An Exeter vendor has scooped a job selling ice creams

Big Issue vendor Andrew McGarry has swapped selling The Big Issue for a much cooler product – after he’s secured a job selling ice cream.

The popular 52-year-old was approached by Exeter Cathedral to take up a post selling frozen treats on Monday in their surrounding gardens.

Great to buy an #icecream from the lovely @BigissueAndrew today – on his first day selling🍦outside @ExeterCathedral…

If you’re in the #Exeter ☀️ you know what to do – go buy 🍦 from one of the nicest people you’ll ever meet… pic.twitter.com/nuNOohKhiv

— John Harvey 💜 🌹🇺🇦 (@Mr_John_Harvey_) July 2, 2018

Hard-working Andrew has reverted to selling the magazine between 8-10am at St Martin’s Lane in the city, after a short spell in Honiton, before his shift at the stall from 10.30am-2pm. He’s admitted the switch has left some of his regulars confused.

“It’s going pretty well so far,” he said. “I’ve known the people at the cathedral for about two-and-a-half years and they approached me and asked me if I wanted to do it. I’m on a rota with three others so the plan is to do it for four days a week while selling The Big Issue before my shift.

“It’s award-winning ice cream and we’ve got vanilla, Belgian chocolate and mint and chocolate costing £2.50 – the same as The Big Issue. In fact, I’ve had a few regulars coming up to me saying, “Big Issue, Big Issue” and I’ve had to say “No, no, I’m in a different job today”.”

https://twitter.com/BigissueAndrew/status/1014018007759310849

Andrew has become a pillar of the community in Exeter – winning a community award last year for his charity work donating clothing to homelessness shelters and other local feats.

But, as the area is baked by the current heatwave, he insisted that he is managing to keep his cool in his new role.

“It’s all about people skills, it’s the same as selling The Big Issue in that respect,” he said. “It can be bloody torture though, working in the heat for hours in front of the ice creams. But it’s a good role to have for a couple of months of the year and who knows, maybe it’s an interesting opportunity for me going forward.”

Image: Andrew McGarry