busking 16 years old

pukkamum

I will encourage my son to busk when he is older if he's still playing his guitar, I love hearing buskers and why not make some pocket money from something you are good at.
I think 16 is the right age, I had a job at 16 no difference in my book.

BugglyB

Yes definitely! not easy to find a job as a 16 year old at the moment.

Busking shows creativity and initiative.

Goldiegirl

As long as it's being done legally, I can't see that it's a problem

victory

If its legal, in a safe place, in the day yes ....:D

Acc72

red_devil wrote: »

Would you let your child go busking in the street? I know a 16 year old who does this, not sure whether i think its good or not and is it legal even?

Why does this appear to bother you ?

Who is this person - do you have any connection to them ?

The_One_Who

Different councils have different rules and requirements when it comes to busking, make sure they are within the law.

Other than that, I don't see the problem. If they are doing it for the money, it would probably be more advisable to get a job, but if they are doing it for the joy of it, good for them.

Lavendyr

I busked when I was 16 (with a license from the local council to perform in particular locations). Played violin mostly but sang a bit too. It's a really good way to earn some decent money - could get up to £30 an hour - and it's really good fun too.

So yeah I'd let my children do it - why not?

browneyedbazzi

jemb wrote: »

It is legal, but you have to have a license for the specific council to which you're in.

Technically you don't need a licence to busk. Some local authorities do issue permits and ask buskers to follow a code of conduct or similar (those that do will often charge a small fee for issuing the permit) but it isn't mandatory.

Some authorities will bluster about busking being begging (and therefore an offence under the Vagrancy Act) but case law doesn't agree with them so it's very unlikely that they would prosecute...if they did they would almost certainly lose. They know this is the case but will still tell buskers otherwise to scare those who don't understand the law into moving on.

If you busk on the public highway you may be asked to move on by the highways authority - if they ask you to move on you have to do so, otherwise you commit an offence of wilful obstruction of the highway.

DianneB

My son still busks with his band sometimes, just for fun and to add ambience to events, he is 38 and yes has been doing it since he was 16!!

ellay864

I'd far rather see a 16yr old out playing music than stuck on a console for hours on end. It's great that they have the confidence to go out and perform in front of people. You say they're no good...maybe others think they are, maybe they want to practise to improve. Credit to them for doing it, but do agree with the other posts re it being somewhere safe and causing no problems. We go into Chester where there's always some buskers and there used to be a regular trio of lads probably 15-16yr olds, don't see them now and miss them, they were pretty good (though my mum declared them to be an awful racket!)