Should Glasgow ‘crackdown’ on buskers for the Commonwealth Games next year?  We asked the question on our Facebook page yesterday and got some lively responses.

The general mood was summed up by Kevin:

It sounds like they are trying to make Glasgow look and sound like something that it isn’t to please tourists. That’s daft. Show people the real Glasgow, iffy buskers and all!

And why would Glasgow try to do anything different?

George had a suggestion:

perhaps the plan is to have them apply for a licence to perform – the way they do at the ed fringe? although i haven’t seen a “duff busker” in glasgow, i doubt such a thing would survive!

Ukele if u want to

Indeed, according to the BBC website, the Scottish Government has launched a consultation on controls of ‘unauthorised street trading’, which would apply to “17 Games venues in and around Glasgow, Edinburgh and Carnoustie”.

Carnoustie? Apparently the authorities are concerned about behaviour near Games venues so the rules would apply round the Barry Buddon Shooting Centre, near Carnoustie – and the Royal Commonwealth Pool in Edinburgh.

But the main concern is obviously Glasgow and there’s a long list of potential no-busk zones round the city, including George Square, Merchant City, Glasgow Green and Kelvingrove Park.

Seems a shame to dampen the city’s musical spirit in an attempt to tidy up the town for tourists? Busking is a venerable part of street art in all the best cities, not least Britain’s first UNESCO City of Music. As another George put it on our Facebook page: “It’s part of the tapestry…it can be a right of passage for some musicians.”  Without doubt. We did a little digging (Ok, we Googled the words ‘famous buskers’) and came up with an interesting newish website called  Busker World.

Click on Famous Buskers and you find a dazzling display of the great and not-always-good rock, pop, folk and classical musicians: from BB King and Billy Bragg to Kanye West and KT Tunstall…oh and Clapton, Dylan, McCartney, Joplin, Manic Street Preachers….the list goes on and on.  Comedians and magicians, singers and actors have all honed their skills trying to snatch an audience from the scurrying crowds in the streets.

Neil Young, the blog adds, busked on Glasgow’s streets when he played the Apollo in the 1970s. Perhaps he treated the crowd to some of the set list for the 1976 gig?

So Scottish Government, please do not fear Glasgow’s buskers: tourists will love them! Or, if they don’t love Glasgow’s buskers they are not likely to love Glasgow at all. Take a look at the video, Glasgow 3 am.