Big Issue pitches are up for grabs

Badges which identify a regular selling pitch are being scrapped, replaced by ones which simply read "Bolton".

Sellers will then have to compete for authorised spots - and regular vendors in Bolton say they will lose out.

The new rules are being introduced from Monday as Big Issue managers try to stamp out disputes among vendors.

One Bolton vendor, who asked not to be named, said he had worked for four years to build up his pitch.

"Somebody is going to lose out and if we don't sell the magazines, we lose money," he said. "We rely on regular customers and they aren't going to know where we are."

At the moment "floating" vendors are allowed to work on pitches if the regular seller fails to arrive by 10am.

But, from Monday, floating badges will also be scrapped and five vendors will be "badged up" to compete for Bolton's four pitches.

Vendors are effectively self-employed and buy copies from "The Big Issue in the North" to sell on the streets.

However, they must abide by strict selling guidelines.

The Bolton vendor said: "Yesterday, when I went to the office to buy my copies, there were about six English people and about 60 from Romania. Some of the new sellers have been standing in places which aren't authorised pitches."

Bolton's four pitches are outside Marks and Spencer - one at the front of the shop and one at the rear - Newport Arcade and outside the Market Hall.

A letter to vendors from the Big Issue management read: "Due to issues we have been presented with recently, such as competition and disputes over rights to sell in pitches, we are going to change the way this is managed.

"All vendors who sell in a location and are badged for a particular pitch will be given first rights on a badge for that area."

A Big Issue spokesman said: "We help people to earn a legitimate income and do not discriminate against anyone, regardless of their ethnicity, origin or culture."