over the 12 months I worked there.

It goes without saying that there are plenty of geniune cases, but these people tend not to beg for cash to survive. They have their own ways of staying warm, getting food etc without disturbing the general populace. As sad as it sounds, you probably don't notice many of these people as they're off doing their own daily rituals when you're off working, taking your kids to school and so on.

On more than one occasion I stayed overnight at their emergency housing facility, which housed 12 people overnight on a first come, first served basis. In order to stay there you had to be at the residence before 9 o'clock, not intoxicated (with drink or drugs) and abide by the rules etc. If, on some occasions the beds weren't all filled we used to go out into town to see if we could find any people on the streets who could do with a meal, hot shower, warm bed etc. I was astounded at some of the abuse we received from the very people we were trying to help. Obviously this wasn't the textbook response, but I'd wager it was about 50% of the people we approached refused help on the basis that they couldn't do drugs or get hammered.

Heard similar from many colleagues. A homeless person with mental health issues and substance misuse issues is both a very hard person to help and a very hard situation for them to get out of.

AmexRuislip · Jul 5, 2017

dazzer6666 said:
Always do......daughter has been living there for four years (just graduated from the Uni), and have part of my work team based there so visit very often. Absolutely love it.

Jogged up to Arthurs Seat a couple of times this weekend. Amazing to have a place like that so close to a city centre.

Next time you go, you'll have to try Eyeball Beer from East Lothian, made by [MENTION=11767]Aristotle[/MENTION] (plug plug), its very nice :thumbsup:

http://eyeballbrewing.co.uk/

dazzer6666 · Jul 5, 2017

AmexRuislip said:
Next time you go, you'll have to try Eyeball Beer from East Lothian, made by [MENTION=11767]Aristotle[/MENTION] (plug plug), its very nice

http://eyeballbrewing.co.uk/

I'm not so much into craft beers but had a couple of pints of an excellent lager yesterday -Tempest http://www.tempestbrewco.com

At this place (food was very good too)

http://www.ox184.co.uk

Bill Cassidy's tie up · Jul 5, 2017

I work in Jamie Street and know must of the regulars who've been around for years. I do help them occasionally but I think they know not to take the piss. Bit worried about Jason haven't seen him for a bit hope he ok.

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Herr Tubthumper · Jul 5, 2017

Sometimes I give, sometimes I don't. If I don't I just politely decline with a "sorry, not today" and a smile. No point being rude.

Blue Valkyrie · Jul 5, 2017

Calling @DrNo

AmexRuislip · Jul 5, 2017

Back to thread.
I just politely say no thank you

sussex_guy2k2 · Jul 5, 2017

Just a little story, and maybe I shouldn't let one bad experience sway me, but I gave money to a "homeless man" once. He looked awful (of course he did).

To cut a long story short, I later saw the guy down the pub with his mates, bragging about how he'd made over £500 that day "begging". FYI, he was wearing a particularly nice suit down the pub and had a new Audi outside (which again, he bragged about to his mates).

Needless to say, I won't ever be giving money to homeless people again, and that Audi had a particularly awful scratch on it come home time.

carlzeiss · Jul 5, 2017

They are probably making more than I am earning so I don't have a problem saying so .

luppers · Jul 5, 2017

There was a beggar outside the Arnedale Centre in Eastbourne who was always with his dog. He used to travel from his nice home in Hove on the railway to Eastbourne using a season ticket. He reckoned he would pay his mortgage off on his house within 10 years as he was earning far more begging than he did when he was working

Wrong-Direction · Jul 5, 2017

If they ask as I'm going into a shop I'll give a bit of change on the way out, if they don't ask I don't give,

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portlock seagull · Jul 5, 2017

Used to give a lot to beggars but won't these days - support charities instead. Not about what they spend on - if you're down on your luck and want to spend my fiver on beer or drugs then who am I to judge? No, it's just increasingly they're bogus foreigners trying it on whilst earning a very comfortable 'wage'. Just can't be sure they're homeless, some may even be going home to better abodes than me! Sadly the truly in need are being tarred with same brush because so many disingenuous others who are frankly no better than con artists.

PILTDOWN MAN · Jul 5, 2017

I was working in Shoreditch recently, outside a Tesco Local a beggar was asking for money, on leaving I offered him a sandwich,he declined. He said he was wheat intolerant. I enquired how long he had been diagnosed, 2 weeks he said. I asked what he could eat. He rattled off a load of food. I asked him to follow me inside the store. He picked out some proper grub which I paid for. He was truly grateful.

Next day he spotted me and came over, expecting a re-run I was suspicious of his intent. He asked for nothing but to say for the first time in weeks he felt well and out of discomfort. Had a chat with him and he said he had lost his job a year ago and his lodgings thereafter. I felt for him, bought him his daily grub and a hot drink.

Did I feel good about my deed? Not sure, but I felt this chap needed an understanding ear not a rebuke. This doesn't go for everyone.

They aren't all bad.

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How do you say no to Brighton beggars?

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