Kilted bagpiper Simon McLean (21) addressed councillors at a public forum at the council's Edinburgh Room yesterday and labelled the noise control laws which last week caused him to be banned as "disgusting".
"People in other centres can't believe that this has happened in Dunedin. It is meant to be a Scottish city," he said.
Council liquor licensing co-ordinator Kevin Mechen, who informed councillors about the noise control at the public forum, confirmed to the Otago Daily Times the final complaint had come from "people who work at council".
He declined to say in which area the staff members worked. He said the noise control officer had already received two complaints and it was the council's duty to act.
Councillors yesterday expelled considerable amounts of hot air discussing bagpipes.
Dunedin Mayor Peter Chin invited Mr McLean to play outside the Municipal Chambers so councillors could gauge the noise level, a request he could not meet because his bagpipes were in the boot of his car.
Mr McLean funds his university tuition fees and most of his living costs by busking with his bagpipes each summer.
Mr McLean and Mr Mechen reached a solution that the bagpiper could play for 15 minutes at a time, before moving to a new area.
"I will spend more time walking than I will playing," he said.
Mr McLean plans to play again outside the Scottish Shop at noon today, under the watchful eyes and attentive ears of council officers several floors above"My volume will be exactly the same, because it is not something I can control," he said.
