Buskers, pedestrian zones can live in harmony

The Yau Tsim Mong District Council has finally endorsed the Transport Department’s proposal to close Hong Kong’s first pedestrian zone from Aug 4. Ever since Sai Yeung Choi Street South was designated a pedestrian zone, complaints about noise and congestion have gone on unabated; the dispute came to a head last month when the YTMDC passed a motion to close it down.

This pedestrianized street — connected with the well-known “Ladies’ Street” where tourists and locals alike come to shop, eat and hang out — has irked shopkeepers and restaurants doing business there who have endured the commotion of raucous street performers, some of whom regularly set their loudspeakers to a deafening level. Musical bands also perform live there with thundering drum beats while singers have their voices amplified by mammoth loudspeakers. The cacophony has forced sales people working at nearby shops to wear earplugs or ear muffs. Moreover, some residents living above the pedestrian zone reported suffering from severe insomnia arising from street noise.

When pedestrian street schemes were first mooted, the Transport Department gave the objective as improving the overall pedestrian environment and public safety, preventing competition for road space between vehicles and pedestrians. If street performers draw too many spectators, blocking Sai Yeung Choi Street South, it would defeat the purpose of the exercise, argue supporters of the district council’s decision. They note road congestion and noise problems do not exist at other pedestrian zones in the territory because there are no street performers. Therefore they conclude street performers and buskers should not be allowed in pedestrian zones.

However, busking and street performance have been a part of human history in many cultures. Their existence to this day merely attests to the common people’s appreciation for their impromptu art form, hence their value. References to street acrobatics in Chinese literature date as far back as the Han Dynasty (206 BC-220 AD). These ancient Chinese acrobatic entertainers performed for passers-by to earn a living. In this, our current street performers do not seem to differ much from their ancient predecessors as they prefer to rely on their own talent and hard work to make a living, rather than welfare. Therefore, their supporters contend, they should not be expunged from our streets and public areas so long as they do not cause undue obstruction. In other words, properly regulated, busking brings benefits to buskers and society.

What perhaps is slightly different in Hong Kong is that some buskers use their street performances as a ticket to fame. They are of course also practicing their craft and hoping to perform before ever larger crowds to be “discovered” in hopes of shooting to stardom one day. Pedestrianized zones such as Sai Yeung Choi Street and Great George Street in Causeway Bay offer buskers free and convenient “stages”. And some of them have proven the adage that hard work and talent will take you places. Indeed, some former busking musicians have risen to fame after performing on our streets songs they wrote themselves. In the process, they have made an honorable living and contributed to creative and music industries. It is an enviable outcome that we should not do anything to discourage.

Busking is very common in many cities around the world, especially in popular tourist destinations. In Hong Kong, our buskers sing Cantonese songs, perform wushu and traditional Chinese operas, which captivate many tourists especially from the West. They show another facet of this vibrant city and enhance the cultural image of Hong Kong, where East meets West, making the city one of the top travel destinations in the world. Indeed, many cities are aware of the value of busking and the connection between busking and tourism. Some actively encourage busking but temper it with proper regulation — as in Edinburgh, London, Melbourne and New Orleans.

There is nothing wrong with designating pedestrian zones, but allowing unregulated busking in these congested areas is asking for trouble. The solution lies in identifying public locations suitable for busking. And there is no lack of such spaces where locals and visitors congregate at leisure. The Central Waterfront Promenade and the Piazza at Stanley Plaza are but two of many potential locations to be so identified where busking is allowed

Consideration can also be given to busking at some of the currently most popular sites but only accompanied by a strict enforcement of regulations designed to minimize disturbance and nuisance to nearby residents and businesses. The Street Performance Scheme of the West Kowloon Cultural District can serve as a template. Under the scheme, street entertainers who want to perform at the WKCD Park have to apply and will be invited to give a live demonstration of their intended performance; a panel comprising district councilors, members of the artistic and cultural sectors and an official from the relevant government department will assess the act. There is no reason why we cannot preserve busking as well as the peace and quiet of our society by dealing with the issue in a common-sense approach. It will only add vibrancy to our colorful city and still preserve our social harmony. The author is the president of the Association of Hong Kong Professionals and has been serving Hong Kong through active participation in various statutory boards and committees of the HKSAR Government.