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Theatre prices and booking /transaction charges

(27 Posts)
Gin Sun 25-Feb-24 13:13:58

I was just looking to book a theatre trip and am puzzled. Why do you have to pay a booking fee of £1.99 for a less popular show and £3.99 for a musical? Surely the process is exactly the same. I am sure the booking charge used to be £1 for all but that may have been long ago! I was horrified at the prices of seats these days. I like to treat my granddaughter to a matinee performance but the theatre plus lunch plus an ice-cream or drink makes it an expensive outing. This is not in London but our local theatre. I wanted to see ‘Pretty Woman’ but upper circle seats cost £71!

jocork Wed 28-Feb-24 19:03:29

SeaWoozle

Mamo

My DD was involved in the launch of this initiative by the Cultural Philanthropy Foundation, to encourage access for all to theatre, ballet, choral events etc. Worth a look
www.culturalphilanthropyfoundation.co.uk/the-ticket-bank

What a fantastic idea. I will definitely make a donation. Theatre and the arts should be accessible to everyone. Thanks for sharing 🤗

My DD works in the arts and has been shocked by the fact that Birmigham City Council's bancruptcy means huge cuts to arts funding. She started her career in Birmingham with the CBSO and currently is Head of an orchestra in Dubai. If the trend continues ticket prices will presumably rise even higher as subsidies will be cut. It is inevitable that when hard choices have to be made for council funding, the arts are the first thing to lose out. Sadly the nation will be the poorer and there will be job losses in the arts.