Video: Angry resident yells at Samaritan giving out money
David Fabbro spent a drizzly afternoon dishing out free money to celebrate the launch of new lottery game GeoLotto – but was taken aback when Scots failed to jump at his offer.One angry woman even let rip a high-pitch screech in his face when she was offered a crisp £5 note as she marched down the Royal Mile.
The shocking incident followed a string of rejections, with one bespectacled man claiming he “had enough money” and a red-faced cyclist studiously ignoring a £5 note waved in front of him.
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Hide AdEdinburgh was one of eight cities around the UK visited by GeoLotto to mark the launch of its new game, but Mr Fabbro insisted its residents were some of the most suspicious and reserved in the country.
He said: “It was probably largely down to the fact that we chose quite a miserable day. It was a cold, dull Monday morning and I think that played a big part.
“But I was slightly surprised that I had quite a hard time giving away the money. In other parts of the country we had less trouble. I think people are suspicious of others coming up to them on the streets – they think they are going to sell them something or ask them to give money to charity. Only the trusting members of the Edinburgh public got any money.”
Mr Fabbro said the screaming woman was “the worst person in the eight cities I went to” but added: “Hopefully she’s not indicative of the lovely people of Edinburgh.”
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Hide AdAs well as dishing out notes and small cash amounts, Mr Fabbro handed one lucky woman £1000 tucked into a white envelope as she chatted to a friend on The Mound.
Susie Lowe, a photographer based in the city centre, was left stunned by the gift after being assured the unexpected cash windfall was for real.
The 37-year-old said: “It was a bit of a weird one. They just came up to me on the street – I was a bit surprised. I thought they were trying to get me to sign up to come charity thing, or trying to sell me something.
“I was having a rubbish day and it cheered me right up.”