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Edinburgh Waverley pitch is just the ticket for vendor Viorel

He becomes the first vendor to sell inside a Scottish station

6 Aug 2018

Viorel Rista Edinburgh Waverley Network `rail

Viorel Rista has commuted from his pitch to Edinburgh Waverley to become the first vendor to sell The Big Issue in a Scottish railway station.

The hard-working vendor has been on the brand-new pitch on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Saturdays in the station since July 25 and has already proven himself to be a hit with customers.

Introducing Viorel, the new @BigIssue vendor who will be selling copies of the magazine at #Edinburgh #Waverley station. Pick up a copy today and help make a difference. pic.twitter.com/2bDsI8lqc3
— Network Rail Scotland (@NetworkRailSCOT) July 25, 2018

The move is the latest team-up with Network Rail following a pilot project in London’s Euston Station. That led to vendors heading to Waterloo, Liverpool Street, Victoria and Kings Cross in the English capital and then Birmingham New Street and Bristol Temple Meads.

And Viorel, who is fluent in English, Romanian, French, Italian, Hungarian and Dutch, is making the most of the Waverley station.

“Moving to the station has been very good so far and I have already sold plenty of magazines, up to 40 on some days,” he said.

“The people working at Waverley have really helped me and I’m starting to get a good relationship with the customers too.”

Viorel is sharing the pitch with another vendor at the station, who sells the magazine on a Monday and Thursday.

Station manager Juliet Donnachie said: “I’m absolutely delighted to welcome The Big Issue and Big Issue sellers to Edinburgh Waverley Station and our rail community here.

“The Big Issue is a leading social business in the UK today, and we were keen to support this initiative, the first within any railway station in Scotland, as it offers homeless people or those at risk of homelessness the opportunity to generate income for themselves.”