A popular busker has been banned from playing his music in the centre of Cardiff.
Known to many as Buster Redlox, the 25 year old who was a regular on CardiffÔÇÖs Queen Street was told his music was too loud and as such has been banned from playing by the City Council.
Though popular with passing members of the public, multiple complaints had been lodged by some store managers located on Queen Street, who argued that the noise was ÔÇ£disrupting business.ÔÇØ
The musician who has been entertaining on Queen Street for two years was left shocked by the punishment handed out by Cardiff Council who also labelled his music a ÔÇ£statutory noise nuisance.ÔÇØ
Many, including those who are said to have complained, have since accepted that the CouncilÔÇÖs decision to ban him from the entire street was an extreme reaction when a request to reduce the volume would have appeared a more sensible and less radical response.
Members of the public quickly leapt to his defence on social media:
ÔÇ£Buster is a genuinely talented musician
ÔÇ£Talent and culture should be proudly displayed in the streets of Cardiff, not shunned due to a couple of store owner complaintsÔÇØ one person said.
Cardiff resident Carwin Davis said: ÔÇ£You see plenty of people who canÔÇÖt even play, but he is a really talented musician. It is very unfair.ÔÇØ
A supervisor at jewellers Ernest Jones, who didnÔÇÖt want to be named, added, ÔÇ£He is louder than most of them but it didnÔÇÖt harm our business. It is a bit over the top to ban him completely.ÔÇØ
Kieran Fraser, team leader at shoe shop Clarks, said he and his colleagues liekd BusterÔÇÖs music so much they used to turn down music in the shop to hear him.
But Birdie Thomas, head cashier at Zara, was one of those who complained. She said: ÔÇ£He was a very good guitar player but he was very loud. Sometimes you couldnÔÇÖt hear yourself think when trying to serve customers.ÔÇØ
Cardiff Council has also threatened the musician with the seizure of his equipment, a £5000 fine and even a court case if he were to play on Queen Street again.
Buster told Wales Online: ÔÇ£I think I was fairly loud but not too loud. It is ridiculous. They could have at least asked me to turn it down first.ÔÇØ
He has since appealed the CouncilÔÇÖs decision but has now been forced to move his trade elsewhere and is currently busking on the streets of Bristol instead.
A Cardiff council spokesman said ÔÇ£The law relating to our duty to enforce states that if a statutory noise nuisance is established the council ÔÇÿshallÔÇÖ serve a notice ÔÇô there is no discretion.
ÔÇ£A code of conduct is in place which requires buskers to keep the sound volume under control.ÔÇØ
An online petition has been set up in response to the ban and in two weeks he has already received over 1,300 signatures as well as hundreds of messages of support through his Youtube and Facebook page. However, as it stands, the council appear unmoved in their justification of the ban so despite the overwhelming amount of support, Cardiff may have seen the last of Buster.
James Harris
News Writer
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