U-turn on Edinburgh Festival Fringe cancellation - if lockdown measures are lifted

Organisers of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe have pledged to reboot the event if lockdown restrictions are eased in the city this summer – just 24 hours after appearing to pull the plug on the event.

The Fringe attracted a total audience of more than three million last year. Pictue: David Monteith-Hodge

The Fringe Society, which coordinates the official programme for the 73-year-old festival, has promised to run extensive listings, sell tickets on its website and even try to promote shows if there is enough demand from venues and artists.

Its apparent climbdown came after it admitted it did not “have the power” to cancel the “open access” event. It was famously instigated in 1947 by theatre companies who were not invited to take part in the first Edinburgh International Festival, which was instigated in the aftermath of the Second World War.

Four of the biggest Fringe venues have refused to give up on staging shows this summer, despite the cancellation of the festivals winning the support of the Scottish Government and the city council. Assembly, Gilded Balloon, Pleasance and Underbelly have said they will “certainly try” to rebuild a Fringe this summer if the current restrictions are eased enough.

The Fringe Society has backed down despite signing up to a joint announcement with the other main festivals in August that they “would not take place in 2020.”

Chief executive Shona McCarthy said at the time: “Having taken advice and considered all the options, we collectively believe this is the only appropriate response.”

Writing later on the Fringe website, she said: “Just a few months ago, the idea of Edinburgh without the Fringe and our sister festivals would have been totally unthinkable; now, like so many other aspects of our day-to-day lives, we must pause and take stock in the face of something far bigger.”

However in a message to companies, venues and artists today, the society stated: “Should restrictions be lifted, public health officials deem it safe to do so, and venues and artists emerge in August with stages for work needing to be performed, we have plans in place to ensure we can support that as quickly and as much as we can.

“We could offer all our usual ticketing and show listings information online at tickets.edfringe.com as quickly and easily as possible. If budget considerations allow, we could undertake a local concentrated digital marketing campaign for audiences.

“Right now, our core team will continue to support companies and venues by providing impartial, fact-based information and signposting to any advice and guidance which sit beyond our abilities and remit.

“We’ll also stay in touch with the media and arts industry as necessary to ensure your work remains as visible as possible.”

A Q&A on the Fringe Society website, which was posted in the wake of the cancellation announcement, states: “The Fringe Society is a small charity that exists to support Fringe artists and audiences and therefore does not have the power to cancel the festival as a whole.

“The Fringe remains an open access festival, which means the society does not decide who can and cannot put on shows.

“We are advising all venues and companies to follow the latest government and public health advice, and will continue to provide support and guidance for all participants as the situation progresses.”