End of The World as costs force 'Kylie venue' out of Fringe

• Showgirl: Australian star Kylie Minogue became a patron of The World. Picture: Getty Images

The promoters behind The World, a world music and dance venue in the city's West End in recent years, have pulled the plug despite huge success with acts from Sri Lanka, Africa and Cuba in recent years.

Toby Gough and John Simpson, who staged spectacular shows in the Royal Botanic Garden before relocating to St George's West Church in Shandwick Place, have revealed they lost 140,000 during their last two years on the Fringe.

Ironically, news of The World's demise has emerged on the eve of one of last year's big success stories – the Creole Choir of Cuba – appearing on Jools Holland's TV show. It won the prestigious Jack Tinker Spirit of the Fringe award two years ago.

The promoters yesterday said they were "heartbroken" to have to pull out of the Fringe, but insisted they had no other choice.

It is understood the church in Shandwick Place, previously part of the Assembly Rooms programme, will be lying empty for the first time in years this summer.

Mr Simpson said it was proving increasingly difficult to run a major venue in the city without running a large bar to try to break even. He warned that venues outside the south of the city centre were finding it tough-er to sell tickets as audiences were becoming "less adventurous".

The venue shot to fame four years ago when Kylie Minogue jumped on stage to join the cast of Havana Rumba after sitting unrecognised in the audience.

The Australian star became a patron of the The World and even sponsored young performers from Sri Lanka.

Mr Simpson said: "It is just so expensive running an independent venue these days. You have all the costs of running a venue and bringing in artists, and unless you're running a huge bar you're not going to get that money back.

"It's all right for venues that have stand-up comedians, as you don't have the same costs involved, and those ticket sales help spread the cost of bigger shows, but that wasn't the kind of venue we were running. It's just become far too difficult.

"We've had huge success with our acts at Shandwick Place and it's a great venue, so it's really a shame there's going to be nothing happening this year."

William Burdett-Coutts, art-istic director at the Assembly Rooms, said: "It's extremely sad news that The World is not going to be here this year as they have put on some terrific shows and they'll be badly missed.

"However it is going to be an extremely tight year financially and it is very difficult for a venue like that to make things add up unless you are doing extraordinary business at the box office."

Meanwhile, the promoter of another well-known Fringe venue has insisted it will be back at the festival this year – despite apparently missing the deadline for inclusion in the programme.

David Bates, the Australian impresario behind the Spiegeltent, which was absent from last year's Fringe, has announced it will be returning, weeks after lined-up acts were warned to find alternative venues.