Busking and street performance

In most cases, you do not need a licence to busk in Buckinghamshire.

Entertainment does not need a licence where it is:

• in the background and not the main purpose of people attending a certain place (in this case, people may be shopping or visiting the town centre)
• spontaneous or informal rather than organised and advertised
• taking place somewhere that is not specifically for entertainment (for example the town centre)

However, if you're looking to busk in Buckinghamshire you should check with the local Town Council if they have any areas that they prefer people to busk in.

Find contact details for Town Councils in Buckinghamshire.

You may need a licence if:

• the performance is organised or advertised as an event
• it takes place at a venue normally used for entertainment
• the audience is charged for attending
• it forms part of a festival or larger organised event

In these cases, a premises licence or Temporary Event Notice may be needed.

If you will be covering songs by other artists, you will need to check if you need a licence from the Performing Rights Society to do this.

Other rules may apply if you're:

• selling goods (for example CD's) - you may need street trading consent
• collecting money for charity - you may need a charitable street collection permit
• performing on public land - you will need the landowner's consent

Buskers are expected to perform responsibly and consider the needs of residents, businesses and other users of the area.

Most complaints about busking relate to noise, repetition or obstruction, and can usually be avoided by following good practice.

You should:

• keep noise at a reasonable level
• avoid repeated performances in the same location
• not block pavements, entrances or emergency exits
• allow safe passage for pedestrians, including wheelchair users and pushchairs
• move on if requested by a council officer or police officer
• be mindful of nearby homes, businesses and sensitive locations

Noise or anti‑social behaviour may be dealt with under other laws:

• environmental health regulation (by our environmental health team)
• anti-social behaviour (by the police or community safety at the council)

There is no licence needed for busking so our licensing team are unable to help in these matters. If you’re experiencing noise from busking and feel that it is unreasonable you can report this to Environmental Health as a noise nuisance.

For more information about licensing contact the Licensing Team [email protected].