Greedy Edinburgh landlords are charging tens of thousands of pounds for short-term stays in the capital during the upcoming Fringe festival. Analysis of accommodation on short-term letting sites such as Airbnb and Vrbo reveals a gulf in pricing for stays in the near future and stays for the length of the Fringe, which runs from August 4-28, 2023.
A three-bed flat in the Old Town, at the heart of the capital, carries an asking price of £925 a night - or £24,000 for artists looking for somewhere to stay for the duration of the festival. The price for the flat drops to £183 a night for bookings in March. It is operated by Altido, an agency that snaps up lucrative properties for short-term letting across the world.
Performers lined up for this year's Fringe and the Edinburgh Book Festival, which runs alongside, say the price gouging for Fringe-length stays in Edinburgh is "killing" the festival and scaring away artists.
