Street Entertainers - Windsor and Eton

Good street entertainment provides pleasure to many people and can enhance the atmosphere and vitality of the town.   The Windsor and Eton Town Partnership in association with the Royal Borough will shortly be launching a new street entertainers permit scheme, which will make a number of changes to the current scheme including increasing the number of performance locations in the town.

In preparation for this we are asking all street entertainers to come and register their details on this existing Code of Good Practice so that when the new scheme is introduced we are able to contact all interested individuals and groups.

The Windsor and Eton Street Entertainers Code of Good Practice was developed by the Windsor and Eton Town Partnership, in association with the Thames Valley Police and the Royal Borough .  A registration form can be obtained from the Windsor & Eton Town Manager or you can download a form below. 

Code of Good Practice

• Proof of identity will be required when registering.
• Leave public seats and entrances free for other town centre users.
• Please play at a reasonable volume. Consider people working nearby. You may use limited amplification but it may not exceed 15 decibels. No generators are permitted.
• Respect your audience - they will not appreciate anti-social behaviour or drunkenness.
• No sale of merchandise will be allowed.
• Ensure that you and the audience does not block the street for other users.
• If a nearby business asks you to move on, then please respect their wishes and move to another area of the town.
• You may collect money - but please do not put a sign asking for money. You or your agents may not directly approach people for money.
• Do not use animals in your performance.
• If a Council or Police officer receives a complaint, they may ask you to stop performing. Please comply with their request.
• Have a varied repertoire - repetition can be tedious. Do not perform for more than 11/2 hours without a break of at least half and hour.
• Street entertainers perform at their own risk.
• Street entertainers may not perform in groups of more than four without prior permission.
• Due to Windsor and Eton's narrow streets, no acts using fire are permitted.

Windsor Royal Station and King Edward Court

Windsor Royal Station and King Edward Court are privately owned shopping centres. They are aware of and support the Code of Good Practice and you may be asked to register using this code before performing on their sites.  However, they reserve the right to refuse entertainers even if registered with this Code.

Legal

Although the Police are aware of and support the Code of Good Practice, the Code does not confer immunity from any action that may be taken if an entertainer is found to be in contravention of the:

• Environmental Protection Act 1990
• Noise and Statutory Nuisance Act 1993
• Highways Act 1980
• Control of Pollution Act 1974

Under the Environmental Protection Act 1990, noise in the street from musical instruments may be a statutory nuisance and the local authority is able to take legal action to abate the nuisance and prohibit or restrict its recurrence. This may include the seizure of musical instruments.

The police and the council will not normally institute legal action where the Code is observed.  However breaches make an offender liable to prosecution.  It should also be noted that persons other than the police or the council may institute action under the same laws whether or not the Code is observed.

Contact Information:

If you need any further information or assistance, please contact the Windsor & Eton Town Manager:
Tel: 01753 743921
email: windsor.tm@rbwm.gov.uk

Completed Registration forms should be submitted to:

Windsor and Eton Town Manager
York House
Sheet Street
Windsor
SL4 1DD

•   Street Entertainers Registration Form (pdf 98kb)