agressive begging

See loads of beggars down here in Brighton.  Never met an aggressive one and I never donate anyway.

I was in Madrid last week and the City Centre was pretty full of em , one even had the cheek to leave his cardboard message and blanket on show for people to donate while he wasn't even there, only returning at night to collect his prize.

No beggars in Dulwich Village, you do get quite a few buskers in nearby Brixton and I don't mind giving them a dollar or two, at least they are doing something and I like that. I wouldn't give some random who hangs out by a cashpoint machine with his paw out anything.

shirley not in Norwich, black shuck?

Used to be a dishevelled guy with a lovely German Shepherd dog camped outside my local 7-11.

Every time I went there, sometimes several times a day he would "Any spare change?" me until I told him to give it a rest. After that we would nod and have the odd chat and I might give the dog a treat or something.

The shop staff put up with him and he even made himself useful now and again when he could see, from his vantage point outside, if someone was shoplifting and he would give the staff the wink.

Anyway, he wasn't there for a few weeks when I saw him, quite smartly dressed, walking past the boozer I was drinking outside one summer evening.

I asked him how he was doing and indicated from his appearance that things must be looking up for him.

"Nah", he said, "I had me dog nicked from outside the squat!"

And the same to you VCM. You humourless piece of garden waste.

the charity mob accost you at the supermarket checkout now with their bucket and their sob story

Dr Crippen i think your spot on about cancer research. Call me callous but i ran a couple of marathons etc for them. The amount of money they must get. Where does it go. I'm a cynic and i think they may not want to find a cure the amount of money it involves. Alot of people would be out of a job.

Not a beggar but during the Edinburgh festival one busker had trained
his dog to hold his cap for donations, if he could have charged for
tourists taking pics of the mutt he would have made a fortune.

On the night of the Lionel Richie Edinburgh gig I overheard a beggar
tell his pal he had made £60, he had a good pitch outside a pub
right next to the Castle esplanade entrance.

I can top your 60 sica,

chap used to make 80 in bournemouth every day at least
well stocked up on booze - etc   amazing stuff isn't it!!??

I used to go collecting all the little envelopes with my mother 55 years ago  for save the children fund

still hasn't solved a bean now has it??

Had to meet an estate agent, to carry out an inspection of a magnificent newly built property.

Couldn't help asking who was the owner and what did he do.

"He's a charity fund raiser based in London"

Most of these beggars are pro's trying to fob people in to thinking they are homeless.

Was in Mcdonalds once after a night out in Edinburgh waiting for a taxi. Guy turns up outside at about half 2 with a trolley bag opens it up pulls out a blanket and sits with it over him and the only other thing in the bag was a bottle of vodka which he proceeded to pour some of in to an empty McDonalds coffee cup.

Low and behold half an hour later clubs close and streets are busy with people going for taxis and something to eat and all you can hear is "oh my god, poor guys been out all night" "he must be freezing" etc etc.

Must have been a good little earner for a couple of hours sitting outside well wrapped up getting pissed until the crowds disappeared.

It's the same with the ones outside train stations. If you get an early enough train you can see the guys setting up about half 6 so that when rush hour starts it looks as if they must have been out all night freezing their balls off.