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So-called charity chuggers in Newcastle city centre are set to be ‘boxed in’ after complaints from fed-up shoppers.

From Monday, the collectors will only be able to tout for cash in two tiny boxes on Northumberland Street.

Newcastle City Council are laying down a list of strict rules to crack down on charity collectors trying to sign shoppers up for direct debits in the street.

The authority had wanted to ban the unpopular fundraisers outright after hearing stories of shoppers and city workers feeling they were “running the gauntlet” in the city centre.

However the Institute of Fundraising challenged that move earlier in the year.

(Image: Newcastle City Council)

Under the council’s tough new rules, fundraisers must:

Operate only within the two designated areas approximately 8ft by 3ft at the top and bottom of Northumberland Street

Only two agents at a time can operate in the site

Fundraising is only allowed two days a week Monday to Sunday and not two days running and between the hours of 10am and 4pm

In December fundraising can only take place one day a week

Only one organisation can fundraise per day on behalf of one charity

Fundraisers must wear branded clothing and remove it during breaks or when they leave the site

Anyone found breaking the rules will be issued a £100 fixed penalty notices.

Cabinet Member for Regulation, Cllr Nick Kemp, said that face-to-face fundraising has been a nuisance and annoyance for people in the city centre.

(Image: Newcastle City Council)

He said: “Rather than banning it outright we have sought to take a proportionate response allowing fundraising in strictly designated areas and only on certain days.

“We believe this strikes the right balance and will put an end to the dark days when fundraisers would spread themselves out across Northumberland Street and accost people as they went about their daily business.

“We hope the public will agree with this approach while giving charities the chance to continue to raise money.”

The Public Space Protection Order which includes these measures was approved by Cabinet in April this year and will be reviewed after three years.