I recently had the pleasure of appearing live on BBC World News Global to talk about busking, and more specifically Tip Bombing - where unsuspecting buskers are inundated with tips and recognition of their talent in an organised flash mob. This sounds like a great movement, as there are many incredible performers gracing streets all around the world who deserve a break. I love the spontaneous nature of busking, creating an atmosphere and bringing a smile to the faces of passers by. Ive had some truly memorable experiences, from impromptu duets, jams and open mic sessions, to OAP dance offs. The Musicians Union and a number of bodies in London are trying to establish a framework to make busking more accessible, and Boris Johnson currently has a back busking campaign, claiming he wants to make London of the most busker friendly cities in the world. This is all brilliant news, as street performance is a big part of Londons cultural heritage, with important locations such as Covent Garden and the South Bank attracting thousands of tourists to witness these talented performers. However, Westminster Council is currently prosecuting me for performing in Leicester Square for 10 minutes back in March. I had a number of CDs displayed in my case for promotional purposes that night, with a sign listing my social media outlets next to them which also had in small letters: CDs £5 (suggested donation). These CDs were not for sale, they were for the public to take as they wished; people usually feel like they want to make a contribution, but at the same time, a lot of people take them for free, which is fine by me. (I only added the wording about the CDs after I was being continually stopped by people asking how much a CD was. I am aware of street trading legislation, so added the wording about a suggested donation for CDs so I could perform without being interrupted.) Westminster Council have also just added a second charge, that of noise pollution. I was playing at 10pm in a noisy and bustling Leicester Square on a busy Friday night. I was mindful of the time so was performing at a low volume so people only in a close proximity could hear me. I have never played in the evening before, but upon entering the square I saw another amplified guitarist and a large dance troupe, who were blasting out Gangnam Style from a huge speaker, much louder than I did, so assumed it was fine to play. To date, I have been to court 4 times, totalling 20 hours, and the case is costing thousands of pounds of taxpayers money. Luckily, I am very grateful to have the backing of the Musicians Union, who are providing me with legal assistance and support though this stressful ordeal. Why am I being prosecuted, and yet the other performers using amplification on that night are not? A quote from Westminster Council: In certain circumstances, however, we recognise that street performance can give rise to real problems for local residents and businesses. In such cases it may be necessary to ask buskers who are causing a public nuisance to desist and, in exceptional circumstances, make use of our legal powers as a last resort. So heres why it doesnt make sense that Westminster are spending thousands on prosecuting me: I had never played in Westminster before, there were no complaints on that night from local residents or businesses about me, I was not causing a public nuisance, in fact I was entertaining a small receptive crowd. They are claiming I was trading on the street without a licence - not only was I not trading, no one even took a CD from my guitar case that evening. Westminster Council claims they use their legal powers as a last resort. How is approaching someone performing at a respectable volume, and who is willing to stop and have a amicable conversation, someone who has never been a problem for them before..how is stating they are going to take that person to court right there and then a “last resort”? If I’m convicted with this charge, I will receive a criminal record. It may by a minor one, but it will be a criminal record that will be with me for life, and also may impact my ability to work and travel. As self employed professional musician I have been lucky enough to travel the world working as a session musician in bands, as well as performing my own material as a solo artist. Any blemish on my record could have a serious impact on my ability to work and continue on my path as a professional musician. All for playing in Leicester Square for 10 minutes.. As I mentioned, there is some great work being done by the Musicians Union, and organisations such as Keep Streets Live, who are working together with Greater London Authorities and councils around London to improve conditions and accessibly for buskers around the capitol. You then have Westminster Council, who’s a aggressive, costly and needless prosecution of myself is only slowing progress and is extremely counterintuitive, in light of initiatives like the Mayors Back Busking campaign. If you think this prosecution is a waste of taxpayers money, and is not in the public interest, you can email Head of Legal and Democratic services at Westminster Nicola Griffiths ([email protected]) and also Cabinet Member for Community Safety Nicky Aikin ([email protected]). To voice your opinion. Westminster Council can drop this case any time before my final court date of 13th November, so if enough people show it’s not what the public want, then hopefully they will see sense. I’m truly appreciative of all the support I have received so far from friends and family, but I’d like to give a special mention to Alex Mann at the MU, and Jonny Walker at Keep Streets Live, who have both been incredible. Thanks for taking the time to read this post, and hopefully this video will show I’m not the nuisance causing threat to society that Westminster Council would have you believe! youtu.be/FHUXIIhVdOI
Posted on: Fri, 12 Sep 2014 14:10:57 +0000
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