Council seeks submissions after rise in busking complaints

Ed Sheeran got his start on the streets of Galway as a 12-year-old musical prodigy but the city’s history of nurturing a generation of buskers could be over if it follows in the footsteps of the capital.

Hot on the heels of Dublin City Council’s new bylaws banning buskers from performances that reach over 80 decibels and introducing a permit system, Galway City Council has announced that it is considering introducing a new street performance policy.

In calling for submissions, the council’s environment section pointed out that complaints around street performing had increased significantly to the local authority, the Gardaí and business organisations.

“The complaints mainly relate to loud, continuous and repetitive noise, obstruction of premises and thoroughfare, busking taking place late at night disturbing city residents and intimidation by some performers soliciting donations,” stated an official in the local authority.

“With this in mind, Galway City Council are reviewing the whole area of street performance and busking in the city and considering the possible introduction of a policy and/or bylaws to regulate and encourage street performance in a manner consistent with the overall public interest.”

Existing bylaws governing buskers were introduced in 2011 which restricted any street performance after 11pm in winter and midnight in summer.

These regulations do not address issues such as noise nuisance as a result of amplification or drum kits or performers upping the ante while trying to compete with each other, the environment official pointed out.

It also does nothing to deter complaints relating to the repetitive nature of music repertoire, the blocking of business premises and public streets or the monopolisation by some buskers of performance ‘pitches’.

In the lead-up to the vote by Dublin City Council, regular Galway buskers Key West launched an online campaign to fight a total ban on amplification, which was one of the proposals under consideration.

They claimed the decibel limit of 80 decibels would be unworkable as that is the existing ambient level of noise in city centre streets.

“Ed Sheeran wouldn’t exist if this had been in. He created his sound by playing on the streets. We wouldn’t have survived and got over the hump of not getting gigs if we hadn’t started busking in Galway. This is literally a crime against music,” Key West lead singer Andy Kavanagh told the Galway City Tribune.

He pointed out that other cities where they had busked had introduced a limit of 95 decibels which worked well. He also agreed with moving buskers around.

“Look if you’re in a jewellery shop and there’s a guy outside practicing bagpipes for six hours, it’s some sort of cruel and unusual torture. I’m all for controls but having no amps means you get left with the dredges of performers – not the good ones.”

The band managed to gather 13,000 signatures opposing the bye-laws, which were forwarded to Dublin councillors before the vote last Monday.

While they succeeded in getting the total ban defeated, councillors did pass regulations limiting buskers to below 80 decibels with a special limit of 75 in Temple Bar. All music will have to finish by 11pm.

The laws will require buskers to pay €30 for a permit with an additional €90 to use an amplifier and they will only be allowed to play for two hours in the same spot.

The laws also prohibit buskers from performing within three metres of any private residence. Street performers using knives or flames will have to have public liability insurance of €6.4 million. Fines of up to €1,500 can be imposed for breach of the regulations.

Submissions on Galway’s buskers will be accepted until February 27 by writing or email to environment.section@galwaycity.ie