Montreal's Spoonman is going to pack up his spoons and retire in a few weeks.
Cyrille Esteve said that following years of efforts by the city of Montreal to get him to move along, he is finally ready to comply.
"I'm 65, I'll cash out my pension," said Esteve.
The busker has been playing the spoons at the same location in downtown Montreal for 20 years.
While many Montrealers and tourists love Esteve, he's often drawn the ire of city officials and those who work at nearby stores.
In 1999 and in 2004 he won court battles to continue to have the right to play, but in the past two years he's found his task more difficult.
The first problem was a change in noise regulations: buskers cannot produce sound that is audible more than 25 metres away.
Esteve is also finding it difficult to cope with the bylaw that requires buskers to move around the city, playing in one spot for no more than an hour before moving at least 60 metres.
"At 65 years old to move a 200 kg bike every 60 minutes is just exhausting, so I just can't," said Esteve, pointing out his bike is how he transports a stool, stereo, and the spoons that he sells.
The change in the bylaw also forbids Esteve from selling his musical spoons, because they are not an article directly related to his performance.
"Now the city of Montreal has changed the bylaw. I'm no longer allowed to sell spoons," said Esteve.
As a result he is going to give up the spoons but he will stay on the street and panhandle with his new dog.
Esteve expects the dog will be weaned in two weeks, and so his final spoon performance will be at the end of October.
