We are saddened to report that popular Big Issue vendor Dave Hancock has died following a long illness.

The 58-year-old had sold the magazine in London for more than a decade but was forced to stop selling outside Hermes on New Bond Street due to a lung condition.

He died early this month after receiving end-of-life care.

One of his regular customers, Martina Larsson, who dubbed him a “beloved friend and ardent vendor”.

She said: “Dave spoke with pride about his abilities to build relationships with his customers. ‘I am my own boss, you know’, he would say.

“He gained many friends during the years that he worked on Bond Street, from gallery directors to store assistants from nearby Chanel and Burberry.

“He was always up for a chat, preferably over a sweet latte and a bacon sandwich from the Italian cafe around the corner. He always made us smile with his intelligence, charm, and great sense of humour.”

Martina will be holding a memorial gathering to celebrate Davey’s life on August 3 in central London.

Dave’s funeral will take place on August 6 at Richmond Crematorium, starting at 9.30am.

If you would like to attend Martina’s get together to pay tribute to Davey, she can be reached at mlarsson@post.com.

Image: Martina Larsson