Skip to playerSkip to main contentSkip to footer
  • yesterday
Birmingham City Council is introducing new rules to curb noise, busking, street preaching, and other activities in parts of the city centre. We asked people in Birmingham what they think.
Transcript
00:00Birmingham City Council has approved a new public space protection orders to restrict what people can do in key parts of the city centre.
00:10That includes bans on busking, preaching and even amplified public speaking.
00:16The council say it's about reducing nuisance but others see it as a clamp down on culture and freedom of expression.
00:23Music and speech welcomed one day penalise the next.
00:27We ask people here in Birmingham what they think about the new rules,
00:32or whether this is about safety or silencing.
00:35It's awful, I feel like buskers are part of the culture in Birmingham, especially on New Street.
00:41I think it's nice to hear someone singing and echoing around the buildings.
00:45Like, what's wrong with that? I don't know. What's the problem?
00:49I think it should be limited because there are a lot of things going on here that I personally would like
00:56not to be here. I love to see the street performers and I think sometimes it gives them a start to see what they want to do.
01:04So, but it's, you can't help one rule for one person and one for someone else.
01:09So, I think it needs to be looked at very carefully.
01:12I think I should still go ahead and let them do it. Yeah.
01:17I think it brings a bit of life to Birmingham, especially the buskers and all that.
01:22Beyond the noise rules, the council also wants tight control on leafleting, street trading and begging.
01:28Critics say it risks pushing vulnerable people out of sight and silencing public expression.
01:35Supporters say it's long overdue and that people are sick of being harassed or dodging cluttered walkways.
01:42Either way, it raises serious questions about who our public spaces are actually for.
01:47So we ask people whether they support or oppose tighter street level restrictions.
01:53See, I definitely depose it because I work at New Street Station and I see a lot of the beggars at New Street Station that cause a lot of trouble.
02:03We've taken so-called drugs, which is mamba, heroin and we see them doing certain things outside the station.
02:10So I definitely agree to that, yeah.
02:12I'll give you an example of this. I was parked out by the outdoor market and somebody asked me for money.
02:22And I said, no, sorry, carried on.
02:25When I was going back to the car, they were in front of me.
02:29They got in the car park and they got into a Range Rover.
02:33And that just absolutely blew my mind.
02:36And then you look at them and you think you've got 150 pound trainers on.
02:41And yes, there are people that deserve someone to give them something.
02:45And I have helped a guy here once.
02:48But you have to be really careful.
02:51And you have to safeguard yourself.
02:53So again, you know, it needs to be looked at really carefully.

Recommended