Fringe Sunday scrapped after failing to attract new sponsor

ORGANISERS of Fringe Sunday have been forced to cancel this year's event after failing to find a sponsor.

The free day of entertainment at the start of the Festival Fringe has been a favourite with city residents and tourists for nearly 30 years, regularly drawing crowds of more than 250,000.

But organisers said they were unable to attract a sponsor for this year's event and decided it had to be scrapped.

Councillor Steve Cardownie, the city's festival events champion, said people would miss Fringe Sunday, but he hoped it could be revived in future.

He said: "It's something people we have been used to and people have enjoyed. Hopefully, when finances permit, they will be able to resurrect it.

"It will be a miss in our events calendar. It was hugely popular, but I understand the reason for it. Organisations everywhere are having to cut back.

"The Fringe had its problems last year with the box office computer system and they have to make economies."

He said Fringe Sunday was no longer the only opportunity for people to get a taste of Fringe shows. He said: "There are well organised mini-stages in the High Street and a rota of various acts to show what their performance is all about. So Fringe Sunday is not the only free show in town."

Fringe officials tried for more than nine months to secure backing for the event which costs around £70,000 to stage.

Its survival had been precarious for the past few years. Last year's event only went ahead because the Fringe found the money from its own funds. The 2007 event was rescued at the last minute after HBOS stepped in.

The event was first staged in the High Street in 1981 and forced to relocate to Holyrood Park because of overcrowding. It was staged there every year until 2001 when it relocated to the Meadows, again to create more space.

Earlier this year, the biggest Fringe comedy award lost its headline sponsor after Intelligent Finance decided not to renew its deal. The event is expected to go on in some form.

This year's Festival Cavalcade has also had to be scaled back.

A Fringe spokesman said: "We've been trying to secure a sponsor for several months but, despite constructive discussions with a number of potential backers, we've unfortunately been unable to do so. We really needed a headline sponsor to ensure we could meet the costs of staging the event and avoid having to meet the costs out of our own finances.

"We have to stress that this decision only relates to this year's event. It is not cancelled indefinitely."

David Todd, director of the Festivals Cavalcade, said his event – on Sunday 9 August – had been threatened by sponsorship difficulties and had been scaled down.

The cavalcade is being re- routed away from Princes Street because of the tram works. It will now snake between Meadowbank Stadium and the Royal Commonwealth Pool and free entertainment will be laid on at the parade ground next to the Palace of Holyroodhouse to coincide with the event.

Mr Todd said: "We have been informed of the Fringe's decision and will be doing our best to fill the gap."