Galway shop staff offer cash for ban on noisy buskers

Staff at some shops in Galway city centre are so fed up with loud buskers that they have offered to fund a talent competition from their own pockets in return for a local authority ban on amplifiers.

The plan to hold a competition has come from retailers on William Street who have unanimously agreed to donate €50 each to fund it – provided Galway City Council implements a ban.

According to retailer Paul O’Brien, workers in some retail outlets have promised to put up the money themselves because their lives have become unbearable due to loud music from out of tune performers.

The idea of the competition is to show their support for the buskers providing entertainment on the streets of the city, without the increased volume.

But, so far, efforts by the traders to ban amplification by amending local bye-laws have proved unsuccessful.

“While we acknowledge that busking is very much part of the fabric of Galway, this thing has been going on for years,” said Mr O’Brien. “There are a number of premises who have to close their doors on sunny days, due to the noise coming from buskers outside.”

He said that traders and city centre residents were delighted when the City Council introduced the Performance (Prohibited Periods) Bye-Laws – which ban busking after 11pm – three years ago. Traders believe these laws could be amended to ban amplifiers.

“Every business on William Street is willing to pay €50 each for a competition in return for a ban on amplification,” said Mr O’Brien. “The staff members at some shops have said they would put their hands in their own pockets because their heads are fried.

“Busking makes the city special and other towns would love to have buskers like Galway, but there needs to be some control of the volume of street performers.”

See full story in this week’s Galway City Tribune.