Face-to-face fundraisers are facing further restrictions on so-called chugging, spurred on by Manchester City Council’s decision to ban street collections at weekends.
According to the Public Fundraising Regulatory Association, the trade body is in talks over 16 more local authority areas across the UK.
Forty areas already have site-management agreements, which say how many fundraisers can work in a particular place, where they can operate and on which days.
Toby Ganley, head of policy at the PFRA, has confirmed it is negotiating similar agreements with 16 more councils or town centre managers.
Ganley said the increased level of interest had been sparked by some high-profile agreements in places such as Manchester, although he claimed the deals would not affect charity fundraising levels.
“We strongly believe responsible fundraising enables it to be sustainable, and that’s the basis that we negotiate these agreements on,” he said.
Edinburgh is among those currently negotiating with the PFRA about an agreement. The city centre management company Essential Edinburgh issued a statement saying street fundraisers would have to wear appropriate identification and not pressurise or harass people.
Liz McAreavey, interim chief executive of Essential Edinburgh, said: “The agreement with the PFRA ensures that the right for charities to raise funds is balanced by the rights of people to go about their business without feeling harassed or pressurised.”
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Mancs ban weekend ‘chugging’
