talkmagic.co.uk

Do you need a lisence or something of the sort to perform magic to people when doing street magic?

Erm... I'd say yes and no.

If you're using it to make money, then definitely.
Generally speaking though no.

A policeman is unlikely to stop you in the middle of a trick and say "Oi. You need a licence" unless there's been a complaint about you

Ok. Thanks for clearing that up

No worries.
I only know this because a friend and myself were thinking of doing a kind of "David Blaine of Cambridge" thing which we'd film (just for our amusement really) and because there's always policemen in the garage where I work, I asekd one of them.

So the source is fairly reliable

Thats what me and my friend are doing. We are going into Glasgow sometime next week. He is going to film, I will perfrom.

Lol

Same deal down here actually.
My mate will be filming whilst I perform

Although he has said he'd like to do a couple of tricks whilst I film

Exactly the same here.

My friend has kind of become my 'apprentice'

lol What tricks you gonna be performing mate?
And whereabouts in Glasgow do you live? I know some cool people up that way

I would have thought that the best people to ask about a licence were the local council. Like most things, some are possibly more hot on this than others.

EckoZero wrote:lol What tricks you gonna be performing mate?
And whereabouts in Glasgow do you live? I know some cool people up that way

I don't actually live in Glasgow. I live 20 mins away from Cumbernauld

Ah right.
The name sounds familiar... although I'm not sure why... *ponders*

dat8962 wrote:I would have thought that the best people to ask about a licence were the local council. Like most things, some are possibly more hot on this than others.

Dat is right, the law recently changed regarding licencing and your local council would be the best people to ask, incidentally whether your doing it for money or not should technically make no difference as performance licences are issued for both profit and non-profit making ventures. I fought against the new laws most of last year with my circus, and did a fair bit of research into it but am still a touch confused (as is the law)!

I think you would probably be ok as long as you are not intending to perform in the same spot for more than a few hours, as a performance licence is generally needed for events lasting more than 2 days. Even then it would be more likely that you'd need a Temporary Events Notice.

In the old days it was simply up to the council as to whether a street performance needed a licence and although the law is different now I'd check there first!

Well, I don't think I'll be performing for 2 days More around 2 hours so I should be okay.

I'd turn up and do my stuff without a licence if it were for two hours. If you get moved on then so be it but I think that the old bill have other interests to be looking after than someone performing street magic.

you should really only need a permit if you were setting up somewhere and doing a show. If you are just walking around doing your tricks for people and you don't have big props set up somewhere, there should be no reason for you to worry about trouble. Of course I'm assuming you're not asking for donations.