Police patrols to crack down on 'nuisance' buskers in Glasgow

Ginny Sanderson

5 June 2024 at 5:19 am·2-min read

Lewis Capaldi performs two songs busking on Glasgow's Buchanan Street <i>(Image: Gordon Terris)</i> — Lewis Capaldi performs two songs busking on Glasgow's Buchanan Street *(Image: Gordon Terris)*

More police officers will crackdown on "nuisance" buskers in Glasgow city centre, the council has announced.

Performers who are too loud, poor quality or stay for too long could face fines or have their instruments confiscated, the council said, as it explores acquiring "greater powers" to enforce the rules.

It comes after Glasgow City Council launched a public consultation following "regular" complaints about street performers, which received one of its "biggest ever" responses.

While the vast majority of the 2,700 respondents felt busking is worthwhile and should continue to take place, more than half felt noise levels are an issue which needs to be addressed.

Other issues raised included "poor performance quality" repetition and limited repertoires and "overlong duration" at pitches.

In response, Glasgow council said it will install new signage in Buchanan Street alongside an "enhanced presence" of police officers and community enforcement officers over the summer.

Recurring complaints and the identification of buskers and performers "persistently breaching the code of conduct" may result in stronger measures such as fixed penalty notices or equipment being seized, the council said.

A Glasgow City Council spokesperson said: "Buskers and street performers are for many people a welcome feature of the city centre experience – and to make this experience as positive as possible, we asked for views on how this activity can best take place.

"The scale of the consultation responses received underlined support for these performers, but also indicated some issues which can impact on the quality of a visit to the city centre, as well as the experience of local residents, businesses and workers.

"In response to this, the council and its partners have identified a series of actions to help promote the buskers’ code of conduct, and respond to instances where some do not respect the code."

Both Glasgow and Edinburgh councils are exploring the possibility of acquiring greater powers to enforce the busking code of conduct.

Currently, local authorities only have advisory powers and have to refer to Police Scotland for action.

Glasgow's street performing code of conduct warns buskers against performing in the same location for too long (more than two hours), poor quality and repetition of songs, performing too loudly, and causing obstruction in the street.

Buskers may face prosecution and/or confiscation of equipment if they:

Sell CDs or other merchandise without a street trader's licence
Perform after 9pm with a loudspeaker/amplifier
Ignore requests by Police Scotland to reduce volumes and/or move on
Wilfully obstruct the passage of pedestrians

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