The law in Britain is rather grey on Busking as individual authorities can have different bye laws on it. Generally it's best to just give the local police a call and they usually say fine unless you cause an obstruction. One or two places still require you to have a license, though under European law busking comes under 'artistic free speech' which allows busking even on private premises e.g you could legally bust at a music festival providing you didn't interfere with it's smooth running (not next to the stage eh!)

In Ireland there are no laws nor restrictions on Busking, in fact if you were to attract enough listeners to qualify for causing an obstruction, it's the crowd who are obliged to move not the Musician! First time I ever busked was completely by accident. I sat on a little bench outside a pub in Kilkenny, when a couple passing by dropped a 2 Euro coin in my gig bag! Used to be a custom in Ireland that musicians got free drinks in a pub, now that's something I'd like to see become law ;)

Desi C
The Circle Folk Club U.K
Midlands every Wed
info mail crc778@aol.com