Charity Muggers

[badhorsey]

Recently I have, in a few occasions, been accosted by charity muggers whilst in a pub and once, whilst eating my dinner at a restaurant.

What is the law surrounding this? I seem to recall that bothering patrons within a restaurant or bar is classified as aggressive begging...

[badhorsey]

Er, no it won't. That's why I'm asking?

*whisper* It's called Answerbank for a reason...

[Ethel]

http://www.theargus.co.uk/mostpopular.var.2301 450.mostviewed.what_will_new_law_mean_for_chug gers.php

[badhorsey]

Thanks Ethel! That doesn't cover the chuggers who actually bother people in pubs or restaurants though...

[loonytunes]

If they are going from building to building, they are covered by the House to House Collections Act. This says that they must have an authority to collect "property" (including direct debit forms) either from the Home Office or, more likely from the Local Authority. This differs from street collections which do not require any authority unless actual cash is being collected.

[badhorsey]

Thanks again for the help, and this explains why you see chuggers collecting direct debit applications on the street rather than money. Does that act cover collecting or asking for money from people in bars or cafes though? Or shops?

[stonekicker]

i usually tell them to fuff off - i get sick of going to my city centre and getting bothered by chuggers, people doing surveys and others flogging things. if i want to give my hard earned money away, iw ill do. what i don't need is some pushy tw@t telling me how to do it! it gets my goat!!!

[Eve]

I live and work in a city centre and it's like running the gauntlet sometimes between chuggers, Big Issue sellers, the homeless, people handing out free papers and flyers and those phonecards or trying to get you to take a survey or sign up to a petition or hairdressing offer.

I tend to take the back streets to work and back.

Deansgate in Manchester is probably the worse as there are so many bars and restaurants with outdoor seating and you just get besieged.

I seem to have a habit of attracting wierdos as well, especially when on my own having a quiet coffee.

[Eve]

Oh and while I'm on a rant, not even safe in the bank anymore.

Went in the other day to do a simple transfer and couldn't get away for ages with all the crap they kept trying to flog me...grrrr...

Ok rant over :)