Meet the busker who thinks code of conduct for street performers is ‘totally reasonable’ and urges musicians to be ‘mindful of their volume’
03.05.2022 - 17:45
/ manchestereveningnews.co.uk
A new code of conduct for street performers in Trafford has ruffled feathers, but not everyone thinks it’s a bad idea. Following a series of complaints and an altercation between street performers and a business that required police presence, Trafford council had to introduce a new code of conduct for buskers in Altrincham town centre.
The original ideas for the proposed code included no amplification, limiting busker numbers in the area and requesting performers to be prepared to move position if requested.
A public consultation on the suggestions gathered over 460 responses and voiced widespread support for buskers. As a result, the council was initially not going to introduce a code at all.
However, more recently, new complaints were made by local businesses about buskers and the authority had to change tack again. In April, a new code of conduct was rolled out and it is set to remain in place until at least September 2022, after which point it will be reviewed.
The new code asks street performers to be considerate, play at a reasonable volume only using amplification where necessary, minimise disturbance to local businesses and be mindful of where they set up. The new code has already drawn some criticism, with some seeing no need for any code at all.
Altrincham HQ’s Alex McCann tweeted: “It’s a real backwards step. The results of the Trafford council consultation found clearly there was no need for a code of conduct. Why have consultations (at a cost to the tax payer) for them to be disregarded?
“Trafford council, your own consultation recommended ‘not to implement the code of conduct at the present time’. Didn’t the survey back buskers overwhelmingly? Or did the survey results not come into it?”
But one busker