Ticket sales for the Edinburgh Fringe Show have fallen by a quarter compared to 2019. This is because major venues have warned that rising hotel prices in the city are jeopardizing the event’s future.
n In 2019, before the pandemic lockdown, Edinburgh Festival Fringe’s eight major production venues sold 1,965,961 tickets, but projected ticket sales fell 25% in the first full year to just 1,486,746. came back.
A spokeswoman for EdFest.com said the drop in sales was “a major threat to everyone associated with the festival”, due in part to train strikes, rising costs of living and the lingering impact of the coronavirus pandemic. I said yes.
Anyone spending time in Edinburgh knows that there are fewer people on the streets this year than in 2019.EdFest.com Spokesperson
“But most importantly, accommodation costs have skyrocketed in Edinburgh in August. Audiences and artists alike are seeing higher prices for the experience, out of town,” a spokesperson warned.
“Anyone spending time in Edinburgh, it is clear that there are fewer people on the streets this year than in 2019.
“There are certainly other factors that have impacted attendance figures this year, but lodging costs overall are a perennial issue.
“When people and performers cannot afford to stay in cities, public transport disruptions, artist visa delays and rising fuel costs are even more insurmountable.”
On the Fringe, it’s not uncommon to see desperate pleas in community Facebook groups to use a spare room because other options are too expensive. There were also reports of hotels nearly doubling the price per night during the festival.
Big names like Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Friends star David Schwimmer, comedian Eddie Izzard, and Dame Emma Thompson have seen Fringe make careers.
But EdFest.com, which consists of the Assembly, Dance Base, Gilded Balloon, Just the Tonic, Pleasance, Summerhall, Underbelly and Zoo venues, said proper housing isn’t just an August issue, it’s for governments, landlords, universities, The future of Fringe is in great jeopardy unless all Fringe venues, the Fringe Society, work together to find a lasting solution to this problem. ”
near
Circus street artist BasketballMan performs to a crowd on Edinburgh’s Royal Mile (Jane Barlow/PA)
An EdFest.com spokesperson said: “In the long term, we must find solutions that will make the festival affordable for performers and spectators.
video of the day
“Given the extent of the drop in sales, the festival as a whole will have to do a huge job to get the event back to normal. This could take years and will require public support.” There is a possibility.
“We need to stabilize the current situation in which many people are suffering great losses. To deal with the problem of accommodation. It’s a marketing campaign.”
