There has been a significant increase in Oxford noise complaints due to buskers, with one politician suggesting she believes this to be down to a "loud man".
A Freedom of Information request revealed that up to May this year there were 28 complaints - ranging from three to eight a month.
This compares to there being two complaints for the entire year in 2021 and 2022 while there were 16 in the entirety of 2023.
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Oxford City Council says it does not issue licences for buskers but does have a code of conduct.
The authority adds it has taken action in the courts against buskers who were breaching the code of conduct, and some have had equipment confiscated as a result.
Labour councillor Susanna Pressel said: "I’m sorry to hear that there has been a sharp increase in complaints about noise from buskers in the city centre.
"I’ve had only one complaint, which I passed on.
"I was told that the rather loud man whose description I passed on, has elicited other complaints, but he also has a lot of fans, so the city council said they were not proposing to do anything about the complaint.
"Many of the buskers are really excellent and bring a lot of joy. Children seem to be especially delighted to see live music being performed. I hope it inspires them to learn an instrument.
“There is a good ‘code of conduct’, limiting the length of time that buskers are supposed to stay in one spot. I think that in general the code is well-observed.”
Labour councillor Alex Hollingsworth, cabinet member for business, culture and an inclusive economy, added: “Buskers are a vital part of the arts and culture of any city, and we welcome musicians of all sorts to perform on the streets of Oxford.
"However, we do have a code of conduct for buskers, and it’s important that everyone sticks to it to avoid causing a nuisance to people who live and work in the city centre.
"Don’t stay in one place for too long, and make sure you are not too loud or playing outside the approved hours. That way everyone can enjoy music on our streets.”
Busking or street entertainment is the performance of music, dance or street theatre in a public space for the main purpose of receiving donations of money from members of the public.
The council's code of practice says buskers must "always be polite to members of the public" and not busk "outside the hours of 9am and 9pm", along with observing other practices.
Independent Temple Cowley councillor Saj Malik said: "I think Bonn Square in the city centre should be a designated place for buskers to perform turn by turn instead of spreading into many places in the city centre.
"Buskers are talented people who should be allowed to show their skills.
"Given the Oxford dimension our streets are small and we have plenty of tourists which is great news for our city economy.
"I think the council should give them a spot in the city centre where they can perform."
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About the author
Noor is the Local Democracy Reporter for Oxfordshire who covers political stories from across the county.
She began working as a journalist in Oxford in September 2023 having graduated from the University of Oxford.
Noor was trained at the News Associates journalism school and can be found on X through the handle @NoorJQurashi
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