sorry for bringing this up again
please, if any uk pipers have found any towns, festivals, sporting events etc particularly good for busking could they let me know - a pm would be fine as this thread probably isn’t of great interest to most of you out there
i have done a lot of busking on the pipes in the uk for the last 25 years or so and before that on other instruments starting in about 1968.busking on the pipes during the riverdance years was very good and people were aware of the pipes and enjoyed them but over the last 5 years or so any form of busking in the uk has become financially worthless to say the least.despite the beauty and charm of the pipes people are now hardened to the general,everyday street scene made up of unfortunate homeless beggars,aggresive eastern european hustlers who style themselves as accordeonists but who will offer you physical violence to move you from a pitch that you might have been playing for a number of years and the ubiquitous big issue sellers.peoples sensibilities will only stand so much bombardment for reward and then they switch off.i consider that the days of the respectable street entertainer in britain are over unless you are content to prostitute your piping art for a few quid an hour and are able to deal with the endless and nasty harrasment from all and sundry in this sad socio-economic climate.busking on the pipes in the uk was once a very worthwile and pleasurable experience,now i would not recommend it to anyone.allan.
I have a great deal of sympathy for Allan’s views.
There is an assault on peoples pockets by diverse and sometimes aggresive opposition. Not least organisations that have a ‘concession’ to rest funds from the general public by local authority permit(UK). These can be main stream charitable organisations, or the local mafia-esque groups: but whatever, who guard their approved monopoly to raise funds at a moment in time.
There are two groups who busk; a) those who derive a large proportion of their income from it; and those who do it for fun/beer money/charity.
Busking/begging/preaching, (the latter includes politics/charitys/diets/alternative life styles, etc etc), are professions. Busking, with a lower case b, is a performence, or trying out your skills in the glare of public scrutiny, for fun - with a bonus of a few dollars for beer, to see if you appeal to a critical audience.
Try it. You will hear your music in a new way, and for sure will learn a thing or two along the way. Do it for the craic and practice.
The best pitches will have cues along side them…
Love it. 
actually today the money was pretty good thanks be to God
Just don’t go to Oxford. 
Why?
the singer from Kila threw me a coin today and a well-known music teacher from London gave me a ridiculously generous amount
just watching fr ted on channel 4 - I’ve met the real ‘dancing priest’ at the st pat’s parade in London in the past but not today
Oxford used to be gr8 until a GHB player began an anti busking campaign in the local press due to extended and repetitive GHB sessions at the same pitch. He really made busking with pipes in Oxford an unpopular choice!
Before digital music, I’d double (at least) my takings in CD sales but nowdays no-one would buy a CD for a fiver. I’ve not busked since 2006 (run a business now for my sins ;0)) but the street does look more competitive nowdays.
I found having a tough looking dog kept any ‘hassle’ at bay, though he would howl along to slow airs!
Now this is the way to do it. Pipes+dancer busking
http://youtu.be/9SpIRnZ9L_0
This reminds me of something busking has taught me: when you are a solo busker you can make some money. When you busk with another musician/performer you don’t make twice of some money, you make half of some money.
And for some reason musicians tell me that they are going to busk with me. They don’t ask if they can join me, they tell me “perhaps I’ll come join you sometime”. So far, no one has followed through on that, but I find it odd that people think they can just crash my gig. 
…and pocket half of some money.
Hate to sound all miserly, but for me, busking has been a critical lifesaver the past several years, for a host of reasons I could list.
I wish all buskers out there the best of good fortune in this ancient and honorable practice. 