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Welcome to The Liverpool Beat website, chronicling the history of UK Rock music from the golden era of Merseyside music of the 50s and 60s to the present day. Some say the roots of Rock 'n ' Roll lie purely in the deep south of the USA. That maybe true, but Liverpool in the 50s/60s was the centre of the new wave of music which formed the basis of "garage" and even heavy metal. Liverpool Beat takes you on a journey from those heady days of The Beatles into the 21st century with news, reviews and exclusive articles from the real world of rock music.
Well its seems the intrusion of Big Brother into our lives has taken a new and bizarre step. The target this time? The poor old buskers of Liverpool.
Police officers in Liverpool will become everyday Simon Cowells when new council rules give them the power to decide if buskers are good enough to perform.
"Under proposed Liverpool City Council rules, police constables and council officers would have the power to move buskers along who are not “of a satisfactory quality.”
The conditions, which come before the Mayor’s cabinet on Friday, come into force later this month if approved and will see buskers pay for the pleasure of being judged.
Permits to perform will cost £20 a year and hard-up street entertainers must hold public liability insurance which could cost up to £100.
The report says: “Entertainers must cease their performance and move on if requested to do so for any reason by a Police Constable or a Council Officer.
The complete report can be viewed here on Click Liverpool.
Fergy's Comment:
Apart from being crazy, this stuff has to be stopped....and right now. I understand that a protest group is being formed to stop this inane piece of interference in public liberties. I will keep you posted.
Update:
Message just received from Garry Popper the Producer of "The City That Rocked The World", a movie about the history of Liverpool Music due for release early next year.
"What you might like to add is that last week a new young scouse band - a trio called THE VERDICT - won a nationwide competition to play at the House of Commons. They were sponsored by a local MP. I filmed them a few months ago and they are VERY VERY good. Only a week ago I met two members again. They were on their way to busk in Liverpool to earn some money. Both were stony broke. If PC plod had arrested them then for not having insurance or a licence to play - or worse because he didn't like they did - and their talented careers would be in ruins. Liverpool is the best breeding ground in the world for talent and next year it is bidding for the UNESCO City of Music Award. It would be lasting shame on all concerned if it become known as the first city in Britain that sent out its police force to silence it instead." Garry Popper - Film Producer