Banned for 72 hours by a Dunedin City Council noise officer last week, Mr McLean reached an agreement with city officials this week, which allowed him to play for 15 minutes before moving on to a new location.
Outside his favoured position in front of the Scottish Shop yesterday, Mr McLean received tips amounting to more than $50 and calls of support from passing pedestrians.
Scottish Shop owner Erin Hogan said she was returning from a trade show trip to Glasgow, when she heard about the banned-bagpiper saga during a stopover in the United Arab Emirates.
"I looked at the Otago Daily Times website and my first thought was: `This is just ridiculous'.
"In Glasgow, busking bagpipers played to their hearts' content and brought a sense of civic pride to the Scottish city, she said.
"We should be doing the same. It is not even that loud. You should hear when the boy racers go up and down the street."
Geoffrey and Carla Hiscock, from St John's, in Newfoundland, Canada, gave the busker several dollars and offered him support after reading about his battles in the paper.
"We have seen people busking all over the world and it adds real value to your city," Mrs Hiscock said. Retired shopowners, the couple said they used to have a busker playing bongo drums outside their store for long periods.
"Now that took some getting used to, but it was nothing you should complain over."
Mr McLean played at three other localities yesterday, earning himself $360, "no complaints and a lot of positive feedback", he said.
Mr McLean's last day of busking will be on Saturday before he leaves to continue his studies at Lincoln University next week.
