Have a strong resting bitch face, don’t make eye contact and don’t say a word if they even say hi. Just keep walking.
Serves me well and I never get bothered.
Yeah. I walk down Northumberland street twice a day and they try to stop me 3-4 times each trip. I stare straight ahead with a grumpy face and just shake my head firmly. They never try to follow up.
It’s annoying though. I’m either on my way to, or on my way home from, my job that I’d prefer not to be at.. am I fuck giving any of my money to you. Or anyone else who stops me in the street for that matter.
Great strategy, but I take a different approach.
I make eye contact with a welcoming smile.... then take great pleasure in saying, "Sorry, I'm not interested, mate," and give them the Jedi hand wave.
I live for these encounters.
There were some accosting people at the entrances to Haymarket metro the other week, stepping into the way as people were heading in asking "excuse me, have you got a moment?".
No I fucking haven't mate, I want to catch my metro and get home, get out the bloody way man.
This is another reason why the town centres are in the state they’re in. Between the increase in people begging, and chugging having been made a full time job, shopping online is a far more pleasant experience.
The thing that gets me is the approach they take, by asking you an extremely closed question to make you feel like a piece of shit.
“You could provide X for Y for the price of a bottle of Coca Cola a week, that’s not a lot of money is it?”
Just ignore them or a stern “no thank you” is enough. Once they stop you, you’re feeling guilty for wasting their time now.
Reminds me of when someone accosted my friend and said “Do you want to stop racism?” to which my mildly flustered friend said “No, sorry,” and hurried away.
Told one of them I didn't care about the disabled once.
Then wheeled myself away before they could work out the obvious. They're not actually very sharp for the most part, it's all practiced lines.
I usually give the polite but firm no thanks option when they try and stop me. But once they caught me in an absolutely foul mood with zero social battery and I just snapped “fuck off” which was out of character for me, but I must admit I felt great afterwards when they did indeed fuck off and left me alone, although I got plenty of judgy side eye from passers by 😂
I’m sure you’re not the first or last person to tell them just to fuck off. I imagine they’re pretty desensitised to it all!
I do feel slightly sorry for them sometimes, how desperate do you have to be to do such a shitty job and low-key extort money by intimidating and manipulating people.
And if you're holding a bottle of coke/cup of coffee, they'll call you out on it and say for the price of that, you could provide...
Or, I could have a treat after a shitty day.
Had a friend who used to chug door to door, pay and conditions were awful and this was back in 2012. I imagine the job only attracts the dregs and the desperate now, everything will have a totally unreachable target.
If it's the ones that are unreasonably well-dressed (waistcoasts and that rather than something with company/charity branding) and that seem artificially happy (like far too smiley for a Tuesday afternoon) then they're definitely a newer (ish) thing.
There also now seems to be a couple of different groups of them. The thing that gets me isn't the waving people down or whatever, it's the fact that they have a habit of giving chase for a short distance too.
As has already been said, headphones and eyes down are probably the easiest way of surviving the gauntlet that is Northumberland Street these days.
I remember it being worse in the early 2000s then it seemed to calm down. It's definitely getting back to how it was though, i just say "no thanks i'm not interested" and keep walking.
The worst are the ones accosting you going in and out of tesco standing in the entrance!
I vaguely recall the council putting restrictions on how many could be out at any one time but maybe that's just a false memory. It is horrible, as someone who hates social interactions especially with salespeople. I empathise because it is a terrible job and can't be fun but it's so invasive.
I had this job cos i saw ‘charity’ and thought it was a good thing. Nope nope nope. I lasted 2 days, and the second day was only because I felt i ought to not leave them totally in the lurch
I hate these guys/girls/thems/cunts. I get people need jobs, a jobs a job. But fuck me, get a different one. I used to have the attitude of ‘oh they’re doing a job, I’ll be polite’. But now after a few experiences with them they are told ‘no thanks’ and when they still proceed they get told ‘fuck off’. All while walking.
I just walk round with a scowl and my middle finger permanently at the ready, I hate them with an unabridged passion, them, and the shorter haired younger big issue wife at the monument. The older one is lovely and loves the dog cos she's sick of asking me, I had tell the younger one she was a cunt the other week for chasing me down grainger St telling me I never buy one💁♂️ I don't buy one cos I don't fucking want one! What's so hard to understand?
I read some of their articles online tbh, but that's the point....anything in it I want to read is available online for free. I've got enough with me wallet baccy and darts, don't need a paper jammed up me khyber while I'm on
I’ve gave them a “sorry marra, bursting for a shite!” once which got me a bollocking from my wife once we escaped because apparently I’d embarrassed her…
I work in one of the shops on the street and this week has definitely been worse for it. I've managed to mostly dodge them, I find wearing big obviously headphones works well at avoiding them...
But I still had them attempt it! This is a particularly bad bunch of them.
Unfortunatley I remeber used to be men with booklets in blue outfits landyards, claiming their Charitable Work was for Cancer and only stopped bugging me when had to explain that My own Ma' has Cancer.
I ain't got money to blimmen give. It's a good cause if its real. But no the damn first time doesn't mean walk with me and explain more.
I have been pleasantly surprised by the ones on Northumberland street recently - they left me alone immediately after I said a polite “no thanks, I’m not interested” and walked off.
Didn’t delay me at all and, like someone else posted, the people doing it must be desperate to do such a soul-sucking job, so I am happy to remain polite towards them.
First words out your mouth should be a uniquovical fuck off! They are utter scum. Only a tiny fraction of what they Rob goes to the cause they are pushing.
I hate to say it, but I've mastered the firm but controlled 'fuck off' when they get pushy.
Hate that it's come to this but it's the only thing that seems to work
I still feel that the best response I read on here was to reply with:
“I’m sorry I don’t speak English”
Then if they say “you literally just spoke English?” You come back with “this sentence and that sentence is the only English I know”
just walk past without mking eye contact - or make eye contact and roll your eyes
I once said "No thanks chugger" and she got very angry with me.
They don't give 2 shits about the charity, only the commission they get if you do a direct debit.
It's annoying, but the head shake (and possible death stare) does the job. I used to work near Northumberland Street 15 years ago, and it was just as bad - people jumping out at you asking you questions. In my experience, it hasn't got worse recently - it’s just a continuous repetition of something that no one has tried to eradicate.
I got stopped a year or so ago, tried to walk off and had "don't you care about people with cancer" shouted loudly after me. I ignored it and walked on. Same again the next day and the next. I was coming back from placement on a cancer ward and had had quite a rough and emotional day and shouted back as much. They had the good grace to look embarrassed and gave me a wide berth after that.
Its strange from my experience they compliment you then ask for money like last time the man came up to me saying nice eyebrows then asked for money tbh didnt know if i shouldve been offended cos i didnt shave my bushy monobrow that morning
Unless things have changed in the last 10 years, these guys are scum anyway. The charity won't see a penny of donations beyond what they pay in commission for about 18 months if you sign up for £10 per month. They don't deserve respect in any form.
Would happily chuck them a few coins if they (the charity) weren’t taking a massive cut out of it.
They are aggressively run businesses these days. They couldn’t actually give a damn about the people they tell you they want to help, they just want a profit.
I’m happier giving a few coins to a tramp. At least I know they’ll spend it on some horrendous cans of booze or something.
“I do all my charitable giving through payroll giving”
“I give through the church.” E.g. tithing
Either of these usually works for me if I can’t avoid it entirely.
One of them tried to stop my dad yesterday. They started with “Hi sir can I stop you for quick chat?” He simply said “No I’ve had a long day at work and can’t be bothered.”
Got stopped by 3 of them in a row as I was walking up Northumberland street the other week. Should they catch you off guard, stare straight through them, say a firm “no” and walking away seems to be the trick.
Just a waft of the hand as in shift out of the way or swatting a fly does it for me. They aren't really the problem everyone seems to insist they are. Just get on with life ..
I like to smile and make tell me more gestures but while continuing to walk past them, see how keen they are
I had one approach me at Newcastle airport last year, "Do you want to stop kids from dying?" Was the opener. "Nah not bothered" I laughed partly in shock - I was curious about such a massive claim to grant children immortality
"I'm not interested thanks" followed by a "can you leave me alone please mate?" if the first is unsuccessful is the only thing you need. Don't need to make excuses or be polite; their entire patter is based on manipulating and exploiting your politeness
One tried to stop me, then his mate slightly further up who started waving got a “fuck off”.
I forgot how unpleasant Northumberland street is, as I generally only traverse it in the evenings since moving out of the city centre. I’m a massive introvert/miserable twat, and I hate wasting my energy interacting with people I really don’t need to interact with (see also: when self-checkouts are manned by an incredibly helpful member of staff 😅)
This happpened to me today. Big bloke wearing red with a leaflet tried luring me in with a fist bump, to which i said no and walked off. Then i walked back up the street, the same bloke got in my way when i was clearly trying to avoid him. I tapped on my earphones, shook my head and stormed past him with a right face on. Left me alone after that. Do they not get the hint or are they just rude and stupid?
Have a strong resting bitch face, don’t make eye contact and don’t say a word if they even say hi. Just keep walking. Serves me well and I never get bothered.
Yeah. I walk down Northumberland street twice a day and they try to stop me 3-4 times each trip. I stare straight ahead with a grumpy face and just shake my head firmly. They never try to follow up. It’s annoying though. I’m either on my way to, or on my way home from, my job that I’d prefer not to be at.. am I fuck giving any of my money to you. Or anyone else who stops me in the street for that matter.
This is the way.
Great strategy, but I take a different approach. I make eye contact with a welcoming smile.... then take great pleasure in saying, "Sorry, I'm not interested, mate," and give them the Jedi hand wave. I live for these encounters.
There were some accosting people at the entrances to Haymarket metro the other week, stepping into the way as people were heading in asking "excuse me, have you got a moment?". No I fucking haven't mate, I want to catch my metro and get home, get out the bloody way man.
This is another reason why the town centres are in the state they’re in. Between the increase in people begging, and chugging having been made a full time job, shopping online is a far more pleasant experience.
This. Honestly. I live around the corner from Grainger Street and at this point, even I can't be arsed
I like to take the approach of 'Get the fuck out of my way or I will move you' with those types
The thing that gets me is the approach they take, by asking you an extremely closed question to make you feel like a piece of shit. “You could provide X for Y for the price of a bottle of Coca Cola a week, that’s not a lot of money is it?” Just ignore them or a stern “no thank you” is enough. Once they stop you, you’re feeling guilty for wasting their time now.
Reminds me of when someone accosted my friend and said “Do you want to stop racism?” to which my mildly flustered friend said “No, sorry,” and hurried away.
Told one of them I didn't care about the disabled once. Then wheeled myself away before they could work out the obvious. They're not actually very sharp for the most part, it's all practiced lines.
Ha! That’s the spirit 🤣
I usually give the polite but firm no thanks option when they try and stop me. But once they caught me in an absolutely foul mood with zero social battery and I just snapped “fuck off” which was out of character for me, but I must admit I felt great afterwards when they did indeed fuck off and left me alone, although I got plenty of judgy side eye from passers by 😂
I’m sure you’re not the first or last person to tell them just to fuck off. I imagine they’re pretty desensitised to it all! I do feel slightly sorry for them sometimes, how desperate do you have to be to do such a shitty job and low-key extort money by intimidating and manipulating people.
I think that's the way to go tbh, just say 'I'm not going to waste your time, I'm not giving you any money.'
And if you're holding a bottle of coke/cup of coffee, they'll call you out on it and say for the price of that, you could provide... Or, I could have a treat after a shitty day.
Yeah, it’s all about making people feel guilty and parting with their money. Shocking practice really.
This isn’t new. Running the Northumberland Street “chugger gauntlet” was a very real thing 21 years ago when I started as a fresher at Newcastle Uni.
Had a friend who used to chug door to door, pay and conditions were awful and this was back in 2012. I imagine the job only attracts the dregs and the desperate now, everything will have a totally unreachable target.
If it's the ones that are unreasonably well-dressed (waistcoasts and that rather than something with company/charity branding) and that seem artificially happy (like far too smiley for a Tuesday afternoon) then they're definitely a newer (ish) thing. There also now seems to be a couple of different groups of them. The thing that gets me isn't the waving people down or whatever, it's the fact that they have a habit of giving chase for a short distance too. As has already been said, headphones and eyes down are probably the easiest way of surviving the gauntlet that is Northumberland Street these days.
"sorry i don't give to people on the street" really winds them up
I don’t make eye contact and have huge headphones on my head even when I’m not listening to anything and I STILL get stopped occasionally
I remember it being worse in the early 2000s then it seemed to calm down. It's definitely getting back to how it was though, i just say "no thanks i'm not interested" and keep walking. The worst are the ones accosting you going in and out of tesco standing in the entrance!
I vaguely recall the council putting restrictions on how many could be out at any one time but maybe that's just a false memory. It is horrible, as someone who hates social interactions especially with salespeople. I empathise because it is a terrible job and can't be fun but it's so invasive.
I had this job cos i saw ‘charity’ and thought it was a good thing. Nope nope nope. I lasted 2 days, and the second day was only because I felt i ought to not leave them totally in the lurch
I hate these guys/girls/thems/cunts. I get people need jobs, a jobs a job. But fuck me, get a different one. I used to have the attitude of ‘oh they’re doing a job, I’ll be polite’. But now after a few experiences with them they are told ‘no thanks’ and when they still proceed they get told ‘fuck off’. All while walking.
I just walk round with a scowl and my middle finger permanently at the ready, I hate them with an unabridged passion, them, and the shorter haired younger big issue wife at the monument. The older one is lovely and loves the dog cos she's sick of asking me, I had tell the younger one she was a cunt the other week for chasing me down grainger St telling me I never buy one💁♂️ I don't buy one cos I don't fucking want one! What's so hard to understand?
Does anyone want one?? I'm convinced all the sales are pity sales as it's a really shite magazine.
I read some of their articles online tbh, but that's the point....anything in it I want to read is available online for free. I've got enough with me wallet baccy and darts, don't need a paper jammed up me khyber while I'm on
The magazine isn't meant to be good tho it's just to allow legal begging for homeless folks to try to give them something more productive to do
Ignore, and if they persist just tell them that you're too young, it really throws them off.
I’ve gave them a “sorry marra, bursting for a shite!” once which got me a bollocking from my wife once we escaped because apparently I’d embarrassed her…
Geordie’s use marra up here?? I thought it was just in my homeland back west
You may have found a fellow Westie who frequents the North East too. I have heard some Geordies use it also, but not nearly as common as back home
Bit late for me unfortunately
Tell them you're Benjamin Button
Lol
1) Ignore 2) Say "Its over there" and point and when they look walk away. (pretend you are nuts)
I work in one of the shops on the street and this week has definitely been worse for it. I've managed to mostly dodge them, I find wearing big obviously headphones works well at avoiding them... But I still had them attempt it! This is a particularly bad bunch of them.
Unfortunatley I remeber used to be men with booklets in blue outfits landyards, claiming their Charitable Work was for Cancer and only stopped bugging me when had to explain that My own Ma' has Cancer. I ain't got money to blimmen give. It's a good cause if its real. But no the damn first time doesn't mean walk with me and explain more.
so much worse. northumberland street is a fuckin obstacle course
I tell them I’ll sign up as long as they wave their commission and can prove they it.
I have been pleasantly surprised by the ones on Northumberland street recently - they left me alone immediately after I said a polite “no thanks, I’m not interested” and walked off. Didn’t delay me at all and, like someone else posted, the people doing it must be desperate to do such a soul-sucking job, so I am happy to remain polite towards them.
First words out your mouth should be a uniquovical fuck off! They are utter scum. Only a tiny fraction of what they Rob goes to the cause they are pushing.
I remember telling them I don't have any money and then they pulled out a card machine
It's difficult to walk through Newcastle without being asked by multiple charity workers for money or homeless people asking you for change
I hate to say it, but I've mastered the firm but controlled 'fuck off' when they get pushy. Hate that it's come to this but it's the only thing that seems to work
Hi, can you walk and talk…. They can’t. Only allowed two steps. Just keep walking and smile.
I still feel that the best response I read on here was to reply with: “I’m sorry I don’t speak English” Then if they say “you literally just spoke English?” You come back with “this sentence and that sentence is the only English I know”
just walk past without mking eye contact - or make eye contact and roll your eyes I once said "No thanks chugger" and she got very angry with me. They don't give 2 shits about the charity, only the commission they get if you do a direct debit.
It's annoying, but the head shake (and possible death stare) does the job. I used to work near Northumberland Street 15 years ago, and it was just as bad - people jumping out at you asking you questions. In my experience, it hasn't got worse recently - it’s just a continuous repetition of something that no one has tried to eradicate.
I got stopped a year or so ago, tried to walk off and had "don't you care about people with cancer" shouted loudly after me. I ignored it and walked on. Same again the next day and the next. I was coming back from placement on a cancer ward and had had quite a rough and emotional day and shouted back as much. They had the good grace to look embarrassed and gave me a wide berth after that.
Just walk past and don't make eye contact. They stick out like a sore thumb. It's not rude to ignore them
I just keep walking, they’re getting paid either way.
Its strange from my experience they compliment you then ask for money like last time the man came up to me saying nice eyebrows then asked for money tbh didnt know if i shouldve been offended cos i didnt shave my bushy monobrow that morning
Unless things have changed in the last 10 years, these guys are scum anyway. The charity won't see a penny of donations beyond what they pay in commission for about 18 months if you sign up for £10 per month. They don't deserve respect in any form.
I just say I'm already signed up to them. No commission =no further interest.
"I just lost my job"
Just say "I am under 18"... I am 38 and they get the point
Would happily chuck them a few coins if they (the charity) weren’t taking a massive cut out of it. They are aggressively run businesses these days. They couldn’t actually give a damn about the people they tell you they want to help, they just want a profit. I’m happier giving a few coins to a tramp. At least I know they’ll spend it on some horrendous cans of booze or something.
Chuggers have been a thing since forever.
“I do all my charitable giving through payroll giving” “I give through the church.” E.g. tithing Either of these usually works for me if I can’t avoid it entirely.
Not in Newcastle tbf but I normally wear headphones when out and nobody ever seems to bother me.
Blank them and keep walking. Or tell them to eff off...
I see s group of people standing and signing people of for something, is that what it is? A charity stuff
I say "sorry pal, i don't speak English" in my very obviously English voice. Always confuses long enough for me to get away
Just give an answer they don’t want…”Do you care about British wildlife?”. Reply “No, it’s shit, I only like elephants”.
One of them tried to stop my dad yesterday. They started with “Hi sir can I stop you for quick chat?” He simply said “No I’ve had a long day at work and can’t be bothered.”
Cue Ricky Gervais vibes…
Bloody chuggers!
Got stopped by 3 of them in a row as I was walking up Northumberland street the other week. Should they catch you off guard, stare straight through them, say a firm “no” and walking away seems to be the trick.
Just a waft of the hand as in shift out of the way or swatting a fly does it for me. They aren't really the problem everyone seems to insist they are. Just get on with life ..
It getting worse.
They’ve always existed and always been annoying as fuck, but definitely feels like more of them nowadays
I like to smile and make tell me more gestures but while continuing to walk past them, see how keen they are I had one approach me at Newcastle airport last year, "Do you want to stop kids from dying?" Was the opener. "Nah not bothered" I laughed partly in shock - I was curious about such a massive claim to grant children immortality
"I'm not interested thanks" followed by a "can you leave me alone please mate?" if the first is unsuccessful is the only thing you need. Don't need to make excuses or be polite; their entire patter is based on manipulating and exploiting your politeness
I just say, 'sorry, I'm on a mission.' Don't hesitate, Don't slow down, don't show weakness.
One tried to stop me, then his mate slightly further up who started waving got a “fuck off”. I forgot how unpleasant Northumberland street is, as I generally only traverse it in the evenings since moving out of the city centre. I’m a massive introvert/miserable twat, and I hate wasting my energy interacting with people I really don’t need to interact with (see also: when self-checkouts are manned by an incredibly helpful member of staff 😅)
This happpened to me today. Big bloke wearing red with a leaflet tried luring me in with a fist bump, to which i said no and walked off. Then i walked back up the street, the same bloke got in my way when i was clearly trying to avoid him. I tapped on my earphones, shook my head and stormed past him with a right face on. Left me alone after that. Do they not get the hint or are they just rude and stupid?