BANNED in Manchester

[Figo]

well there it is folks i feel like i have hit a milestone in my performing career, i have been offically banned from performing in manchester. what was my crime you ask did i swear at the audience? did i block off the street or have music blaring nope nope and nope. i did my normal show which consists of baloon swalloing, razor blade manipulation and lying on broken glass. not a fire torch or juggling knife in sight.

it seems that the council in manchester are health and safety mad to the extent that you can't even put a rope line out to control a crowd.

they said my getting changed into my costume on the street was obscene and that my tricks encouraged kids to indanger themselves that my show wasn't sutible and that i wasn't allowed to perform it anywhere in manchester.

I stated that i was fully insured and that my show carries a warning to kids to not do it ( I don't even add the do it in school line) and still a blanket ban was given and was told that there was no one with the authority to allow me to do it (we must protect the children was their battle cry)

so manchester is off my list until i have a fluffy carefull show which has no risks at all (yawn)

come back Glasgow all is forgiven!

[jeep caillouet]

what a pisser

I've been hassled before for sure but never banned from a entire city. I did one time get banned from playing music (country) where they wanted classical music in front of a high end jewelery store in Aspen ,colorado. In fact it was the longest trail in municipal court for that city. Oh they beat the shit out of me! I can still play any where in that city ,but not on that corner?? Good luck.

[David Straitjacket]

It took you this long to get banned in Manchester? You wuss

About 7 years ago I was performing in Manchester, a paid, booked and contracted gig for the Manchester shopping festival. So, I am setting up for the show and along come a couple of street wardens. Again, let me note that the council had contracted me to be there, this wasn't busking but a paid festival gig. The wardens stated quite clearly that I would be arrested if I carried on setting up, I showed them the contract, which stated the time and place of the performance, this didn't have the effect I hoped it would. I was still going to have me arrested, I pointed out that the same council they worked for had booked me, no effect, I showed them my own blurb in the programme for the event. They STILL insisted that street performence was illegal and that I would be arrested!

In the end I gave up and let them know that the council would still be paying me if they moved me on. This actually had an effect, they called their office who told them to back off. Not before telling me that I was never to perform in Manchester again after that day, and that they would be watching out for me. I was treated like a common criminal for fullfilling my paid contract, so regular street performence, no chance.

Another time a friend of mine was arrested for busking and quite oddly, charged with street trading. during his time at the police station they showed him a picture of him with someone else, that person was helping them out, and, in the picture was helping a passer by who needed to change a fiver. So they were talking the five pound note in return for change out of the hat. The police very much wanted to know who the other person was so they could arrest him on the same charge. Of course my friend had no idea who this person was who was messing with his money, but swore he looked a lot like me

I just remembered, I once had a stiltwalking show in a Manchester hotel, INSIDE the building, as some part of the event ( I forget what, but I think it was a security issue due to some VIP guests) the hotel had informed the local police of the programme, and they got a letter back stating that anyone found stiltwalking during the event (again, INSIDE the building) would be arrested for reckless endangerment, or something along those lines! Gig cancelled.

Manchester is an awful place for street performence. I love the city, its where I was born, raised, and still live. But its attitude to performers is less than pitiful. I hardly ever perform here, and never go out on the street anymore.

David Straitjacket

[Figo]

Hey david

I feel quite happy that it isn't just me that has been hassled in manchester, although it sucks that manchester council seems to think that it is justified in not allowing any kind of act that poses even the mildest of risk.

They told me that if i put my crowd line out that i would be shut down immediatly because it is a health and safety issue and they have a duty of care to their citizens.

"BAD STREET PERFORMER, BAD, stand in the corner.... face the wall and don't come out until i tell you"