'Give the Fringe the certainty it desperately needs' venue boss begs council over visitor levy

Speaking at the gala launch of the Pleasance, director Anthony Alderson said the council needed to "turn words into a promise" in delivering tourist tax money to the festivals.

Edinburgh’s visitor levy, which charges five per cent on overnight stays in the capital, came into force on 24 July.

“Within a few years, it's expected to raise over £50 billion,” said Mr Alderson. “Now I don't think any of us begrudge a city wanting to invest in itself. But I do have a simple request. Nearly £6.5 million of that money, by the Fringe Society's own estimate, will come directly from this festival.

“It will come from theatre companies: from artists booking rooms so that they can be here to put on their shows. Accommodation was already too expensive and these are not people on holiday. They're people who often lose money so that the rest of us can enjoy what they bring.”

Mr Alderson’s comments come days after Assembly founder William Burdett-Coutts called for a "turn in direction" in how visitor levy funds are distributed, as he revealed the venue will pay £60,000 a year in visitor tax, while Edinburgh International Festival director Nicola Benedetti warned her festival is paying £50,000, saying the issue “needs to be addressed”.

Meanwhile, Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society chief executive Tony Lankester said last week that the festivals were “not seeing any of [the visitor levy]” and called for more investment from the council. He said the Fringe Society, as well as other stakeholders, had put forward ideas to the council as to how visitor levy money could be used by the festival, but that the ideas had not yet been considered. A paper submitted by the Fringe Society after a consultation last year called for £1.7m to support venue infrastructure, which would in turn be passed on to artists, as well as grants to support the creation of new work.

Mr Alderson said the council has earmarked 35 per cent of the money for culture, heritage and events.

He said: “That seems a very good sentence, but here's the thing about curiosity. It cannot cannot survive without certainty. Any artists can only take the risk on stage if there's certain they'll be able to pay the rent.

“Certainty for the council's profits, uncertainty for the artists? I don't think that's a fair trade. Politicians love a shiny new project for easy headlines, but every one of these projects starts with something as unglamorous as paying the rent.”

He added: “So here is the one certainty I ask of this city. Turn that 35 per cent from a good sentence into a promise, and give this festival the certainty it desperately needs.”

Council leader Jane Meagher has previously argued that cities and destinations across the world have “successfully managed” similar schemes for many years and said the five per cent rate “strikes the right balance for Edinburgh”.

She added: “Our focus is on reinvesting the proceeds of the levy in areas that maintain and enhance our reputation as one of the most popular and enjoyable destinations in the world, and continuing to support our partners across the city’s cultural sector in delivering a programme of events we can all be proud of.”

Edinburgh City Council’s culture and communities committee is next due to meet on 13 August.