THE city council is on another collision course with West End street performers after officers recommended a series of curbs and higher fees in a review of a botched licensing scheme.

An overhaul of Westminster’s pay-to-play scheme, set up in 2021, where musicians are restricted to designated sites, is being recommended by the officers.

The busking regime aimed to reduce noise nuisance complaints but it has led to hundreds more over the last two years, leading officials to admit it has not met “its intended goals” and “cannot be assessed as being successful”.

Councillors are being advised to “remove the use of any amplification, brass, wind, percussion, and percussive instruments during weekdays” at one particular problem pitch in Leicester Square.

A mammoth 114-page report, due to be debated by councillors next week, said: “It is also recommended that while a collaborative approach is under way, the council may wish to proceed with the statutory process to remove amplification from the pitch. This ensures that progress is not delayed and that measures are put in place to address the noise issues promptly.”

Buskers say the lack of pitches available in the West End forces some acts to “play louder to attract audiences and maximise their potential earnings”, according to the report.

It said that police did not have the time to get into “illegal” busking disputes and there has been only one court prosecution since the scheme was introduced. This had led to a £40-fine for one musician from the court.

The “low” fees for the busking licence are to be reviewed as the cost of running scheme spirals, the report said.

Age restrictions are due to be introduced after safeguarding issues emerged, with unlicensed child buskers routinely playing in the West End, it said.

The report also raises concerns about royalties liabilities and the way “illegal” buskers “rile-up” crowds of up to 200 people by making highly personal verbal attacks on officers who respond to complaints.

In April 2021 Westminster City Council introduced the new policy that saw pitches set up at Piccadilly Circus, Chinatown, Leicester Square, Oxford Street, Regent Street, Soho, Covent Garden, Strand, Charing Cross, and Trafalgar Square,

The idea was to prohibit busking in those areas apart from at 27 designated busking pitches. Between April 2021 and May 2023 there have been 5,070 complaints, a rise of about 1,000 on the two years before. In Covent Garden, the Royal Opera House performances have been disrupted owing to the noise levels.

The report said: “The council continues to recognise the cultural contribution that busking and street entertainment add to the city’s vibrancy and character.

“However there continue to be adverse impacts from busking and street entertainment in certain locations around the city. The high number of loud or amplified performances daily meant that residents and nearby businesses had little or no respite for lengthy periods.”