Bid to pull the plug on loud Galway buskers

Another move is being made to tone down the sound of street performers in Galway or at least regulate the number of buskers as well as their quality.

But a number of buskers and street performers have already launched a campaign to ensure that amplifiers are not banned on the streets of the city.

A Facebook page called Don’t Ban Amplified Busking in Galway City has already been organised to garner support among musicians and performers against any move to curtail their activities.

But the man instigating the latest move on busking in the streets, Cllr Ollie Crowe (FF) stressed yesterday that he was not calling for a ban on busking but on “loud noise” that was interfering with much needed business.

Cllr Crowe is hoping to raise the issue at next Monday’s City Council meeting, though by yesterday there was no formal motion on the agenda.

Cllr Crowe said that this time of year, the number of street performers increased thanks to the start of the Galway Arts Festival and that he had been approached by a number of city shopkeepers about the noise pollution.

“Businesses in this city raise about €30 million a year in commercial rates every year and I believe the bye-laws aren’t stringent enough when it comes to busking and street performers. We are too laissez faire about the whole thing but at the same time I am conscious that we need an enforceable solution.

“Busking has gone to another level entirely in this city and we need to give some consideration to local businesses. One retailer told me he had to close the door last week to keep the noise of a busker down so he could talk to the customer, who was a US visitor spending a reasonable amount of money. And when he closed the door, other customers thought he was closed,” said Cllr Crowe.

Read more in this week’s Connacht Sentinel