The continuing decline of Box Office services in the theatre

Hate booking fees and others generally (Rose at Kingston charges two fees per booking so I always have to make a (slow) detour, when en route to London for something else, to book in person. However, most unfair of all is that these venues charge the same fee PER BOOKING, so if you are a solo visitor, booking a single, cheapish ticket, you pay the same as a couple/family/group, possibly booking much more expensive tickets. I have pointed out to such more distant venues - e.g. Watford Palace - the unfairness of this and that if they must charge a fee, it would be more equitable to base it on a percentage of ticket price, but they are absolutely deaf to the pleas of their loyal audience members. As a result they have lost any advance business from me because a special trip to book is not feasible.

I take your point, daniel, about a percentage potentially adding a higher amount, but it's fair and doesn't disproportionately impact those going alone and/or buying cheaper tickets. If you tick both the latter boxes, it's not only a double whammy but discrimination. I accept that in the case of a family booking for a panto, the adults in the party are likely to bear the full cost, but in other cases, at least these should be shared equally between all those going.

Indeed, I should have said, definitely a case of "If you can't beat them, join them." But that depends either on having access to several ATG theatres or going a lot to one if that's all you have within reach.