Oasis blamed for poor Edinburgh Fringe ticket sales days after leaked report brands fans ‘fat, drunk & lairy'

Scottish Sun

4 hours ago

It comes just days after a leaked report showed council chiefs branded fans of the 'fat', 'lairy' and 'drunk'
STOP CRYING YOUR HEART OUT Oasis blamed for poor Edinburgh Fringe ticket sales days after leaked report brands fans 'fat, drunk & lairy'
EDINBURGH Fringe bosses have blamed Oasis's sell-out Murrayfield megagigs for a massive slump in ticket sales.
The Mancunian rockers are set to play three nights at Scotland's home of rugby on August 8, 9 and 12 as part of their highly anticipated reunion tour.
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210,000 gig-goers are expected to descend on Edinburgh for the Oasis concerts alone
Credit: Getty
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Fringe bosses have seen a 35 per cent decline in ticket sales this year
Credit: Alamy
Between the three Oasis gigs and another AC/DC show on August 21, 290,000 revellers are expected to descend upon the capital - clashing directly with the Fringe, which runs throughout most of August.
Festival promoters and venue operators fear that punters could be put off from attending the Fringe due to the unprecedented demand from music fans.
Bookings for the international comedy festival, which runs throughout August, are reportedly down by 35 per cent for some shows.
Meanwhile, prices for accommodation are sky-high with some city-centre hotels charging upwards of £800 a night over the period Oasis are in Edinburgh.
The Fringe, which heavily relies on last-minute ticket sales, is now facing a significant challenge.
Organisers are expected to launch desperate last-minute efforts to boost attendance, including targeting local audiences and encouraging concert-goers to extend their stay and attend Fringe shows.
It comes just days after a leaked report showed council chiefs branded fans of the 'fat', 'lairy' and 'drunk'.
We told how snooty Edinburgh council officials also said punters at August's shows will be mainly 'middle-aged men' who 'take up more room'.
And secret planning briefings warn: 'Concerned about the safety of the Fringe and its performers. Many performers are considering not attending for that weekend.
'There is concern about crowds . . . as they are already rowdy . . . and the tone of the band.'
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William Burdett-Coutts, founder of Assembly, the longest-running venue operator on the Fringe, told The Herald: 'We are constantly getting anecdotal feedback that people are finding it too expensive to visit Edinburgh for the festival, especially with the Oasis concerts that are on this year.
'Personally, I don't think they are a good thing. They are taking up a lot of days when the Fringe is on.
'Oasis can go on tour anytime and get the audience that they get. We are trying to attract people to Edinburgh to come to a festival which is all about introducing new talent and don't have the same level of exposure."
A spokesperson for the Fringe Society said it was launching a "tactical marketing" strategy aimed at encouraging concert-goers to see Fringe shows while they are in the city.
They said: 'Each year the rhythm and pattern of ticket sales is unique and can be affected by a range of factors, including timing of early ticket sales, marketing efforts, individual venue programmes, and broader economic and social factors.
"As in previous years, anecdotal feedback from venues is varied. Overall numbers across August are consistent with what we expect to see at this point, and we are keeping a close eye on any emerging trends."