Bath mourns the loss of popular Big Issue vendor

The Big Issue is reeling from the sad news of the death of Hugh “Shughie” Reynolds, the popular vendor who sold the magazine in Bath.

Hugh, 50, died last week having suffered a heart attack. He had battled poor health for some time as a result of chest pains.

He was a well-known and well-liked figure

A highly regarded figure in the Green Park area of Bath, where he sold the magazine outside a branch of Sainsbury’s, friends and customers paid tribute to his warm and friendly character.

Hugh had been living at a travellers’ site at Twerton on the outskirts of the city with his partner and their beloved dog Bear.

He had spoken of his desire to train to retrain in IT to help him find a full-time job and settle down permanently in Bath.

“He was a well-known and well-liked figure among the staff, the vendors and the whole community,” said Lewis Stewart, The Big Issue Foundation’s team leader for Bristol and Bath. “He will be missed by everyone.”

According to Crisis research, people going through homelessness are more likely to die young, with an average age of death of 47 years old for men and even lower for homeless women – just 43 years old.

This compares to 77 for the general population – 74 for men and 80 for women.