Busking and street entertainment advice
Busking and other forms of street entertainment can, when performed well, create an enhanced atmosphere and provide pleasure to many people, both local residents and visitors. However, while being popular with shoppers and passers-by, the actions of some buskers and street musicians can be intrusive and annoying to those living or working in the vicinity. The following guidance is provided to try and avoid this.
- As a guide, music or voices should not be amplified to a level or be so loud that it can be plainly heard beyond a distance of around 30 metres.
- Buskers should not occupy any pitch for more than one hour at a time and should move to another pitch, at least 50 metres away, if they wish to continue performing. They should not return to the same pitch again on the same day.
- Buskers should not set up a pitch within 100 metres of each other.
- Buskers should not obstruct the flow of pedestrians in the street. Sites close to fire exits, cash points or doorways and so on should be avoided and space should be left for wheelchairs and pushchairs to pass.
- No merchandise may be offered for sale without a street trading consent. Please see Street trading in West Suffolk for more information and contact details about this.
- If requested to reduce the volume, buskers should aim to do so.
- Ideally, entertainment should only take place between 9am and 6pm. There is a statutory prohibition on performing amplified music before 8am and after 9pm.
This advice leaflet is intended to set out a standard which, if followed, should enable busking to continue and thrive while protecting businesses and residents from excessive noise or long-lasting exposure to the same performances.
Disturbance
If buskers are disturbing you, either where you live or outside your place of work, you should, if you feel able to do so, approach the busker and explain politely that you are being troubled by noise. It may be that the busker is unaware that they are causing a problem. Most buskers will respond positively to a reasonable request. You may find it helpful to bring this guidance document to their attention.
If the problem continues, you can contact the council for advice. Contact details are at the end of this document.
Persistent failure by a busker to comply with measures within this guidance may result in the council making an assessment of unreasonable disturbance or statutory nuisance. In such cases, appropriate formal action would be taken.
Organised events
Street performances planned in advance – for example, when undertaken as a larger group or as part of an organised event – may need a licence, usually a Temporary Event Notice (TEN). These require a minimum of 10 working days' notice.
Health and safety
Everyone who performs in the street has a responsibility to do so safely. You should undertake a risk assessment and consider whether you should have public liability insurance cover. You may also be required to get the landowner's permission.
Please be clear that, following this advice does not imply council permission or license to perform.
The law
Prolonged and excessive noise in the street from musical instruments may be considered a statutory nuisance and, in certain cases, the local authority can take legal action to abate the nuisance.
- Noise
- GOV.UK – Noise nuisances: how councils deal with complaints
- GOV.UK – Punishments for antisocial behaviour
Complaints regarding nuisance will be investigated and action, formal or otherwise, taken accordingly. Contact West Suffolk Council:
- email: env.health@westsuffolk.gov.uk
- phone: 01284 763233
If you require this document in a different format (braille, large print, audio tape), please contact the council at:
- email: customer.services@westsuffolk.gov.uk
- phone: 01284 757053
Download and print this information in a leaflet: Busking and street entertainment advice leaflet (not accessible for screen readers)