Save Covent Garden Street Theatre

Save Covent Garden Street Theatre Westminster Council plans to bring in licensing fees across the West End in order to criminalise unlicensed Street performance.

FAQ

I'm an international performer from a non UK country, how does this effect me? International Performers will have to work a working visa in order to apply for a licence or risk being criminalised. We are attempting to find out if working visas would be accessable to transient workers such as street performers. Under the current law you do not need a working visa


I'm a local busker in London

, how does this effect me? The number of pitches will be reduced,
and you will be expected to leave a 20 minute gap between each performance
greatly reducing the number of slots per day


I'm a travelling UK busker, how does this effect me? It will bemuch harder to make the money in London you would need to cover costs and make a profit
with that much competition daily spots are not guaranteed. If you don't follow the rules you risk arrest


I'm a member of the public, how does this effect me? With less performers on the street you will see more repetitive performances
because international performers ( including the EU since Brexit)will no longer be legally allowed to work in London. Local performers will also be working with reduced spaces and times which may force them to get other work. The freedom of the arts in London is struggling to stay alive

This petition has only been running for three weeks and we're already close to 5000 signatures! We're aiming for at leas...
21/10/2023

This petition has only been running for three weeks and we're already close to 5000 signatures! We're aiming for at least 10,000 before the Council convenes to decide Covent Gardens future on the 4th December.
Keep on signin', likin' 'n' sharin' please m'dears.
VIVA LA RESISTANCE! SAVE COVENT GARDEN STREET THEATRE!

For over 40 years, the Covent Garden Street Performers Association has self regulated accessible, family friendly street entertainment in the West End. But gentrification is forcing this Great British Tradition out of our city centres, in favour of businesses who want sanitised and bland high street...

13/10/2023

We have until 4th December to show Westminster City Council that their draconian and unworkable licence regime is neither wanted nor needed in Covent Garden. You can help by signing the petition linked to in the comments below.

Let’s keep Covent Garden street theatre alive.

We’ve managed to get over 3500 signatures on our petition in a week! It’s looking like Westminster council will be makin...
04/10/2023

We’ve managed to get over 3500 signatures on our petition in a week! It’s looking like Westminster council will be making their decision in early December. We’d like to have at least 10,000 signatures before we present our petition to the leader of the council.

You can help by following the link and signing our petition.

Keep Covent Garden street theatre alive.

https://www.megaphone.org.uk/petitions/save-covent-garden-street-performers?fbclid=IwAR3tKmSR8x5FSvzgvQKqRnE8V9RTr58AS8gL9QOCsfag3qUZ0GWAb1aAmig

For over 40 years, the Covent Garden Street Performers Association has self regulated accessible, family friendly street entertainment in the West End. But gentrification is forcing this Great British Tradition out of our city centres, in favour of businesses who want sanitised and bland high street...

03/10/2023

Over the summer Westminster council officers authored a report on street entertainment in the borough that was absolutely riddled with untrue assertions about Covent Garden Street Performers Association, one of which being that we never provided the council with the documents detailing our rules ‘n’ regs, code of conduct etc. We actually emailed them to the council in September 2021, over two years ago, they must have “lost” them somehow?!

So, here’s a video of two of our representatives hand delivering the documents to city hall. Who knows, maybe they’ll be less likely to “lose” hard copies!

If you’d like to support us in our fight then please sign the petition linked to in the comments below.

Equity have our back in this fight and you can too! You can help by signing the petition linked to in the comments below...
01/10/2023

Equity have our back in this fight and you can too! You can help by signing the petition linked to in the comments below.

VIVA LA RESISTANCE!

This petition has only been up a couple of days and we've already picked up nearly 1500 signatures! Keep signing folks! ...
27/09/2023

This petition has only been up a couple of days and we've already picked up nearly 1500 signatures! Keep signing folks! Save Covent Garden!

For over 40 years, the Covent Garden Street Performers Association has self regulated accessible, family friendly street entertainment in the West End. But gentrification is forcing this Great British Tradition out of our city centres, in favour of businesses who want sanitised and bland high street...

26/09/2023

Hello folks! You may have noticed that we've undergone a slight rebrand. This is because, while we have been successful in defending Covent Gardens street entertainers from the Blue Meanies of Westminster Council for the past two and a half years, once again the barbarians are at our gates. On the 4th October the Council convenes to debate the terms of their licence crackdown going forward. Worryingly the direction of thought seems to be that the licence should be made even MORE restrictive and MORE draconian, in effect doubling down on a scheme that has demonstrably failed on it's own terms.

We will not let this happen but your support in this fight is more valuable then ever before. Watch this space folks, we're gonna be featured a lot in the print and broadcast media over the next couple of weeks, keep your eyes peeled please, like and share!

So, last night the BBC screened a documentary on the history of Covent Gardens West Piazza entitled The Peoples Piazza. ...
14/11/2022

So, last night the BBC screened a documentary on the history of Covent Gardens West Piazza entitled The Peoples Piazza. It left a bad taste as it somehow managed to comprehensively erase street theatre from Covent Gardens history. I have a plan to get our voice heard but I'm gonna need help.
Don't worry, nothing too taxing. Below I've posted a link to the Twitter profile of the historian who fronted the program. Could I ask everyone who see's this status to Tweet him the following message?
"I watched your documentary, The Peoples Piazza. Why did you choose to ignore the street performers? "
I'm hoping with your help we can make the hashtag go viral, and, hopefully get some attention from the wider media.
Street performance as an artform is more important then ever, especially in these strange days. Don't let the BBC cancel us, we're part of the history too!
And of course feel free to expand on my suggested Tweet if you have your own thoughts on the matter- I know a lot of you are more eloquent than me!

British-Nigerian Historian - BAFTA Winning Producer/Presenter - Best Selling Author - Prof. Public History Manchester Uni - AGENT [email protected]

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