High drama as Fringe bosses call summit on ticketing crisis

FRINGE bosses have called a crisis meeting with venue managers this weekend over continuing problems with its computerised box office system.

With just two weeks to go to the start of the Fringe, director Jon Morgan is to brief key personnel on IT troubles which are still causing difficulties for organisers and people trying to book for shows.

A wide range of ticket problems are understood to have been raised by customers.

The meeting, called at short notice, was due to take place at Dancebase in the Grassmarket at lunchtime today with a repeat tomorrow afternoon for those unable to attend.

Mr Morgan said: "We are still experiencing problems with the Fringe box office system. However, we want to be absolutely clear that the Fringe will run as planned. We are working closely with all the venues to ensure that ticketing services can be delivered.

"The Fringe will ensure that bookings made through the Fringe box office for shows will be fulfilled. All ticket buyers who are currently expecting tickets from the Fringe box office will be contacted early next week with information on ticket collections."

Yesterday, the Evening News revealed how some customers were being charged several times over for credit card bookings. One woman received a bill for 30 tickets for a performance of Circus Oz at The Assembly when she had ordered only five.

Fringe bosses sent an e-mail yesterday, addressed to "all venue managers", calling them to the meeting.

The Fringe's new IT system has been dogged by problems. Ticket sales on its website began more than a week late, causing long queues to build up at the box office on the Royal Mile.

Venue organisers complained online descriptions of shows had details of entirely different performances. One blunder saw a classical guitar recital in a church posted next to a provocative picture of pole dancers.

Simon Peers, venue manager of St Ninian's Hall in Comely Bank, who said he had lost hundreds of ticket sales because of the IT problems, said the situation seemed to have improved recently.

But he said: "Something major is still wrong or Jon Morgan would not be sending out that kind of e-mail at such short notice."

A spokeswoman for the Underbelly, which runs several venues during the Fringe, said: "We are aware of the meeting and obviously we are hoping to attend.

"From our own point of view we have a separate ticket sales system, so the problems have not affected us too badly and sales at this point are very strong."

A spokesman for the Gilded Balloon said representatives would attend the meeting, and added: "The concern is that problems like these might stop people trying to buy tickets. The Gilded Balloon, the Assembly, the Pleasance and the Underbelly can cross-reference each other for ticket sales, so we have been able to get by without too many issues. We are working closely with the Fringe to try and resolve them."