Tighter regulations and licenses may indicate a decline in the number of buskers in London.
The number of busking license applications made in the borough of Camden between 2014 and 2024 has dropped by more than 100, plummeting from 194 to 21.
The two-year licenses, introduced in 2014, cost £150.
Nick Broad, founder of support network The Busking Project, said: “Anti-busking sentiment has been round for centuries and it is completely unfounded.”
The transition out of cash has also made it difficult for performers to sustain livelihoods from busking.
Additionally, there were pitch closures in Leicester Square this year.
However, according to Westminster City Council, busking licenses issued in the borough have increased since 2021 from 278 to 365.
Along with this, platforms like TikTok have helped popularise busking and dismantle misconceptions about the profession.
The social and political changes mean the future for London busking remains unclear.
Featured image: Harri MacDonald
