Crisis meetings over box office problems

The festival starts in less that two weeks, but the system has been unable to print out tickets in time to send them out.

Phone and in-person sales are to be suspended again tomorrow and Monday as technicians grapple with the software problems.

Fringe director Jon Morgan, said: ‘We are still experiencing problems with the Fringe box office system. However, we want to be absolutely clear that the Fringe will run as planned and we would encourage everyone to continue buying tickets for shows.

‘We are focused on delivering an excellent festival for artists, venues, audiences and all other stakeholders.’

The box office problems will hit smaller venues hardest, as big players – such as the four behind the contentious Edinburgh Comedy Festival – are able to issue their own tickets.

The Fringe say all bookings already made through the box office would be fulfilled and that more information on ticket collection will be announced next week.

Venues have been invited to crisis meetings this weekend in which Fringe bosses will explain the latest problems.

Ticket sales on the Fringe website began more than a week late, causing frustration for festival-goers. On the website, several shows were displaying the wrong information, such as a classical guitar recital in a church illustrated with a picture of pole dancers.

The new Edinburgh Comedy Festival has not been without the odd technical problem either. Half the pages in its glossy brochure dedicated to the Assembly Rooms featured the wrong box office number.

Published: 19 Jul 2008