2001 Fringe sold £9m of tickets

Ticket sales at last year's Edinburgh Fringe totaled almost £9million, it has been announced.

And although the event often seems dominated by comedy - only a fifth of shows fell into that category - the same ratio as the previous year, There are twice as many theatre shows.

In total, 666 groups presented 20,443 performances of 1,462 shows in 176 venues according to the annual report just published by the Fringe Society.

The figures work out at an average box office take of more than £400 for each performance.

Chairman Baroness Smith of Gilmorehill said: "2001 was an extraordinary and highly successful year for the Fringe, with audience figures, box office income and sponsorship revenue all reaching record levels.

"Even more pleasing is the fact that nearly 100 more groups than the previous year appeared in the programme ­ proof, if it were needed, that Edinburgh at Fringe time is still the only place to be in August."

This year's event runs from August 8 to 26, and the programme is published on June 6.

The fringe's official website has been redesigned to coincide with the annual report.

Published: 6 May 2002