...to ask how you would handle this anti-social behaviour?

[SuitcasesFullofBooze]

Name change for this as possibly outing.

I live in a block of flats in London. Downstairs on the other side of the road is a spot where a busker has now taken up residence. It’s almost directly opposite my window!

All day he plays his accordion attached to a portable speaker system. It’s the same despondent song, over and over again. We’re talking 5 or 6 hours every day. It's loud and we hear it in every room of the flat.

I’m WFH and it’s driving me crazy. Seriously. I even hear the tune when he’s gone, ringing through my ears. It’s the first thing I think of in the morning, wondering if he’s going to appear that day and I won’t be able to get anything done. When the busker appears on a weekend like today DS8, who I guess has picked up on my distress, gets upset and cries and says make it stop!! I don’t know how to help.

I’ve asked the police to move him on and the council have been out and spoken to him. But he still comes back, several days a week. How would you handle this?

Take picture every time he is there - will show the time and date.
Go tell him an extreme sob story to get him to move further down the street.

I saw the council move him on yesterday. Then today he's back and now he's got some goon standing 'guard' over him, looking daggers at anyone. No doubt from the same gang. So glad I didn't say anything.

Advice?

Complain again. If you keep reporting him, and he is always there when they turn up, they will soon start taking firmer action.

Log a complaint at least once a day

Hosepipe.

Same tune over and over?

In area flats IE residential, not loads different passers by eg town centre?

There for hours every day?

In a regular group of people?

My read is group of drinkers/ druggies/ both. Hanging out. That's pretty common.

I mean if he wants cash then he's in the wrong place, with the wrong hours, playing the one tune on repeat also wrong, and got presumably iffy looking people around so also wrong. From a busker getting money perspective.

Good luck with anything from met OP!

Impressed council came out.

If it were me I'd think. Well authorities won't be interested.

Does he look rough? IE not on top of life?

He got a bouncer? That's so weird!

I'd say part of group of rough sleeping/ alchy etc pals. MH mixed in as well.

Clearly not actually trying to earn from busking!

Nightmare for you. Have you done acknowledge when passing? Or he just obviously not going to nod back?

I'd hope the council come out to make sure he is safe and give him accommodation and regular meals, then has best chance of making a future for himself. If they don't help, they will be told by someone who grassed them up, won't be confidential

How lovely would it be if an angry viper's nest of mumsnetters could show up with kazoos, ocarina, recorder, tambourines to help him out!

I think I'd have tipped a bucket of ice cold water over him by now.

I am not sure how true this is as I went down a rabbit hole, but if you are more in a residential area than a tourist area in London. This might apply to you, but I am going to say again, not sure if this is true or an urban myth

Busker plays earns £10 an hour
neighbour 1 gives him £20 to stop for an hour
neighbour 2 gives him £20 to go up the road
neighbour 3 gives him £20 to stop playing for 3 hours

Busker goes up the road repeats by the end of two hours has earnt £120 instead of £20

I can't see anyone much giving 20 note to random person.

Obv will mean play there more to get minted.... Or something.

Before I even read your update I though 'he will be back with someone standing guard'. Because I have seen this before. I used to work within the Modern Slavery arena. Being dropped off and picked up, returning even when police move you on (Because bosses are scarier than police) and then being chaperoned are all indicators of slavery. I would actually go down that route in terms of reporting. Will be looked at with a different lense. Hopefully not, as its a horrific thought but the indicators are there.

Just came on to say exactly what @Somuddled said. The police will have a human trafficking team, if seriously consider contacting them. The goon isn’t there to warn off anyone coming to move him along they’re there to make sure he wasn’t lying to try and get out of working

@Somuddled @Aphantasia You may be right. The goon was seriously scary when I walked past.
How would you go about contacting human trafficking team?

@RantyAunty I'm waiting for this!

I think you might live near me. We have a group of beggars, including accordion man, every weekend here (I'm also in London) It drives me insane, the same repetitive part of a tune over and over, all day. You have my sympathy - and I really hope you get him to stop...

I agree with the comments above about modern slavery. Tell the police everything you've seen and emphasise the involvement of other people (picking him up, dropping him off and especially keeping watch) and that you are concerned about modern slavery. You could do this by online report or ring 101. If you can, ring 101 when there is somebody out there with him at the time. Modern slavery will be a much higher priority than begging/nuisance noise