Martin McKenzie, Waitrose, Bressenden Place, Victoria, London

I’m established now. I’ve been on this pitch nearly eight months. I’m getting a lot of regulars. The locals are buying off me, as well as the staff from all the offices. I’m right in the middle of it all. It’s always busy at lunchtime here too. I love it, I should have been here a long time ago when I was previously selling Big Issue. I would have been on my feet a lot quicker.

My regulars buy me food and some customers even put the money straight in my bank account so I can buy more magazines. The only thing is because of all the skyscrapers here it is a bit of a wind tunnel!

As well as my living costs, I’m saving up to get my spending money together because I’m going on holiday with some friends. So I’m pretty much selling the magazine every day at the moment. My friends have treated me to a trip to Amsterdam in a few weeks’ time. They’ve paid for the train and accommodation for three nights. All I’ve got to do is get my spending money.

I’ve never been to Amsterdam before so I’m quite excited. I’ve never been on the Eurostar either so that will be another experience. It’s the little things, the simple things!

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I’ve been back selling Big Issue for a couple of years. I had gone over to Ireland with my ex-partner and had a job and a place that I gave up to go over there with her. I was over there for about seven months running a farm. I applied for citizenship because they needed me to be a permanent fixture on the farm. 

Because I didn’t declare I was applying, the Gardai came on to the farm and told me I had to do that from the UK side before I was coming. It was my fault. I dropped the ball on that one. I’m a little bit disappointed, I’m not going to lie. I loved it over there, the air quality was better, you could look up and see the stars at night. It was pure beauty. When I came back I reached out for support and I was told there wasn’t capacity to help me, so I reached out to Big Issue and here I am.

I was looking to set up a rickshaw business, but I’ve changed directions. In my last job I was a trained barista, I competed in the coffee championships at Crisis. It’s who makes the best coffee, down to the milk and the cafe art, the presentation and the taste. I loved it. I met quite a few famous people through that, including Les Dennis, who had a couple of my flat whites. I’m assuming he must have enjoyed it because he had two of them!

I like to DJ and do a bit of camera work in my spare time. It’s just a hobby. I am considering doing a little TikTok page to try and get a little money on the side. I’ve got a little dog as well and might make a TikTok page about her because everyone knows her around here and she’s cute as a button. She’s called Bella and she’s a little Yorkie. I’ve had her for close to three years. The customers love her. There are a few that come out of their office and play with her. There’s space on the corner where you can play ball with her and it’s nice and safe.

I’ve decided to open my mobile coffee shop as a barista on an electric vehicle. It’s still in the works at the minute. It’s going to take buying the coffee machines, the vehicle itself and I’d rather have it new so the battery life will do its job. I’m saving up for that. 

Interview: Liam Geraghty

Waitrose Bressenden Place, Bressenden Place, London, UK