Busking in London 'slowly becoming non-existent'

Busking in central London is "slowly becoming non-existent", a musician has said, amid a warning that the loss of established performance pitches is forcing some some to give up their careers and is damaging the capital's cultural life.

In Trafalgar Square, the only designated busking pitch is currently unavailable because it is covered by the Christmas market.

The Musicians' Union said it had been campaigning for performers to be accommodated alongside the seasonal stalls.

Westminster Council said it recognised the value of street performance but had to balance competing interests.

Musician Serena Kaos said she had stopped working as a full-time performer after losing access to regular busking locations.

"It's a huge, huge cultural loss for not just the current musicians, but the musicians of the future, especially working-class ones that used to have this as one of the few possibilities of getting inside the craft," she said.

Simeon Scheuber-Rush, the union's London regional officer, said the closure had left amplified performers without a viable space.

"We've got the lovely Christmas market and unfortunately that Christmas market hasn't incorporated the busking pitch," he said.

"It has closed it as well. So we've now been left with a situation where there are no viable busking pitches for amplified busking."

Ms Kaos added that busking is "such an important part" of London's culture but that it is "slowly becoming non-existent".

The situation follows a court ruling affecting Leicester Square, previously one of the capital's busiest live music spots.

After a legal battle involving Global Radio and Westminster City Council, a judge ruled earlier this year that amplified busking in the square amounted to a public nuisance, comparing it to psychological torture.

Westminster Council subsequently suspended all public busking in the area.

Mr Scheuber-Rush said the decision had been keenly felt by performers and the public.

"We've been campaigning in Leicester Square and members of the public have been so distraught really at the sort of cultural vandalism of the busking being banned in the square," he said.

"They really miss it."

A council spokesperson said they have tried to make sure visitors, businesses and buskers "get the best from our city" and that "street performers and busking is one of many reasons why Westminster is culturally rich".

"We will always promote opportunities for licensed street entertainers across Westminster that minimise disruption but still allow performances to go ahead," they added.

The Trafalgar Square pitch is expected to reopen in January, but there is no such guarantee for Leicester Square.

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