Booking fee income at the VillaGaiety complex has risen to more than £157,000 a year after a new 5% external ticketing charge was introduced, a written Tynwald response has revealed.

Figures released by Education, Sport and Culture Minister Daphne Caine show booking fee income increased from £88,137.94 in 2024-25 to £157,019.47 in 2025-26, while the proportion of ticket sales generated through booking fees rose from 2.45% to 4.64%.

The figures were published in response to a written Tynwald question asking how much had been raised through booking fees since 2021, whether the ticketing system was owned by the Department of Education, Sport and Culture, and how the income had been used.

Mrs Caine said: ‘On January 10, 2025, the 5% external ticketing fee was introduced, which applies only to live events and not to activities at Broadway Cinema or Dragon's Castle.’

The figures show booking fee income has steadily increased in recent years, from £34,787.68 in 2021-22 (1.87% of ticket sales), to £48,135.13 in 2022-23 (1.84%), £60,687.98 in 2023-24 (1.96%) and £88,137.94 in 2024-25 (2.45%).

During the first three months of the current financial year, to June 30, 2026, booking fees totalled £48,011.71, representing 4.62% of ticket sales.

Explaining how the money is accounted for, the minister said: ‘As booking fees are refundable in the event of a show or event being cancelled, the funds are only recognised as income in the Government's revenue account once a show has taken place and the risk of a refund has passed.

‘The Department allocates the 3% external booking fee (within the 5% introduced in January 2025) to support the development and improvement of the venues and audience experience.’

The minister also confirmed the ticketing system used by the VillaGaiety complex is not owned by the Department of Education, Sport and Culture.