...as PBH steps up pressure on acts

It is a dispute causing sleepless nights for more than 150 comedians – but the Edinburgh Fringe Society is refusing to be draw into the 'freeasco' surrounding the Cowgatehead venue.

PBH Free Fringe founder Peter Buckley Hill today stepped up the pressure on the acts who had booked slots with rivals Freestival by imposing a Friday deadline if they want to be considered most favourably to keep their slots.

PBH says Freestival had no deal in place with the licensee to offer spaces to performers, and now they have secured an agreement to programme the venue all the offers are invalid. Freestival say they had a verbal agreement and were in constant talks with the licensee.

Following the row, Freestival suggested a 'two-state' compromise would be possible, them operating downstairs rooms and PBH upstairs. But Buckley Hill bluntly dismissed that today, saying: 'I believe there have been various posts on social media suggesting that a "compromise deal" is on the table. It isn't.'

He claimed Freestival overbooked the venue so there were no enough slots to go around, which again Freestival deny.

Scores of performers have paid up to £360 to the Edinburgh Fringe Society to be in its programme, which has already gone to press and may now be advertising shows that do not exist.

However the organisation, which underpins the Fringe but does not programme it, has declined to comment on the damaging row.

Chortle sent a number of questions to the Fringe Society. We asked:

• What rules are in place for registering a venue with the Society?

• What safeguards are in place to ensure that someone who says they are programming a venue is actually in a position to do so?

• Are there any plans/need to tighten up any rules following the dispute between PBH and Freestival?

• What is the Fringe Society is doing to resolve this issue affecting hundreds of performers?

After three emails the media office finally replied only with: 'The Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society will not be commenting on this issue..'

Writing on Facebook and the Chortle Forums, Buckley Hill said: 'Until midnight on Friday we shall be considering only those shows for Cowgatehead who thought they had confirmed slots there. Such shows should apply to the Free Fringe, having read the Ethos and Conditions.

'You should state clearly in your application the time slot and "room" you thought you had. After that deadline, we shall consider all applications even-handedly as before, i.e. treating our own applicants, the ones with no Freestival background, equally. This reduces your chances of getting a time slot close to the one you thought you had, although of course you can still apply.'

The conditions of the PBH Free Fringe are unique at the festival as they prohibit acts from being in talks with rival organisations such as Freestival.

Published: 26 May 2015