Mime artist breaks his silence to blast permits

Published on Wednesday 16 July 2008 10:23

ONE of Edinburgh's best known street performers has hit out at Fringe organisers over their newly-introduced busking licence.

This year, street performers are being charged up to 50 to perform on the Royal Mile, as well as in a newly-created performance area on The Mound.

Organisers say they have had a good response from performers, with dozens already taking up the licence and more expected to apply closer to the start of the Fringe.

One of those who already has a licence is the Silver Man, who is seen regularly on Princes Street.

However, he has blasted organisers for bringing in the permit, saying it was a "disgrace" that performers without one will be denied the chance to make a living in public areas.

He said it would serve to deter major street performers from around the world from coming to Edinburgh.

The mime artist, who makes a point of keeping his real name a closely-guarded secret, has been performing at the Fringe since 1982. He makes a living performing at festivals all over the world.

He said: "I have paid the 50 for a licence, which covers the full Fringe, but I have done so very reluctantly as I think it is a disgrace that people are being charged to perform on what is essentially common good land.

"I am an Edinburgh resident and a taxpayer, yet I am being told that I have to pay extra to perform at my home festival.

"My wife and son are also performers, and they would normally work during the Fringe, but we simply cannot afford to get three licences this year, so they will not be able to.

"I felt I had to really, as it is the busiest time of the year, but I think particularly for new performers this will be a stumbling block.

"I know that most of the street performers are infuriated by this move. Many of them may well not come back to Edinburgh because of it."

The new system has seen performers paying 20 for a one-week pass, 30 for a two-week pass and 50 for a pass covering the entire Fringe. In previous years, balloon artists and portrait painters were charged 70 per week to participate on the Royal Mile, and the new system was brought in to divide the costs more evenly, as buskers and street performers had not previously been charged any fee to perform on the Royal Mile.

James James, 46, a street magician from Edinburgh who has performed at the Fringe for the last five years, said: "50 isn't much to pay, but it is the precedent it sets – what will the price be next year, I wonder?

"The trouble with this is we are not getting anything we didn't already have. They have said we will get a forum for sharing ideas, but we can do that at the pub for free."

A spokesman for the Fringe said: "The majority of artists have been positive about the flat rate charges because all the revenue raised will go towards paying the costs of staffing new performance spaces on The Mound."