Kelvin Gregory, Somerset House, Central London, and Lordship Lane, Dulwich

Image: Louise Haywood-Schiefer

I met some of the new Big Issue Ambassadors the other week and it was really, really good, very engaging. I’d met Kwajo (Tweneboa, Big Issue’s Housing Ambassador) before – I did an article with him a couple of years ago. They are very interesting and important people. It’s good to see people who are celebrities coming on board.

I love doing that kind of work with Big Issue. For what Big Issue has done for me, I love to give a little bit back through taking part in the events. I like reaching out to people and that interaction with the public, but meeting these people who are coming on board and supporting the magazine, I can give them an insight into what it’s like being a vendor and what they can put into it.

I have two pitches. I sell at Somerset House in the week and in Dulwich on the weekend. On bank holidays and weekends it’s not viable to sell the magazine at Somerset House. Weekends are very quiet, very touristy and my catchment area there is commuters. I’m there about 7.30 in the morning until about 10.30 with the commuters and then you get the lunchtime rush. That’s my core customers and readership. Things are brilliant on my pitch at the moment, people are still responsive. The digital stuff really helps out. The card reader has really improved sales – I’d say 65% to 70% of my sales are on that now. There are not as many people using cash now, I’ve noticed.

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The 10Foot Takeover edition a few weeks ago went absolutely nuts. It was crazy. I kept having to go back to the office to get more magazines. I’ve also come to the conclusion that Banksy is Grayson Perry! I’m only joking. I had a few new customers come to me because of 10Foot but the majority were my usual customers anyway. But there were people coming up to me saying: “Have you got the magazine? Have you got the magazine?”  The third or fourth guy down the line bought 25 magazines off me straight away – that was nuts. I wish I’d had another 50 on me to get through! 

I’ve got a friend of mine who I socialise with and we go to gigs and festivals and that. He’s a really good buddy who’s helped me out in the last 15 years and become quite close as a friend. Everyone here is quite supportive really. People are quite loyal to their vendors. 

I love gigs, live music. I’ve got a few gigs this year – I’m going to see Bez of Happy Mondays as he’s doing a DJ set. I’m going to see a band called the Dub Pistols, which is a jungle-style house-y outfit. I’m going to see Basement Jaxx and a festival called the Mucky Weekender, camping in Winchester. It’s going to be a really good atmosphere, not too big, not too small.

I also like going to the pub and watching the football occasionally with a few mates and that. I’m a Chelsea fan for my sins. I believe in a word called ‘transition’ to describe them. 

I had a dog for 15 years so my commitment was mainly to him, so when he passed away a couple of years ago [Ralphie died in 2023] I started catching up on some of the things I missed out on. I’ve got a new dog now called Libby Bell, she’s a rescue that we adopted for a while and then decided to take on board. She’s about two now but she doesn’t come to my pitch.

I’m going to be out there fighting the fight and educating people, meeting new people every day, engaging in mad conversations. One of my things for the year is: “Share the love and keep on keeping on”. I think a lot of people can relate to that in these crazy times.

Words: Liam Geraghty

Somerset House, Strand, London, UK