Is busking allowed during lockdown?
“The law states that: “If you cannot work from home you should continue to travel to your workplace… You do not need to be classed as a critical worker to go to work if you cannot work from home.”
Our understanding is that, as long as a crowd is not being drawn and social distancing remains possible, busking is allowed under the current guidelines.
We would strongly encourage street performers to maintain social distancing and take measures to ensure their workplace is Covid-safe”
IT IS NOT UNLAWFUL TO BUSK DURING LOCKDOWN
Below are some bite sized chunks of law and guidance to help you make things clear to those who challenge your right to work.
THE LAW (CORONAVIRUS REGULATIONS)
Restrictions on movement
6.—(1) During the emergency period, no person may leave the place where they are living without reasonable excuse.
(2) For the purposes of paragraph (1), a reasonable excuse includes the need—
(f)to travel for the purposes of work or to provide voluntary or charitable services, where it is not reasonably possible for that person to work, or to provide those services, from the place where they are living;
If you do leave home for a permitted reason, you should always stay in your local area – unless it is necessary to go further, for example to go to work.
You can only leave home for work purposes where it is unreasonable for you to do your job from home. This includes, but is not limited to, people who work within critical national infrastructure, construction or manufacturing that require in-person attendance.
You do not need to be classed as a critical worker to go to work if you cannot work from home.
You are allowed to stay overnight away from your home if you… require accommodation for work purposes or to provide voluntary services.
HOUSE OF COMMONS LIBRARY REPORT: ENFORCING RESTRICTIONS
The police have a range of powers they can use to enforce coronavirus restriction regulations. They can only use these powers in response to a public health need.
Differences between Government information and legal restrictions caused confusion about how the lockdown should be enforced… officers have sometimes (wrongly) enforced guidance rather than the law.
STAYING LOCAL: GUIDANCE NOT LAW EXPLAINED BY HUMBERSIDE ASSISTANT CHIEF CONSTABLE
You can travel from the other end of the country to Cleethorpes or wherever in our area so long as you have a reasonable excuse. Not being local is not a reason we can give an FPN for. Fact. You don’t need to be local so having to define it is not relevant.
The issue is, do you have a reasonable excuse for being out and that can apply to someone from Hull or Grimsby or Bradford or London.
There is a real difference in what you can and should do but as long as you have a reasonable excuse you are allowed to leave your house.
You can travel to where you want for exercise but whether it is wise… Doing something unwise doesn’t make it illegal.