Aberdeen Big Issue Vendor Anxious as Marks & Spencer Plans to Close

An Aberdeen vendor sells the Big Issue magazine. She fears the M&S store closure will hurt sales. Pamela Milac, 23, sells outside M&S on St Nicholas Street. She left waitressing to raise her son. The store’s closure may reduce her income.

Pamela struggles to pay bills and worries about the Marks & Spencer closure. She discussed this with Kirsty Blackman, an MP, and they met about these concerns.

Blackman is the SNP spokesperson for Work and Pensions, and she also handles Women & Equalities issues. Blackman, Pamela, and Chris Luby spoke at the Aberdeen distribution point where Luby is a Big Issue support worker. They discussed poverty plus the cost-of-living crisis.

Child poverty rose in Aberdeen North, with twenty-one percent of children now living in poverty. That’s an 86% increase since 2014. Blackman supports the Big Issue’s ‘Poverty Zero’ campaign, which asks for legally binding poverty reduction targets.

Blackman learned about the Big Issue’s support and that the cost of living is a big problem. Big Issue sellers are greatly affected, and the Marks and Spencer closure is also a problem. She is trying to get them to stay open.

Blackman also learned about Poverty Zero and how it could hold the government accountable. Lifting people from poverty is most important. Pamela said meeting Blackman was great because she listened to her concerns.

Pamela told her how hard it is to pay bills that increase. She is worried about the M&S closure, that is where she sells her magazines. Pamela was happy Blackman wrote to M&S about staying open.

Pamela doubts the government will help, but she is glad Blackman will try. Chris Luby said the crisis hurts Aberdeen vendors. They work hard, but their income is not enough.