Staffordshire Moorland buskers face new rules after complaints

Buskers face a crackdown following a rise in complaints from businesses

A new code of conduct is being introduced to tackle complaints about street performers in parts of Staffordshire.

It will cover Leek, Biddulph and Cheadle and comes after problems in Leek town centre.

Staffordshire Moorland District Council's new rules for street performers will apply to buskers and street preachers.

A document on the rules is expected to be approved on 24 November.

The code of conduct will include guidance on the length of time people can spend in any one spot, with potential sanctions for breaches.

The new code of conduct covers how long a performer can spend playing on a pitch

It follows months of complaints from businesses about disturbance caused by street preachers using microphones to amplify their words and buskers turning the volume up too high on their speakers.

Unreasonable behaviour

Councillor Matt Swindlehurst, cabinet member for leisure and tourism, said: "I'm confident this will act as a benchmark that will help local traders and performers create an environment - particularly in town centres - that everybody is happy and comfortable with.

"The priority must be to support the trading environment for our traders, pubs and restaurants."

Mr Swindlehurst said there would be procedures to enable the public to report unreasonable behaviour but stressed not all buskers cause a problem.

"We've got some lovely buskers that come to town, and that's the sort of thing we want to encourage," he added.