Fire festival feels licence heat

Published on Thursday 16 November 2006 12:08

THE price of tickets for the world-famous Beltane Fire Festival could rocket after organisers were landed with a massive increase in licensing costs.

City leaders ordered the price hike amid concerns that the cost of administering entertainment licences was not mirrored in the fees.

It means the cost of a temporary public entertainment licence for the ancient Celtic event has soared from 295 this year to 3200 in 2007, and up to 8000 by 2009.

Organisers today appealed to councillors to consider reducing the fee amid fears Europe's biggest fire festival would be priced out of the reach of most people.

The Beltane features hundreds of costume-clad characters staging a colourful series of performances around Calton Hill to celebrate the start of spring.

The licensing fee does not include the cost of other council services, such as road closures and cleansing, which the society needs for the festival.

Despite a record crowd of 12,000, last year's Beltane made a small loss and Jon Clarke, chairman of the Beltane Fire Society, said the rise in licensing costs would impact on last year's ticket prices of 5 on the night or 3 in advance.

He said: "For an organisation of our size, all volunteers, this is a significant cost for us to take on board. We actually finished at a loss last year despite having record numbers so there is no way we can afford this.

"If we can't persuade the committee to give us a reduction then we will have no choice but to put up the prices of tickets and that goes against the whole idea of making the event as accessible as possible.

The Beltane has been in umpteen tourist promotions of Edinburgh and there is no question it is an established cultural event in the city, but we are getting hammered with these charges."

Mr Clarke said it would be difficult to scale down the Beltane celebrations as volunteers pay for much of it, including rehearsal space and costumes.

Earlier this year, event promoters warned the council's new licensing charges would impact on Fringe venues. For small venues seating fewer than 200 people, the fee for a temporary licence has soared from 127 to 440. Fees will increase to 620 next year and 800 in 2008.

Venues with more than 1000 seats saw charges jump from 295 to 1320 for 2006. They are expected to have to pay as much as 2400 in 2008.

Councillor Chris Wigglesworth, convener of the council's regulatory committee, said today that the council will look at the application.

He said: "The committee will consider the application from the Beltane Fire Society on Friday and will determine then if a reduction is appropriate."

Next year, the Beltane Fire Society will be celebrating its 20th anniversary and organisers are planning a number of community workshops to try and explain why the start of spring is celebrated.

A charge for the event was introduced in 2002 to help organisers meet annual running costs of 40,000.

The facts

The Beltane Festival is held on April 30 each year on Calton Hill. It celebrates the dawn of spring, according to the ancient Celtic calendar.

It was first held in 1988 and is now Europe's biggest fire festival. More than 12,000 people enjoyed the feast of colour and fire this year.

Hundreds of performers lead a fire-lit procession around the hill. They move through a fire gate and round points representing earth, air, water and fire.

The event's profile was raised this year after it featured in a VisitScotland TV advert.