Boris backs more busking

If the Tories get in, we may all be reduced to playing for pennies. The Mayor of London is keen to make it easier.

Press release below.

Mayor unveils plan to boost busking and street performance across London and beyond

·        Busk in London scheme, backed by Westminster, Network Rail, TfL and Ticketmaster, will make it easier to busk in the capital

·        London’s first Busking Code of Conduct unveiled, common sense rules, devised by performers, councils, businesses and the police

·        London teams up with cities around the country for first ever National Busking Day in July

·        Mayor also calling on London musicians aged 11-25 to sign up for this year’s Gigs busking competition

Following last year’s #BackBusking campaign, which was set up to investigate the problems faced by buskers performing around the city, the Mayor’s Busk in London scheme is now up and running. It aims to make busking and street performance much easier in the capital and includes London’s first Busking Code of Conduct, a set of common sense rules, devised by performers, councils, businesses and the police. The Mayor has also unveiled plans for the inauguralNational Busking Day, which will see street musicians performing in cities around the country in July.

The Mayor of London Boris Johnson said: ‘Our Gigs busking competition has over the last seven years provided fantastic opportunities for hundreds of young musicians to develop their skills and confidence playing to audiences on the streets of London and at other locations around the capital.

‘Busking adds to the capital’s joie de vivre, but in spite of its popularity, buskers have sometimes encountered problems when plying their trade. Some have even been put off. Working with our partners, we are putting a scythe through the acres of unnecessary bureaucracy to make it easier to entertain on our city’s streets. We want to make London the busking capital of the world!’