On 19 Sep 2016 at 3:20pm Bemused wrote:
Is it me or does there appear to be a disproportionately large number of beggars in Lewes? I passed three today walking from the war memorial to Lewesiana's and saw two more from the car in the Cliffe area. I can't remember seeing any in recent visits to Uckfield, Newhaven, Tunbridge Wells or Sevenoaks.
Most appear to to be sound of body and spirit so I'm a bit puzzled at why they need to beg. The UK has the highest employment it's had for a long time and we live in one of the most affluent corners of the most affluent country. I've been meaning to ask one of them how they find themselves there but have not had enough time to stop in the street yet.
Does anyone one else think there are more beggars in Lewes than elsewhere and have any idea why they are here?
On 19 Sep 2016 at 3:28pm Tim wrote:
Interesting that you mention that. The girl who sits on an inflatable cushion outside the Nationwide - I saw her catching a train from London Road Brighton to Lewes the other day. Perfectly respectable and having a conversation on her mobile. Dressed down a bit when she got to Lewes.
On 19 Sep 2016 at 3:36pm Zebedee wrote:
Yes, I saw her today having a lucid conversation with a small inquisitive child. I assume she's the same girl who usually sits in that place and often appears to be fully monged out, but maybe she' not. Dark Hair.
On 19 Sep 2016 at 3:39pm Ed Can Do wrote:
Having low unemployment means there are fewer jobs left for those who don't have them so competition is greater. If you are living rough or a drug addict, your chances of getting a job are even smaller.
Brighton attracts homeless people because of the weather as much as anything, why sleep on a bench in Glasgow when you can sleep on one on the South Coast and have a significantly lower chance of freezing to death overnight? Recently though the police in Brighton have been cracking down on beggars in the city so it would make sense that some would come and try Lewes instead. It's an affluent town, well known for it's liberal tendencies and easy to get to on the train from Brighton.
On 19 Sep 2016 at 3:40pm Biggles is back wrote:
They are junkie scroungers.Give them nothing other than a damn good thrashing.
On 19 Sep 2016 at 3:44pm Ed Can Do wrote:
Obvious troll post aside, in anticipation of other people coming in here who actually think like that, would you apply the same logic to the ranks of old folk who are heavily dependent on a daily dose of pills paid for by the state and whose income is primarily handouts from the public purse?
On 19 Sep 2016 at 4:21pm Alisong wrote:
There's one who sits in English passage and sometime up by Neros who can look very menacing. My kids are really scared of him
On 19 Sep 2016 at 4:38pm Earl of Lewes wrote:
I'm not a fan of Tony Blair, but his first administration did give lots of funding to homeless charities and other associated organisations and beggars disappeared from our streets. I think we have to accept that any attempt to stop begging has to be a carrot and stick approach.
On 19 Sep 2016 at 4:49pm Genghis Khan wrote:
Oi - less of the M word.
On 19 Sep 2016 at 5:46pm lewes man wrote:
do not give them money they are not all homeless . money for old rope . Its driving down this town
On 19 Sep 2016 at 5:58pm Sussex Jim wrote:
Ed: most of the old folk you refer to have spent a lifetime supporting themselves, and paying N.I. contributions. Perhaps you should be questioning why the NHS keeps prescribing them pills free of charge in order to prolong their lives?
On 19 Sep 2016 at 6:06pm Cynic wrote:
I saw one Lewes beggar getting into and driving away a 2 year old Audi.
Don't fall for it.
On 19 Sep 2016 at 6:15pm Mark wrote:
So, I think I'm getting it now. It's an increasingly popular lifestyle choice. I was thinking that it was a product of benefit cuts and a reduction in council-funded social support.
On 19 Sep 2016 at 6:17pm cisterci for an ex-leper wrote:
Yes I noted that there was a pincer movement on the bridge where you are walking through the gauntlet of the 'poor' !! or are they ? One guy was so spaced out that he called the steel bollards on the bridge old canons; the canon ball must have missed him !
On 19 Sep 2016 at 6:34pm Ann wrote:
I would NOT have moved here 2 years ago if it was like now. I hate passing them with my kids!
On 19 Sep 2016 at 6:43pm Clifford wrote:
One of the most notorious beggars is a dethroned Polish prince who has a team working for him made up of former members of the palace guard. They all voted Remain in June by stealing votes belonging to normal decent people.
On 19 Sep 2016 at 6:55pm Gays of Nagash wrote:
cisterci - are you some kind of war gamer
On 19 Sep 2016 at 6:58pm Hyena wrote:
Oh , another left v right thread with all the usual suspects , how exciting.
On 19 Sep 2016 at 6:59pm John wrote:
They mostly seem to be drug addicts or alcoholics. There were fewer people begging in Lewes compared with Brighton so more chance of getting money. People here are generally liberal and well off so are more likely to give. I don't mind the (good) buskers but the beggars are starting to feel like they're taking over now, especially when they all gather together in the Cliffe precinct in the evenings.
On 19 Sep 2016 at 7:53pm Towney wrote:
There you are "Sussex Express", handed to you on a plate. Get some of your journalists investigating the beggars in this, and other towns. Not rocket science even for you lot.
On 19 Sep 2016 at 10:13pm oak wrote:
Perhaps if the police bothered to walk the streets like they were created to do and enforce the law and act as a deterrent they could deal with them seeing as begging is an offence.
On 19 Sep 2016 at 10:15pm Historian wrote:
Why don't forum members take some photos of these miscreants and get them on here, save the local rag leaving their offices !! And it might deter some scrongers from visiting our little enclave.
On 19 Sep 2016 at 11:13pm Miss Scarlett wrote:
I walk up and down Lewes a lot and can't say I notice excessive numbers of people begging , just s few every now and then.
On 20 Sep 2016 at 12:26am The Greek wrote:
Are you mad? It's a total by-product of the last 5 years of Tory rule. High rents, unsecure employment and poor safety nets have resulted in this. Unfortunately not everyone shares in the affluence of the area. Look at Brighton, it's a travesty. Also helped by laws quietly passed whereby you have to live in the area for 5 years to qualify for homelessness support. Little help if you moved into said affluent area to better yourself but got priced out of the cracks. I know countless people in my age bracket (18-25) who are 1 paycheque away from homelessness and it has been a real threat facing some of my friends at points.
On 20 Sep 2016 at 3:14am lewes man wrote:
like I said please do not give them money. Its better to contact the your local m.p . and say its driving people away
On 20 Sep 2016 at 5:39am Jennifer wrote:
Enforce the law immediately and imprison then when they fail to pay their fines.
Before we moved down from London, my husband was a borough councillor and voted in the policy of enforcing the Vagrancy Act 1824. People don't like to see street litter and so plain-clothes police arrested, and the CPS obtained convictions for, many beggars and, even better, low-life who "placed himself in a public place street or highway to beg or gather alms", which means going with intention to beg. He had them in jail before they even sat down, which was right and popular with voters.
So enforce the law, please, Sussex Police AS I PAY YOU TO. If a beggar can't pay the fine, just imprison them then they can be put to work for the first time in their filthy lives.
On 20 Sep 2016 at 7:27am Juniper wrote:
A ranting DFL - LOL.
On 20 Sep 2016 at 7:34am Earl of Lewes wrote:
@Jennifer - You're usually very good at seeming horribly plausible, but you went too far this time. The character you created wouldn't be quite so Daily Mail, would she? But I always enjoy the "when we lived in London" part - a good satire on the ghastly people that are taking over this town.
On 20 Sep 2016 at 10:10am Jeezus wrote:
Wow, what compassion on display! So once again, some people are willing to use a few anecdotal bad experiences of beggars who may in fact not be who they say they are, to be dismissive of anyone else resembling homeless at the expense of the genuinely needy who have no fixed abode, no welfare support and are dependent on highly addictive drugs including alcohol. Punishing the genuinely needy because of a few bad apples seems to be shameful (just as those who are falsely claiming to be homeless). I'm glad these people moaning probably haven't fallen on such hard times, and wouldn't wish that life upon anyone, but perhaps they can at the very least just be grateful they are not in that position, rather than focusing on the trivial.
It is frustrating to see such lack of empathy at times in some people, who seem to be more bothered by their presence affecting their rather inconsequential shopping trip, as a "ghastly" inconvenience to their eyes, or perhaps what it might do to the "house prices".
On 20 Sep 2016 at 11:21am Clifford wrote:
Jeezus wrote: 'Wow, what compassion on display!'
It's not unusual Jeezus. You'll find the people most likely to attack those weaker than themselves are usually the kind of people who are afraid to stand up to their boss, or criticise the economic system, because they fear anyone more powerful than them. They prefer to kick beggars, refugees, the homeless, the unemployed, the disabled... We've got quite a few of them on this site.
On 20 Sep 2016 at 11:59am Jeezus wrote:
Clifford, you're right. Its a real shame some people feel that insecure that they lose their humanity in the process. I guess it shows the power of fear. Its a funny thing that leads to irrational hate.
On 20 Sep 2016 at 12:07pm Jake wrote:
There 4 known junkies that beg in lewes that actually have a flat in lamb port, they go out begging and use the money for drugs, they also have been known to threaten other homeless people on the streets if they're seen in the junkies spots, one of the junkies has blonde curly ish hair in bun, another looks like lemmy from motor head, as for the girl she is actually homeless and has been for atleast the last two years. There are genuine homeless people in lewes so don't tar them all with the same brush, just keep an eye out for the junkies and the people they hang around with.
On 20 Sep 2016 at 1:56pm The peg wrote:
with my gammy leg, I might try Lewes wiv' me hat and dog.
On 20 Sep 2016 at 1:59pm Hyena wrote:
Clifford, I see you have now branched out to pop psychology. I look forward to your next insightful post.
On 20 Sep 2016 at 2:32pm Deelite wrote:
I know exactly the people you mean Jake. You see then collecting methedone(?) From the chemists on Lansdowne Place. I'd never give them any money as I'm certain it goes on smack.
As for the girl. I wonder if we are talking about the same one. The girl with dark hair commutes in from Brighton, and as far as I know has a flat there.
And then these the Big Issue sellers. Has anyone ever asked the Asian lady for her story?
On 20 Sep 2016 at 2:48pm Jeezus wrote:
Hyena, why don't you just contribute to the actual thread topic, and perhaps state your opinion. Otherwise you just come across as someone trolling another poster.
On 20 Sep 2016 at 3:17pm Hobo wrote:
Most of them live in Lewes, along Blois Rd. They walk in to town really early to make out they've slept rough overnight. The girl outside Nationwide should be a professional actress the way she can produce different characters!
Don't give them money, they spend it on drugs and use the disabled toilet in the car park behind Lloyd's bank to smoke/inject/whatever else junkies do.
On 20 Sep 2016 at 4:31pm Hyena wrote:
Jeezus, I am stating an opinion..