Is busking in London a realistic way to earn day-to-day beer money?

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rmikecollins2

I made a living busking in london and in europe, with no support from benefits or grants etc. Just from my performing.
Now that the Tube has legal busking sites this would be a lot easier, but i now live in yorkshire.

edited for clarification: I just want to correct myself here, busking was never illegal but private corporations who wished to stop busking on their premises (i.e london underground and local councils) drew up bylaws stating that they did not allow it. These by laws are now few and far between. I suggest you always check before you go. I do not have a criminal record, even though I did go to court under some of these bylaws. Some I was able to cleverly talk my way out of due to the wording of the bylaw but not all. So you can hardly call this illegal.

It always amazes me that people with no knowledge or experience of a subject answer these questions.
So take it from one who has been there and done it.

firstly, Busking is legit, way back in the seventies, a busker in Bolton , Lancashire was taken to court for begging and the magistrate threw it out.
He said that buskers had been making their living honourably like this for centuries. To my knowledge no busker has been charged with begging since and it is very unlikely to happen.

Secondly, most buskers will also do gigs and support their income by busking. Many buskers have gone on to have successful music careers, and believe me, my experience is that quality always pays, Have an off day and it shows in the takings, Change your strings regularly and be clean and well presented and you will double your money. By the way i'm 23 stone nobody thinks i'm starving. I get tipped for what I give to them in the music, as the many comments i get suggest. I am also a student on a BA(hons) in Popular Music course.

Most people understand this, they won't support poor buskers. So ignore the people who have made veiled insults that busking is second rate, it's a crazy idea. Sure there are some who won't make the grade but believe me they won't last long. .

In some cases, Busking can be a political act as much as a job. Music should be free, and a bylaw that takes this away should be challenged.
It has worked because the buskers had the support of the passengers and that's why it is now allowed. If you don't agree stick to sites where there are no bylaws and the many councils who encourage talented buskers. Do your home work, if you are worried find out about bylaws and permits before you go.
If I know there are no bylaws or permits and I get challenged by a police officer, I always show that I have done my homework and know that I am allowed to do it. As long as I'm not causing an obstruction, I have always been allowed to continue. Some bylaws are worded that you can't play a musical instrument to the annoyance of another person. I once told a police officer that the bylaw said this, and I assured him that if anyone told me that my music annoyed them I would definately stop, and was allowed to continue. I offered to play him a song to prove that I was unlikely to annoy anyone. Even the police need to be educated sometimes.

The bottom line is that street music is free, so that if some uninformed person, thinks that busking is begging or illegal or that i should not support my gigs with busking, they don't have to stop and listen or support me in any way.

Added: One thing i want to add is that most people would not support your busking if they knew it was to buy beer. Don't drink while you are playing, because in my experience if you smell of alcohol or look drunk people won't support you.

Oh and the question you actually asked:

The worst single hour i ever did I made Â£2.50
The best was Â£35 but it's always different and different for every busker too.

Hope this helps
feel free to email me for more tips

bugaboo

If you're good enough why not? Beats selling the Big Issue..

angler

You'll make a few pints in an hour.

dels replies

I am given to understand it can be quite a lucrative pastime, providing you pick the right spot.

NATALIE S

it must be worth it or would they be doing it, and how many times have you put your hand in your pocket for change and found 1 and 2 pound coins they could well make a good night out hey

garrisonbight

You can make some good money busking.. but you have to work at it.

Ian M

No. It's illegal for a start

Expect hastle from the transport police.

If you can avoid the authorities you will get hastle from the
other buskers who try for the best sites.

If your any good go legit and play the local pubs and clubs.

Ian M

lukee

Depends how good you are and how good a pitch you can get - I have a friend who in the past used to earn about Â£500 a week ( from playing soft rock ballads, Beatles songs etc on his guitar. he reckoned it was a good way of life as you can work as much as you want. It is of course slightly dodgy and you can be moved on at any moment by the Police or whoever, also its not much fun in the rain (unless you're able to get an underground station placement) and you need to be able to stand around for hours and probably take abuse from people.

Application form if you want to busk on the underground is at http://www.tfl.gov.uk/corporate/projectsandschemes/communityandeducation/2435.aspx

bri

My friends brother used to catch the train to London when he was bored and broke. busk with his guitar and sing and a few hours later return with a hundred pounds or two in his pocket. I suppose a lot depends on knowing the best places to be, being either good at what you so or cute or both, and not being moved on by the police.

Adam L

I used to go to college in kingston and there used to be this old guy who used to sit outside this shop with his dog in the high street, saw him every lunch time for ages!!...I read in The Sun about a year later that he used to make 200quid a day

driftwood

Go for it ...you may be busking with your particular style and a record producer happens to walk by and the next thing you know...

Northern Spriggan

If your good the Tube will give you a spot, get it right and I imagine busking in London would provide a good full time wage

elizc_uk

If your good, anything is possible x

Icarus

just be prepared to scarper from the babylon

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