Popular North Devon Big Issue seller back on his patch after heart surgery

A Barnstaple Big Issue vendor has returned to his High Street pitch of nine years after having major heart surgery which left him wondering whether he could ever sell the magazine again.

Tony Flynn, who has sold the Big Issue outside Marks & Spencer since 2016, had to step away from his pitch earlier in the year after undergoing triple heart bypass surgery in May.

In this week’s Big Issue, which is on sale now, Tony talks about his surgery and how he has been able to make a gradual return, much to the delight of his regular customers.

He said: “They admitted me straight away with severely blocked arteries and I had a bit of a bad turn one night. I think I skipped a queue because you wait in a queue for your operation.

“It’s been three months now but I still get very tired and my body’s still very numb. The thing is I was indoors from April when it happened and I only came back about a month ago.”

Above: Tony Flynn is not certain whether he can ever put as many hours into his Big Issue role as he did before his surgery. Credit: Big Issue

Given the severity of his surgery, Tony is only selling for a few hours at a time on a Friday, but his customers have been pleased to see him back.

He added: “My customers have been very good to me. If you do a pitch for nine years, which I did, you just know everybody. My regulars, they come out on a Friday because they know that’s my slot for the week.

“They’ve all wanted to know how I was and how I was coping so we’ve let them all know what’s transpired.

“I do enjoy selling. A lot of people stop and talk, so it’s just to get out and talk. I’ve still got the tabard on and I’m holding the magazine and doing publicity for the magazine. I think I needed that stimulation.”

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As with all Big Issue vendors, Tony buys each of his magazines for £2 and sells it for £4, keeping the profit. The Big Issue provides an earning opportunity for thousands of vendors across the UK every year.

After scaling down his hours selling, Tony is now sharing his pitch with another vendor he is not sure whether he’ll ever return to selling like he did before his operation.

He told the Big Issue: “I don’t know if I’ll come back to selling the magazine full-time. I don’t think standing is very good for my condition – I’ve got to get the heart working. But people say: ‘Oh you must get a chair.’ But I’ve never sat down when I sold the magazine. I always stood. I would feel awkward sitting down.”

Tony Flynn sells the Big Issue outside M&S Barnstaple on Fridays between 10 and 11am, and 3.30pm and 5pm. You can read more about his journey back in this week’s edition of the magazine, on sale now.