City centre businesses want bylaws to control ‘out-of-tune’ buskers

Business leaders in Cork City are seeking the introduction of bylaws to control noisy buskers — or those who cause a nuisance because they haven’t a note in their heads.

Donal Healy, chief executive of Cork Business Association (CBA), said he’d received a number of complaints from his members about loud or out-of-tune buskers who were annoying them and shoppers alike.

Mr Healy confirmed he was in contact with City Hall in an effort to get them to create bylaws to curb the activities of such people.

He also called on Cork School of Music students to come out more onto the streets and highlight their performing skills.

“The CBA welcomes street performers as they add atmosphere and culture to our streets. But we don’t want somebody singing one song continuously out of tune outside one shop for two hours, which is happening. We also don’t want people who are using amplifiers which are too loud,” Mr Healy said.

He pointed out Dublin City Council had piloted a voluntary “street performance code” which covers issues like amp-free zones, behaviour, crowd control and health and & safety.

Mr Healy said his members wanted the city council’s Environment Directorate to draw up guidelines on acceptable decibel levels.