Places in London -no permit required?

[Kate Awesome]

Hey folks!

So, I'm in London right now for a week and surprisingly the weather is pretty good for busking. Since I have all my gear on me, I was thinking of going somewhere to statue. Obviously, Covent Garden is not for me since I don't have insurance, and South Bank has an audition process..

anybody know where I could go that doesn't require a permit so I can make some dinero?

I was told I could try Brick Lane and Trafalgar Square... during the week in front of a museum... anybody know what my chances of getting shut down are? Beuller?

[Mr Qwirk]

I worked leicester square at night, as a statue.
all week as i remember.

it can get a little dodgy, I think we worked 8 - 10, or somewhere around those times.

[Kate Awesome]

Hmm.. I was told I'd be told to 'move along' if I did that....

Did you ever try Carnaby st., or the street closer to Covent Garden? I was told they would be the best for me to statue...

[Mr Qwirk]

this was in 2001, i remember it was pretty good, but yeah it was a while ago...

I only tried covent garden during the day, but there were a lot of other statues, so the money was shite....

here we go...

[Kate Awesome]

Yah. It's not really prime-season and I haven't seen any statues around as of yet....... Tomorrow I'm gonna add Leicester to my list, might as well, right?

[Mr Qwirk]

might as well, you've got nothing to lose, everything to gain...

[nick nickolas]

try southbank, or james st covent garden, or trafalger sq, or leicester sq,,,

try 'em all, all that'll happen is you will get told to move by the cops or stabbed by some glasweigan junkie,,

good luck

nick

[Isabella]

Kate, where did you hear South Bank was audition? I spent some time looking around and speaking directly to the authorities who own the land, and while the performers already there will lie through their teeth to say you need a permit/audition/whatever, it was as of July 2009 an open, unpermitted pitch. Does anyone know if that has changed?

[Kate Awesome]

Apparently, it hasn't changed, the locals are just being dicks and lying about that. I'm going to hit it up this week, will keep y'all updated. Just checked out Covent Garden, and was told if I hit up James st. during the week before 4pm, I'd be told to "move along". Will report back once I get out busking!

[Kate Awesome]

Hey guys

Just a follow up on South Bank: right now, it's totally choked with statues and the way the 'licensing' works is pretty much up to the discretion of the security folks. They watch you work one day, and if you're good, you get a piece of paper granting you permission, if not, you get 'moved along'.

.. yah, I got my paper, but it's hardly worth it... they ain't regulating the walkbys and in the small stretch by the London Eye, there are almost 10 statues. Kinda ridiculous.

Tomorrow, I try Trafalgar, or by Covent Garden.

[circusboy90210]

just do it.

usually if there is a permit , then plead mens rea and tell the officer you are willing to obtain one of they will direct you where to go. untill then practice freedom of speech. after all it is free (no charge) dom of speech, not ability to pay for permission.

[Peter]

usually if there is a permit , then plead mens rea...

Looked up "mens rea" and wonder, do you know your ass from a hole in the ground?

Mens Rea means "guilty mind" and that defense is used in cases where there is a mental deficiency. i.e. an inability to understand the consequences of your actions.

Circusboy, you are a blemish on buskers. You are just a balloon twister that insists on violating and disrespecting our venues. People like you get all of us banned from festivals due to "felonious stupidity," yours.

[circusboy90210]

Looked up "mens rea" and wonder, do you know your ass from a hole in the ground?

Mens Rea means "guilty mind" and that defense is used in cases where there is a mental deficiency. i.e. an inability to understand the consequences of your actions.

Circusboy, you are a blemish on buskers. You are just a balloon twister that insists on violating and disrespecting our venues. People like you get all of us banned from festivals due to "felonious stupidity," yours.

hahaha your funny. I'm the one that keeps us in venues becuase I won't be railroaded and just walk away. I"m the most famous busker in my town. people go out of their way to find me. yes I do know my ass from a hole in the ground. mens rea can be used in a variety of cases including crashing an event, which is in fact a public forum & we have a right to busk there according to the constitution. a festival is not private property it's a public forum. damm dude I"m on your side & you are fighting for the powers that would oppress you & exclude you from the event with some mumbo jumbo that public street somehow mystically became private property. you probaly like it because you can't truly compete in a open marketplace.(you like others being dissed because of the fact you can't really compete.) balloon art is something I do on the street. I've actually done far more than that with many circuses . disrespecting?? far from that , I just insist that I have rights. the people( the crowd remember the important people) love me and what I do everywhere I go. ) the festival organizers(they don't matter) I could care less if they like me or not , I have a right to be there. if street preachers can't be kicked out then we surely have a case to be in the public forum. your pomposity whilst having no real grasp of what your speaking of is impossible. all I do is street performing for over 20 years I've worked almost every pitch in usa & canada. funny thing is I get asked back to the ones you swear i have disrespected, because the people that matter ( the crowd) insisted I come back.

[martin ewen]

You could try Carnaby street also,

[Circusfellow, stop giving legal advice about countries you have no experience of.

It does no-one any favors, least of all yourself. ]

[Peter]

Sorry, but basic law 101, even the course before law school says you have no idea of what's constitutional or even understand the concepts of public and private. I am asked to do enough festivals that I can easily take 8 or 9 months off and do nothing. If I did that I think my wife would kill me because I'm a real bastard when not working. I have never had to crash a fest in the last 25 years. Now the concept of public vrs private in a legal situation. A festival has vendors that pay for the privelidge of selling at that festival. That makes it a private event, even if held on public property. By crashing the event and not paying or working with the fest operators, you are a thief. Simple as that you are stealing money from the vendors by crashing the event and can be arrested for trespassing. YES even on "public property." I have seen it happen and even in one case caused the arrest of a crasher. He deserved it.

You are not "fighting for any rights" you are simply an admitted thief that has no talent but tries to be an "artist."