Spiralling accommodation costs blamed

Ticket sales at the biggest Edinburgh venues are down almost 25 per cent this year.

Between them  Pleasance,  Assembly, Underbelly,  Gilded Balloon, Just the Tonic, Pleasance, Summerhall and Dance Base are on track to sell 1.49 million tickets this year – nearly half a million down on the 1.97 million sold in 2019.

The venues, who marketed their shows under the   EdFest.com banner put the blame on  ‘the soaring cost of accommodation in Edinburgh in August’, saying ‘audiences and artists alike are being priced out of town, out of experiences’.

A spokesman said: ‘It is clear to anyone spending time in Edinburgh, that there are fewer people in the city this year than in 2019. While there are certainly other factors that have affected audience numbers this year; the cost of accommodation is a perennial problem across the board.

‘Disruption with public transport, delays with artist visas, and high fuel costs are even more insurmountable when people and performers simply cannot afford to stay in the city.

‘We know that a lack of safe, affordable housing is not just an August problem, but one that affects the artists, staff and audiences who call Edinburgh home. It’s imperative that local and national government, landlords, the universities, Fringe venues and the Fringe Society all come together to find a lasting solution for this issue, or the future of the Fringe is in very real danger.

‘Long term we also have to find solutions that allow the festival to be affordable to performers and the audience. 

‘Given the extent of the reduction in sales the overall festival has a major job to do in restoring the event to normality, which may take several years and require some public support.

‘We need to stabilise the current situation where many people have made significant losses; to address the accommodation issue; to find ways of supporting work; and a major marketing campaign to get the audience back to the festival.’

The venues themselves have been accused of contributing to the spiralling costs for performers and audiences compared to the burgeoning free and pay-what-you-want models in smaller venues.

And some of the venues have been hit harder than others.  Summerhall reported a drop in sales of just 7 per cent on 2019,  despite presenting 30 per cent fewer shows – which means the average audience per show rose since the last Fringe.

Published: 28 Aug 2022