Business promotion and activities in Leeds City Centre

Buskers and street performers code of practice for Leeds City Centre

Leeds City Council welcomes activity that enhances visitors’ experience of Leeds city centre.

Busking and street performing can act as a vital platform for artists, while adding colour, vibrancy and interest to the streets and spaces within the city.

However, busking and street performing is a source of complaints to Leeds City Council. The complaints tend to be based on excessive noise and repetition of music, which can cause annoyance and distress for city centre residents, visitors and businesses. 

This Code of Practice sets out simple steps that Buskers and street performers should take to minimise any potentially negative impacts and informs on how to remain compliant with the PSPO.

Code of practice for busking and street performers in Leeds

Be a good neighbour

Please take into account other city centre users when performing. Introduce yourself to neighbouring businesses before you start. 

Be safe

Ensure that your act is safe, both for those taking part and members of the public around you. Make sure people can’t trip over your equipment. If your performance draws a crowd, make sure that pedestrians or vehicles can still get past. 

For some larger performances, Leeds City Council may require you to provide a risk assessment. 

Keep the volume down

Keep amplification at reasonable levels - use a small portable, battery powered amp if needed. Don’t bring generators, and don’t elevate amps/speakers off the ground. 

Remember there are residential properties around the City Centre. Do not busk after 10pm as this causes disturbance to residents. Comply with requests from Council Officers, Police Officers, the public and businesses, if they ask you to turn it down. 

Vary your repertoire

Repetitiveness can be annoying and intrusive to nearby business and shopworkers. Take regular breaks to ensure those around you also have a break. 

Move location every 2 hours

We know it’s important to get a good pitch. However, we recommend moving every two hours in order to share the pitches with fellow performers, and to minimise the impact of your performance on any particular business or location. 

Private land and sensitive locations

This code of practice only covers public land. You cannot busk in private land - like shopping centres - unless you have permission from the land owner.

Be respectful of other events and activity

Please respect formally organised events and keep your distance from those.

Be genuine

Don’t fool customers by giving the impression that you are playing an instrument, when you are not.

Leave room for others

Don’t block doorways, pavements or fire exits. Leave at least 50 metres between you and the next busker or street performer. Be sensible about the location of your pitch.

Don’t spread out

Keep your pitch as small as possible and keep it tidy. 

No animals

Animals must not be used as part of any performance. 

Donations and sales

Busking and street performing do not involve a formal sales transaction because donations are given to buskers or street performers voluntarily. Likewise, the sale of any associated goods like CDs must be on the basis that the donation is entirely voluntary. The fact that any contribution is entirely voluntary must be made clear to prospective purchasers. If it is not made clear, Council Officers may insist that you remove those items from display. 

Copyrighted music

Buskers must hold a Performing Rights Society (PRS) music licence in order to lawfully play copyrighted music in public. The licence gives legal permission to play copyrighted music for prolonged periods of time. 

Be family friendly

Leeds is a family friendly city. Ensure your performance is appropriate for all ages.

Legislation

Noise nuisance legislation is in place and Council Officers will continue to monitor the impact of noise nuisance and take action where appropriate. 

A city centre Public Space Protection Order (PSPO) is now in place. This introduces prohibitions in the city centre; enforced by Council Officers. Following the simple steps in this code will help you avoid being liable for a fine. 

PSPO prohibitions to be aware of: 

“Person(s) within the restricted area will not create loud and persistent amplified sound which could reasonably cause annoyance”. 

“Persons within the restricted area will not erect temporary structures in a public space without the permission of Leeds City Council”. 

Read the full city centre Public Space Protection Order (PSPO).

As per Government Guidelines children under the age of 14 are not allowed to busk. 

Children over the age of 14 considering busking in Leeds should be accompanied by a parent or guardian and should not busk during school term time. 

The formal sale of goods and services is covered by Street Trading legislation in Leeds city centre. Busking and street performing do not involve a formal sales transaction because donations are given to buskers or street performers voluntarily. 

For more information, contact City Centre Management on 0113 3786646 or city.centre.managem@leeds.gov.uk. 

Leeds City Council and partners employ a range of on-street uniformed officers. Please comply with any requests from a uniformed officer.

Preachers in Leeds city centre have become the source of numerous complaints over the past few years. 

This code of practice sets out simple steps that Preachers should take to minimise any potentially negative impacts and informs on how to remain compliant with the PSPO. 

Preachers code of conduct for Leeds city centre 

• Be respectful of those around you.
• Refrain from using homophobic language or any other hate speech. It is an offence under the Public Order Act 1986 to use threatening, abusive or insulting words with the intention of causing a person to feel harassment, alarm or distress.
• Leeds is a family friendly city, refrain from using language that may be upsetting or alarming to young children.
• Move on to a different street every 90mins. Do not preach outside the same premises for any longer than this, as this can cause significant distress to nearby shopworkers and office staff.
• Do not block doorways, fire exits or pavements, and make space for other people using the streets and spaces.
• Keep the volume down.
• We recommend that you do not use amplification while preaching to remain compliant with the City Centre PSPO. Remember there are residential properties around the City Centre’
• Do not place any item on the Highway. This includes leaflet stands, tables, displays or any other equipment. Any unauthorised equipment on the Highway constitutes an obstruction of the Highway under the Highways Act 1980.
• If you wish to give out leaflets or any other printed material, you must obtain a flyering permit from Leeds City Council by calling 0113 378 5955.
• Comply with any requests from Leeds City Council or West Yorkshire Police Officers, including providing your contact details and those of your place of worship.

For more information about Leeds City Council’s approach to preaching please email city.centre.management@leeds.gov.uk. 

Information about the Leeds city centre PSPO

Leeds City Council has introduced a new Public Space Protection Order (PSPO) in Leeds City Centre. This outlines certain prohibitions within a defined space, and is enforced by Council Officers. Following the simple steps in this code will help you avoid being liable for a fine. 

PSPO Prohibitions to be aware of: 

“Person(s) within the restricted area will not create loud and persistent amplified sound which could reasonably cause annoyance”. 

“Persons within the restricted area will not erect temporary structures in a public space without the permission of Leeds City Council”. 

Read the full city centre Public Space Protection Order (PSPO).