Readers have responded with considerable anger to yesterday’s story of ticket price hikes at the Worlds. Here is a selection:
Mark J: ‘Ticket prices are terribly high. Add on to that not being allowed to take any liquids at all into the park. Last year even sealed bottles and cans of soft drinks were prohibited. Water bottles had to be emptied and filled from the ‘water points’ inside the park – a few stand pipes dotted around the place. It’s really not encouraging people to attend.
Ian Hughes: ‘It’s ludicrous prices escalating like this when we are trying to get folk to follow the bands! Parking at Dumbarton [Scottish Championships, July 26], is even more ludicrous: £94.50 for a 40+ seater bus!’
Daniel Johnstone: ‘This just echoes what is seen elsewhere throughout the country with increasing costs. Someone has to pay for it and as usual it rolls down hill to the consumer. Thankfully, we have a choice here and I suspect many won’t bother attending. Pipe band scene is getting a right hammering; sad to see.’
CM: ‘Alas, my valiant day-long effort fighting the temptation to not comment here has been in vain. This article has presented an irresistible urge to get back on my current piping hobby horse.
‘That being, of course, the absolute mess the RSPBA are making of this year’s Worlds. (Some would say the UKs are a bit of a disaster as well, given there are only three G1 entries, two in Novice A, and no Juvenile competition at all. The complete absence of a British Championship is deplorable, but those are different horses I might saddle up another day.)
‘Could the price hikes be an attempt to mitigate the lower attendance revenue they must be expecting on the Saturday, given all those families, supporters and young musicians, who are being forced to attend on the Friday?
‘I have not met one person who thinks moving the juveniles to the Friday is a good idea. Only the most deluded (or should that be conceited) would expect them to shell out again for tickets, travel, food etc on the Saturday when they have no involvement.
‘The usual friends and family cohort I normally take to the Worlds certainly won’t be attending on the Saturday, even if we were given tickets for nothing. Sadly, most will not be able to attend on the Friday either as we all have jobs. What a shambles!’
A recap from yesterday’s story:
Friday ticket bought on the day in 2024: £16.50. 2025 price: £19.00. A 15% increase.
Saturday ticket bought on the day in 2024: £26.50. 2025 price £30.50. A 15% increase.
Weekend ticket bought on the Friday in 2024: £32.50. 2025 price £41.00. A 23% increase.
Saturday general admission ticket prices:
Weekend discounted tickets:
- A family ticket is for two adults and up to three children aged 6-15. Under 5s free.
- These prices do not include ‘transaction fees’ which vary from £1.50 to £1.95.
- The RSPBA has been approached for comment. For more information and tickets for the Worlds click here.
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