Dunedin streets are increasingly alive with the sound of music, but a crackdown on the quality of buskers or asking them to spare some of their own loose change by paying for permits is unlikely.
Figures released from the Dunedin City Council show the number of valid permits for street performers have almost doubled since 2005.
Last year, 615 people had a free busking permit, which was valid a year from the date of issue, and more were predicted this year because of the forthcoming Rugby World Cup.
Despite the increasing popularity of busking permits, there were no plans to introduce fees, Dunedin City Council senior environmental health officer Wayne Boss said.
Permits were issued through the council's customer services desk, with environmental health officers handling any complaint and enforcing permit conditions, he said.
Not following conditions or making excessive noise could result in the permit being cancelled or instruments being seized under the Resource Management Act.
Mr Boss said council had no plans to check the quality of each performer but did enforce any permit infringements.
"If there is an obvious problem there, such as amplifiers, and it is too loud, we do something then."
Busking
Dunedin permits
2010 - 615
2009 - 508
2008 - 423
2007 - 316
2006 - 289
2005 - 323
Let me entertain you
• Permit needed for busking in Dunedin.
• No charge, but there are some conditions.
• Permits valid for one year.
• Conditions include: not to busk in one area for more than an hour unless you have permission from the surrounding businesses.
• Permission required from surrounding premises if loud instruments, such as bagpipes or drums, are used.
• Busking allowed between 9am and 10pm.
• If you are under 14, parent or caregiver's consent required.
• Amplifiers not allowed.
• Maximum number in any one group is four, unless exemption granted.
