Fringe issues accommodation warning to performers

People considering taking a show to this year's Edinburgh Fringe should investigate the likelihood of being able to find accommodation before they register, organisers have said.

Announcing the opening of the registration process for the annual event, which this year will take place from 4 August to 28 August, the Fringe Society stressed that finding suitable digs has been a significant problem in recent years.

It says that prior to registering a show – which costs anywhere between £96 and £393.60 depending on the length of the run – prospective performers should first consider where they might stay.

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"Securing somewhere affordable to stay during the Fringe has become a big issue for some artists in recent years, so we'd also recommend scoping out accommodation options before committing to bringing a show this year," a statement issued by the Fringe Society says.

The warning comes after eight of the Fringe’s biggest producing venues issued a collective statement last year saying soaring accommodation costs pose a major threat to the festival’s future.

For the 2022 festival the Fringe Society secured 1,200 rooms for performers for £280 or less a week, but Chief Executive Shona McCarthy admitted at the time that this wasn't enough to meet demand, and the organisation is continuing to try and address the situation.

It has set out an intention of doubling the number of affordable rooms for artists by 2024 and tripling it by 2027.

Last month the Scottish Government has confirmed it will delay implementation of licensing legislation restricting short-term letting of accomodation in Edinburgh until the end of September 2023, meaning the changes will not impact this year's festival.

The society said that this will allow "more time to talk to policymakers to find solutions that work for everyone".

"Alongside this work, we’re also continuing to explore other options for accommodation, speaking to local accommodation providers and looking for creative solutions that could work for us and work for the city," the society said.

"Affordable accommodation remains a real priority for artists, and we’ll continue to advocate on behalf of the Fringe community."

Performers interested in taking a show to this year's festival show have been told that to be included in the first on-sale date (16 February), they will need to complete registration and sign off by Monday 6 February. The deadline for inclusion in the printed programme is Wednesday 5 April.