Membership scheme for cheap tickets and other offers

The biggest venues at the Edinburgh Fringe have combined to offer a membership scheme offering free tickets and cut-price food and drink.

Love The Fringe costs from £20 a year – giving subscribers three tickets – right up to £1,000 – giving 50 tickets, 10 per cent discount at venue bars, plus other discounts and benefits.

The website is already offering 2-for-1, half-price and £5 and £8 tickets to some shows this August.

Taking part are the traditional ‘Big Four’ - Assembly, Gilded Balloon Pleasance, Underbelly – plus C Venues, Just The Tonic,  Zoo and The Space. Between them the venues were responsible for nearly two-thirds of the tickets sold last year.

However, some other key players – including Monkey Barrel and The Stand – are not currently part of the offer.

The scheme could be expanded further, with organisers saying it is open to anyone working at the Fringe, with income after costs going directly to the artists, venues, and producers

Anthony Alderson, director of the Pleasance, said: ‘Love the Fringe is more than just a subscription scheme; it’s a unifying initiative to align the interests of the diverse organisations and individuals that make the festival happen. 

‘The Edinburgh Festival Fringe remains the world's most prominent festival, open to anyone with the determination to participate. With over 50,000 people contributing to the shows, we want to celebrate this extraordinary event and ensure access remains open to all that wish to take part.  We want to see Love for the Fringe across the whole city. ‘

Participating shows are asked to commit a minimum of 2 per of their total ticket allocation toward the scheme, which aims to amass 18,000 memberships in the first year.   Love the Fringe aims to generate sales of £500,000, passing on the 80 per centto those behind the festival.

Five levels of Love the Fringe membership are  available from today at www.lovethefringe.com.

Published: 11 Jun 2024