Prices up, attendance down

Ticket prices continued to rise in London, boosting revenue but losing audiences, according to the latest figures from the Society of London Theatre (SOLT). For the seventh year running, total box office revenues hit a new record level of more than £512m, up 1.46% on 2009. However, attendances fell by 0.79%, the first decrease since 2003. The average ticket price rose from £35.40 in 2009 to £36.20 in 2010. Audiences for plays grew by 2%, and revenue from ticket sales for plays was up 10% to £107m. Audiences for musicals, which typically cost more to attend, fell by 3%.