The chief executive of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society has urged venues to seize the opportunity presented by Oasis and AC/DC concerts scheduled during the festival. Tony Lankester said companies should be 'pretty smart' and attract concertgoers with 'morning after' shows and entice locals with discounted tickets.
About 75,000 fans are expected for each of the four concerts at Murrayfield Stadium in mid-August, when the world's largest arts festival is in full swing. The influx will put additional strain on transport and accommodation already stretched by fringe visitors.
Lankester suggested fringe venues could offer free bacon rolls and coffee to concertgoers attending post-gig performances, and tempt Edinburgh residents who may 'want to hide' with cheap tickets or free wine. 'What we don't want to happen is for the local audience to hide that night,' he said.
This year's fringe, running from 1 to 25 August, features about 50,000 performances at 265 venues. For the first time, five shows from US performers are underwritten by donors to the Keep It Fringe fund, launched by honorary president Phoebe Waller-Bridge.
Lankester is lobbying for at least £1.1 million from Edinburgh's new visitor levy on hotel beds to support the fringe, and is in talks to improve mobile and wifi services. He said discussions with potential headline sponsors, such as a bank or beer brand, were at an early stage.
