Bath Abbey Letter Against Buskers

Bath Abbey Letter Against Buskers

We are publishing this extraordinary letter from the Rector of Bath Abbey which asks his congregation to push for restrictions against buskers in the city of Bath that would marginalise them and push them out of the cultural life of the city.

Freedom of expression in an open and democratic society must extend to street musicians and the ideas they convey in our public spaces. By calling upon the state to use its coercive power to stifle the cultural freedoms of a group of which he disapproves, the Rector of Bath Abbey has caused unnecessary division and controversy. The issues that have arisen in Bath need to be resolved through ongoing dialogue and negotiation, not the heavy handed misapplication of a far-reaching law.

B&NES Street performers Consultation letter 2015 (1)

This post was written by
Singer-Songwriter/Professional Street Performer/Campaigner/Wandering Minstrel

4 Comments on "Bath Abbey Letter Against Buskers"

  • Christopher says

    The ‘World Heritage Site’ covers the entirety of the city, not just the area round the Roman Baths, so it is odd they choose to include this in their reasoning for precluding all street entertainment in a rather large area.

    http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/428

    ‘It became an important centre for the wool industry in the Middle Ages but in the 18th century under the reigns of George l, ll and III it developed into an elegant spa city, famed in literature and art.’
    So surely art is at the centre of what Bath is? Who decides what forms of art are acceptable?

    Under Criterion (i) it says:
    ‘Three men – architect John Wood Senior, entrepreneur and quarry owner Ralph Allen and celebrated social shaper and Master of Ceremonies Richard “Beau” Nash – together provided the impetus to start this social, economic and physical rebirth, resulting in a city that played host to the social, political and cultural leaders of the day.’
    (I got the three people right Jonny when we spoke the other day, which makes me chuffed!! :D)
    So the social is as much an important factor and the economic in the award of Bath’s WHS status. We need social, political and cultural elements, which street entertainers and other street users provide.

    Not long ago a few of us talked about doing public talks. Perhaps a talk about economics, or politics, or whatever. Wouldn’t this mean that even if the council and the Abbey were alright with us doing this, at a time when no Abbey services were happening, that we couldn’t do this because of the precedent it’d set? Plus there’d never be any buskers in the square because how would anybody hear it? Hundereds of people sit and listen to the buskers. They’d move otherwise….

  • Jonny says

    I suggest you write to the arch deacon as well!

  • David says

    I visit Bath regularly and have no desire to listen to so called musicians disturbing the peace with their amplified sound, especially during church services ,Do your begging in another city!

    • Jonny says

      I’ll let our other readers be the judge of the spirit behind your comment except to say that your conflation of the age old minstrel tradition and begging is plainly inaccurate and betrays your own prejudice and snobbery in an unflattering light.

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