Over 100 Edinburgh Festival Fringe acts owed money as Summerhall box office takings frozen after HMRC action

The Edinburgh venue's bank accounts have been frozen over alleged unpaid tax

Artists and companies have been left in limbo over money they are due from ticket sales for Edinburgh Festival Fringe shows performed at troubled venue Summerhall this summer.

Summerhall has become a leading Fringe venue since it staged its first shows in 2011.Summerhall has become a leading Fringe venue since it staged its first shows in 2011.
Summerhall has become a leading Fringe venue since it staged its first shows in 2011.

Box office payments are still to be made over more than 100 shows and events which were staged in August.

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Edinburgh arts centre and Fringe venue Summerhall was put up for sale in May.Edinburgh arts centre and Fringe venue Summerhall was put up for sale in May.
Edinburgh arts centre and Fringe venue Summerhall was put up for sale in May.

The venue reported record ticket sales of more than 100,000 as this year’s Fringe drew to a close.

However, Summerhall’s management has revealed the venue's bank accounts have been frozen as a result of the new legal action by HMRC over alleged unpaid tax.

Emergency talks are being held with the Fringe Society, which also sells tickets for Summerhall, over payments which are meant to be made by the end of this month.

Summerhall chief Sam Gough. Picture: Peter DibdinSummerhall chief Sam Gough. Picture: Peter Dibdin
Summerhall chief Sam Gough. Picture: Peter Dibdin

The Fringe Society told The Scotsman the news of the winding up order was “concerning” and that it was in close contact with Summerhall’s management to understand the potential implications the legal case may have for artists and performers involved in shows at the venue.

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Summerhall has faced an uncertain future since it emerged the “arts village” was being put up for sale.

Gavin Jon Wright and Scott Fletcher starred in Kieran Hurley and Gary McNair's hit Fringe show V.L. at Summerhall in August. Picture: Mihaela BodlovicGavin Jon Wright and Scott Fletcher starred in Kieran Hurley and Gary McNair's hit Fringe show V.L. at Summerhall in August. Picture: Mihaela Bodlovic
Gavin Jon Wright and Scott Fletcher starred in Kieran Hurley and Gary McNair's hit Fringe show V.L. at Summerhall in August. Picture: Mihaela Bodlovic | Mihaela Bodlovic

Robert McDowell is the sole director listed for Summerhall Management Ltd, the company runs the venue and programmes its Fringe shows and events, which has been targeted by HMRC’s winding up order.

He has vowed to contest the case and insisted he does not believe anything is owed to HMRC.

However, the legal action is understood to have restricted Summerhall’s ability to stage and host certain events, as well as pay out outstanding box office takings due from previously held events.

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Writer Laura Horton, whose play Lynn Faces was staged at Summerhall during the Fringe, said she was due £15,000 from the show’s run, but had been told there would be a delay due to the winding up petition against the venue’s management company.

She told The Scotsman: “I feel extremely anxious about what this means and the potential outcome. I don't have expendable income, the Fringe was a risk for me and I'd already lost some money, so this has potential to impact my future work and financial stability.”

A spokeswoman for the Fringe Society said: “'We recognise that this news will be concerning for Fringe artists. Our artist services team is here to support any participant who may be affected.

“We have been in close contact with the management team at Summerhall to offer our support and better understand what implications this may have for artists from this year's Fringe.

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“As a valued venue within the Fringe landscape, we understand that there will be significant interest in this development and are here to help the Summerhall team in any way we can.”

Summerhall chief executive Sam Gough said: “Money from tickets bought through our box office is in our bank account. Money from tickets sold through the Fringe Society is in their bank account.

“We do not have access to our bank accounts at the moment, but that doesn’t mean there is no money in them.

“We are working as fast as we can with our lawyers and the Fringe Society to ringfence and safeguard both of those things, and get all of this fixed, so that we can pay out the box office money that is due to companies by the end of October.

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“We are hoping to stick to the timeline we have given people. We know it is worrying and we’ve been in contact with every single Fringe company to give them all of this information.

“The Fringe Society sells the majority of our tickets, so the majority of box office income is with them. We’re working with them to try to make sure that companies are paid within the timeline we gave them.

“The most important thing for us at the moment is to make sure people get what they are due.”

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