City plans crackdown on busking and begging

Buskers, beggars and Big Issue sellers could face firmer restrictions in Nottingham as the council looks to crack down on a "significant increase" in anti-social behaviour in the city centre.

The authority said concerns about "aggressive charity collection", public urination and people sleeping in doorways was damaging the city's reputation.

Earlier this year city centre businesses told the BBC some buskers were so loud they could not hear customers speaking.

Now the council is considering introducing a three-year Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) which would give it enhanced powers to halt nuisance behavioiur.

In a report, the authority said Nottinghamshire Police had received more than 3,000 calls related to anti-social behaviour in the city centre over the past 18 months.

It had also logged 78 incidents since April 2025 of people blocking doorways, fire exits, shop entrances and cleansing routes along with 43 complaints about busking, especially loud or prolonged performances.

"There has been a significant increase in anti-social behaviour since the previous PSPO expired," the report said.

"Businesses and the public have also raised concerns about unauthorised requests for money, aggressive charity collection, unauthorised distribution of free matter, and repeated cases of public urination and defecation.

"[The PSPO] is not about targeting people unfairly or criminalising any group of people. It is about setting clear rules so everyone can use the city centre safely."

The proposed new PSPO will be put out for consultation.

If adopted, it would prohibit activities including selling the Big Issue without permission and blocking public spaces as well as limiting where busking can happen.

It also said anyone asking for money, including for charity, will need council permission, after concerns about collectors being "persistent or intrusive".

The city council previously introduced a similar PSPO in 2019 but this expired in March 2025 and the council said this has limited officers' ability to deal with problems.

The BBC has asked the council why the order was not renewed when it expired, given it had previously been extended but has not yet received a response.

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