Street entertainment and busking

Who needs a street entertainment licence

You’ll need a street entertainment licence if you want to busk or perform any other type of street entertainment at designated locations in:

• Greenwich town centre
• Woolwich town centre

For all other locations in the borough you:

• need to follow our street entertainment policy and guidance
• do not need a licence to perform

About the licence

A street entertainment licence:

• costs £30.00
• is valid for 6 months
• allows you to perform in one of our 4 designated performance locations

It allows you to book:

• book designated locations
• 2-hour slots between 11am and 9pm
• 7 days a week
• a maximum of 4 slots 

The licence does not allow you to:

• perform without booking in advance
• perform in any other location in Greenwich or Woolwich town centres
• sell goods or services
• collect money for charity 

We reserve the right to deny permission for any performance that may be deemed controversial or potentially offensive on religious, political, moral, or other grounds.

Performance locations

We have 4 designated street entertainment locations:

• Cutty Sark Northeast
• Cutty Sark Northwest
• General Gordon Square, Woolwich
• Powis Street outside Iceland, Woolwich

We’ve painted musical notes on the pavement to indicate the exact pitches. 

View our street entertainment locations maps:

Map documents

Street entertainment policy and guidance

Performers need to abide by our Street Entertainment Policy. This policy aims to balance the needs of performers with those of residents, workers and visitors.

The policy is set out in our:

• Code of conduct and policy
• Licence application guidance
• Busk in London buskers code

Before you apply

Prepare the information and documents you'll need for your application:  

• evidence of your national insurance number
• copy of a valid passport (with a work permit if you’re not a European Citizen) 
• passport-size photograph of each performer signed by them on the back
• evidence of public liability insurance covering a minimum of £2 million (we check this once a year) 

Experienced street performers must provide 2 references from:

• other local authorities
• London Underground
• other establishments where you currently perform

inexperienced street performers must provide 2 references from a relevant professional body or organisation.

Apply for a licence

Complete our street entertainment licence application form

Book a performance pitch

To book a performance location and time, email us at street-trading@royalgreenwich.gov.uk.