Crackdown ordered on noise generated by West End buskers

Street performers in central London have warned of an ‘exodus’ after a judge ruled against buskers performing in Leicester Square.

District Judge John Law said performers blasting out songs on repeat was “psychological torture” and ordered Westminster City council to curb the noise nuisance in a recent ruling.

But for entertainers like Chris Harvey, who has been performing in Leicester Square for eight years, turning the volume down risks going un-noticed in a square packed with distractions.

He said: “I must admit, it gets really loud. Some people are really loud but we self-regulate. I understand why people say our music is repetitive but it’s because we play in 45-minute intervals and we tend to play the same songs.”

Chris is one of a number of buskers licensed to perform in 26 marked pitches across Westminster City, of which only six allow amplified noise.

The council introduced a licensing scheme in April 2021 requiring street performers to register with the council before operating.

Those who are signed up are required to hold public liability insurance of at least £2m and are prohibited from performing before 8am and after 9pm.

The scheme also requires performers to take all reasonable steps to avoid causing nuisance to nearby properties, have a full and varied repertoire that avoids repeating sounds, songs or music, and to limit performances to no longer than 40 minutes.

According to the council’s website, a six-month licence costs £20. That drops to £10 for students. All performers must operate within a designated circle painted on the ground.

But Chris said not everyone adhered to these rules. He said: “The buskers here and in Trafalgar Square are very, very loud. There should be checks but there shouldn’t be a ban.

He claims many of the issues brought up in Global’s legal case were caused by unlicensed buskers. He said these rogue entertainers don’t follow the council’s rules on noise and play well after the 9pm curfew.

Jake G, who performs his own songs in Trafalgar Square, believes Global’s complaint could have been avoided had Westminster City inspectors carried out more diligent checks on entertainers.

He claims many inspectors tend to patrol in the morning but should be patrolling late at night when nuisance bunkers are most likely to be present.

The seasoned entertainer said: “The issue is unlicensed performers who always perform after 9pm. We licensed performers adhere to the rules and finish before 9pm. I’ve been performing here for years. We haven’t had complaints.”

Caoirne Ward, 25, said for many buskers, what they do is their full-time job. The Australian, who moved to London a year ago, said: “If Leicester Square got shut – that’s where I make most of my money – I’d have to come to Trafalgar Square all the time which would affect everyone else here.

“A lot of those rogue buskers know that we’re done by eight so that’s why they come out. We have rules about how we play but they’ll sit there and play for hours. “

Myles Crossley, 28, said he may have to leave busking altogether. He said: “If you lose Leicester Square, I reckon a few of us would find different sectors of work to go into”.

A Westminster City council spokesman said: “We absolutely recognise how much value street performers bring to Westminster, and we want to make sure they can continue adding to the area’s rich heritage, however, balancing this with the needs of businesses and residents isn’t easy.

“We are still digesting what the court ruling means for us and looking at all the options available but in the meantime, we’re working with the police to address noise complaints and will take action when necessary.”

The Street Performance Associations in Covent Garden and Leicester Square were contacted for comment. Global Radio declined to comment.