City buskers may face fines for being too noisy

A council in Kent is considering fining street performers who use excessively loud amplifiers, despite visitors praising the atmosphere buskers create.

Canterbury City Council (CCC) said it had received "an increased number of complaints" about amplification equipment in public, which prompted the consultation.

The move would form part of a renewed Public Space Protection Order (PSPO), which allows councils to ban certain activities in specific areas and issue fixed penalties for breaches.

Busker Cristian Cirlam, 18, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: "Instead of bringing musicians down, why don't they actually help us?

"Now they're trying to fine real musicians, what next will I need to pay for, air?"

"Define what too loud is," says Mo Ogunbanjo, who performs with a saxophone and does not need an amplifier.

"A fine is excessive, all we need is to be told to keep it down."

Shoppers and buskers say street performances are an important part of the street scene.

Canterbury resident James Larfi said busking and street performance was a "major part of the city".

"If they were persistently too loud, just ask them to quiet down," he added.

Another resident, Hans Hockey, said buskers "added colour to a shopping experience".

The council is consulting the public on views for a prospective renewal of the PSPO covering the city centre and high street, which is due to expire in January 2027.

Introduced in 2024, the current PSPO covers antisocial behaviour, street drinking and delivery riders who breach the rules.

CCC is also seeking views on rules targeting amplification equipment used at "excessive or intrusive" volumes.

Councillor Michael Dixey said he had received complaints about busking and argued that the city's busking code of practice was "often ignored".

Current guidance advises performers to take regular breaks and move on if they have a limited repertoire.

The proposed rules would apply to anyone using amplification equipment in public, not just buskers.

A council spokesperson said complaints about amplified sound in the city centre had increased.

The consultation aims to gauge the scale and location of the issue, with feedback helping councillors decide whether to introduce new rules later this year.

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