Busking and street entertainers - licence?

Falf

Can anyone tell me do galway buskers need to pay a fee to the council, or do the need a liance to busk????

thesandeman

No. But there there is pretty much a gentlemans/ladies agreement between the regulars about times/spots etc so don't go barging in with your electric guitar twelve feet away from someone playing the whistle or whatever. Most of the regulars are sound.

Falf

Thanks sandman, I was asking for a friend of mine that was hassled last night by 2 polish lads that were a top of high street wit a hanging bar of some sort, he was across from them when they polish lad's told him to move on, they were agresive to him so he moved and didn't complain as he didn't know if he needed a permit to be there, this had been his first time been there. He went from there up shop St and seen 2 irish lads wit someting similar to what the polish lads had, he spoke to these lads and they had said they were not part of them, he said that irish lads were sound and told him he could go beside them if he liked for as long as he wanted to... the irish lads had told him that they tryed to bully them aswell when the started out. I think a complaint to the garda is in order.. busking is a free entertainment for young a old and galway wouldn't be the same without it.. (also just to note he was across the road from them not beside them)

ArtyC

Common sense should prevail. Setting up with a music act next to another will not sit well.

As above the regulars have an agreement between them to keep it fair as possible. ( remember some are here year round) why not have a chat with some of the regulars before you set up?

Also Amps should be not used imo but some do. I'd advise to keep it to a min, it drives local businesses crazy and they should be respected also .

endacl

ArtyC wrote: »

Common sense should prevail. Setting up with a music act next to another will not sit well.

As above the regulars have an agreement between them to keep it fair as possible. ( remember some are here year round) why not have a chat with some of the regulars before you set up?

Also Amps should be not used imo but some do. I'd advise to keep it to a min, it drives local businesses crazy and they should be respected also .

Absolutely. If I busker needs an amp, they're not a busker, and not up to busking.

Falf

ArtyC wrote: »

Common sense should prevail. Setting up with a music act next to another will not sit well.

As above the regulars have an agreement between them to keep it fair as possible. ( remember some are here year round) why not have a chat with some of the regulars before you set up?

Also Amps should be not used imo but some do. I'd advise to keep it to a min, it drives local businesses crazy and they should be respected also .

Art if you read last post you will see that he was across the road and no he had no amp but he did draw a crowd... also how come irish lads had no prob with him being beside them...

thesandeman

The hanging bar guys are not buskers. What they are doing is illegal on a number of levels as far as I know. They are street trading and promoting a form of gambling as you have to pay them before you get your 30 seconds of fame on the bar.
However they have been getting away with it for eleven months now while some of the buskers have been told to stop selling their CDs as they don't have a traders licence.
I presume nobody's made a complaint so the Guards haven't needed to check them out. I've actually seen the Guards stop to watch the 'show'.
I foresee fun and games in a few weeks when the annual professional street acts arrive for the Arts Fest. That spot has been theirs for years.

Falf

endacl wrote: »

Absolutely. If I busker needs an amp, they're not a busker, and not up to busking.

I agree... but it still doesn't call for bulling.. and no he had no amp..

Falf

thesandeman wrote: »

The hanging bar guys are not buskers. What they are doing is illegal on a number of levels as far as I know. They are street trading and promoting a form of gambling as you have to pay them before you get your 30 seconds of fame on the bar.
However they have been getting away with it for eleven months now while some of the buskers have been told to stop selling their CDs as they don't have a traders licence.
I presume nobody's made a complaint so the Guards haven't needed to check them out. I've actually seen the Guards stop to watch the 'show'.
I foresee fun and games in a few weeks when the annual professional street acts arrive for the Arts Fest. That spot has been theirs for years.

Sandman funny enough them irish lads that were up on shop street weren't charging like them polish, he was saying irish lads were just asking for whst ever you had, donation, irish lads letting a lot in free, polish lads had a sign charging a €10 a go.... This couldn't be right if they alowed to do this surly to god a busker can sell his cd.. bet the busker won't be charging a tenner..

thesandeman

That's what's happening I'm afraid. I know almost everyone involved in the busking scene and none of them are impressed by these guys.

Falf

thesandeman wrote: »

That's what's happening I'm afraid. I know almost everyone involved in the busking scene and none of them are impressed by these guys.

Well I feel sorry for them irish lads because they will prob be tared with the one brush, I hope not, as I said the were nice lads that were more than nice to my mate.. wide berth for the polsh ones a top of high street, a welcome shake of the hand for the irish lads on shop street...

Mrs OBumble

So get your friend to go down to the guards and tell them that a certain group of pole-hangers were mean to him/her. (fyi, It only counts as "bullying" if they do it repeatedly).

Let us know how you get on.

Falf

Ok update...
He went to the city council to ask about permit and you do not need one, he had explained what had happened and council had said it first come first served sort of thing with where you go to busk, council has told him to report any bulling to the gardi that he did not have to move and they shouldn't have told him to move...

I kind of reckon you'll be better off reporting cases of bullying to other buskers than the Gardaí. Can't imagine the other ones would be too happy about it. Most of them are pretty excellent about self-policing and ensuring fairness.

Falf

I think a lot of the regulars are already fed up of these guys, my mate is going to tell the irish guys on shop street the outcome from council as the polish had told them also that the spot at top of high street is thers... from what council is saying it's first come sort of policy...

dilallio

What's the story with that bar anyhow - I'm assuming there's a tiny motor inside which rotates the bar very slowly when the time is almost up.

pure.conya

dilallio wrote: »

What's the story with that bar anyhow - I'm assuming there's a tiny motor inside which rotates the bar very slowly when the time is almost up.

it doesnt need a motor because the bar moves freely. gravity pulls the body downwards and after about 25/30 seconds the lactic acid built up from the excessive grip means the bar will roll with the loss of grip and the polish boyos are another tenner better off! ching ching

i hope somebody runs these bullying poles out of town, just imagine what would happen to a pair of Irish boys in Poland if they did the same

Falf

I don't know aprantly it's on bearings, I must ask agin bout it, the irish lads on shop street would give ya try without money... iv asked few bout it and it's Def not a scam it can be done..

Falf

pure.conya wrote: »

it doesnt need a motor because the bar moves freely. gravity pulls the body downwards and after about 25/30 seconds the lactic acid built up from the excessive grip means the bar will roll with the loss of grip and the polish boyos are another tenner better off! ching ching

i hope somebody runs these bullying poles out of town, just imagine what would happen to a pair of Irish boys in Poland if they did the same

Ya, exactly, imagine Wat would happen... I can tell ya it most certainly wouldn't be tolerated in there town...