A popular busker whose al fresco performances are distressing two town centre residents has defended his position.

Anna and neighbour Sean who live opposite Shady Gardens in Totnes High Street, one of David Hughes’ favoured busking spots, claim his music is so loud they cannot work.

Complaining at the recent Totnes Town Council meeting, Anna said David’s use of amps causes her “mental distress” and that she was “loosing her mind” over it, while Sean hailed the music “distracting.”

Referring to David as “cowboy hat man,” Anna claims he plays amplified music at Shady Gardens at least four times a week.

A dismayed David said he was upset to read about the pair’s complaints against him in the Totnes Times, and denied playing louder than any other busker in the town or playing in the same spot four times a week.

He said: “Every now and then you get grievances like the music’s too loud, so you turn it down, you are cooperative - it’s not in my best interests in any way, shape or form to upset, antagonise and take the biscuit with people.

“But equally there is a middle ground as well.”

Shoppers, shopkeepers, cafe owners and other town centre residents enjoy his music, which adds to the vibrancy and buzzing atmosphere of the quirky town centre, says David.

“Do two people’s opinion matter more than so many others?” he questioned.

“It’s the high street in a busy, popular, tourist town. Just because you happen to work from home now doesn’t mean you get the right to silence the street.”

A freelance guitarist who is also employed as a session musician, music teacher and to play at gigs and events, David says he has been forced to earn a living through busking much more since the Covid pandemic.

He busks all over Devon, not just Totnes, and accused Anna and Sean of exaggerating the situation.

“I’m not there four times a week. I intentionally didn’t go there for two-and-a-half months because Anna gets stressed about the music on a Saturday.”

David describes his style of music as funky ‘Latinesque,’ and says he plucks his guitar strings with his fingers rather than a pick, which produces a softer, quieter sound.

“The trouble and stark reality is, to busk without and amplifier as an acoustic guitarist would render me inaudible. It’s simply too quiet an instrument.

“The situation is nuanced. The buskers Anna refers to that don’t use amplifiers are instruments that are acoustically louder.”

Technically, amplified busking is not allowed in Totnes according to the town council’s busking code of conduct – something David said he was genuinely unaware of as it is allowed in most towns and cities across Devon and the UK.

David also busks outside St Mary’s Church and in the Market Square and says he will continue to play at Shady Gardens as “I’m entitled to,” he said.

“There just aren’t that many locations in Totnes, so not ever going to Shady Gardens again isn’t the most appropriate or fair thing.

“I make the effort and enjoy going to different parts of Devon to busk – Exeter, Torquay, Plymouth, and Dartmouth is a good place – but I do live in Totnes so to be able to busk in my own town is obviously good.

“It’s less expenses and I like it here more than anywhere else in Devon – it’s Totnes, it’s beautiful.”