Leicester Square buskers have been accused of ‘plaguing’ staff at some of the UK’s biggest radio stations – with some being forced to work in cupboards to get away from the noise.
Workers at Global – a media company which owns Heart, Capital and Classic FM – claim Westminster City Council has failed to tackle the ‘nuisance’ caused by loud musicians and singers in the famous square.
Based at 30 Leicester Square, employees have complained they can hear buskers’ setlists played on a loop, with music blasted from speakers pointed directly at the building.
A court hearing at Westminster Magistrates Court was played renditions of ‘Fast Car’ by Tracy Chapman and ‘Someone Like You’ by Adele as proof of the daily interruptions they face.
‘It’s incredibly distracting,’ said Charlotte Jacob, a staff member. ‘Yesterday in the office, in the afternoon, I was not able to conduct a conversation with a colleague two desks away, probably three metres max, as someone was singing Hallelujah very loudly.’
Michelle Gammon described her astonishment at the volume, saying she could even hear the singing while in the bathroom: ‘I was hearing the vocals in the loo at the back of the building.’
Gareth Andrewartha added: ‘The sound permeates the windows so I can hear every lyric and element. It’s difficult to concentrate,’ he said, explaining that he’s had to duck into a cupboard for peace and quiet.
‘We’re more willing to tolerate heat than the noise,’ he continued, referring to how staff are reluctant to open windows during the summer for fear of the noise getting worse.
William Padfield called the sound ‘invasive,’ telling the court: ‘Several of us wear noise-cancelling headphones and can still hear the buskers.’
Alison Jones described the noise as ‘overwhelming,’ while Simon Thomas said radio staff were ‘plagued by noise that stops us working.’
Lydia Clinchart even complained that ‘sometimes the bad quality of the performance makes it more distracting.’
The dispute is part of a legal battle Global Radio is fighting against Westminster City Council. The company is prosecuting the council under the Environmental Protection Act 1990, accusing the authority of failing to address the ongoing noise nuisance.
This is believed to be the first case of its kind, typically used for issues like fly-tipping.
Jonathan Manning, a barrister representing the council, argued that the noise from busking doesn’t constitute a legal nuisance.
He claimed that Global’s evidence did not support the idea that the local authority should be held responsible.
‘Their evidence proves the opposite,’ Manning said, pointing out that the staff were able to name buskers and sing along with their sets: ‘Global’s witnesses made it clear that they know some buskers so well they can sing every word to their sets.’
The council also challenged the claim that the busking volume was loud enough to qualify as a noise nuisance, with one expert testifying that the music, when audible, was not overly intrusive.
However, Global’s barrister, Melissa Murphy KC, argued that amplified music, particularly from Pitch Nine in the northeast corner of Leicester Square, has led to ‘oppressive volume.’
She explained: ‘It is difficult to hold a conversation over the noise. It is disruptive, distracting.’
Murphy added that the constant noise – going on for long periods each day – made working conditions unbearable.
‘It feels inescapable. It significantly undermines Global’s ability to use their premises in accordance with their lease,’ she said. ‘It is a thorough nuisance.’
The company has claimed that the council has failed to take action despite months of complaints, accusing Westminster City Council of allowing the situation to continue by failing to control the buskers.
District Judge John Law, who is overseeing the trial, is expected to deliver a verdict next month.