Buskers have long been part of street life, and busking has traditionally been a way young and emerging musicians tried out material and even started to build an audience. Now, with public spaces increasingly regulated, busking too is being targeted by councils, whose officials describe it as messy and a ‘noise nuisance’. Camden Council recently introduced a busking licence, following similar moves in cities such as York and Liverpool – which promise ‘quality control’ as well as nuisance reduction - while a popular young electric guitar player was issued with an order banning him from playing in Cardiff city centre. Scottish cities have considered regulating ‘shockingly loud’ bagpipes, while the town of Richmond sought bylaws to prohibit ‘bad’ busking.

What effect do these regulations have on street music - can musicians work around the rules, or do licences and other controls mean busking loses its spontaneous soul? Do buskers have a right to play, regardless of time or place? Is there a role for regulation of some busking, or does the answer lie in informal regulation and buskers’ sensitivity to their listeners? After all, buskers want to please rather than annoy their audience. Is it better to put up with the occasional act who is not to everyone’s taste than to risk sanitising busking out of existence?

With a performance by Isabelle Cressy.

Listen to the debate: