Can these extortionate booking fees be justified?

I VISITED the Manchester Arena yesterday, only to find that there is no ticket office nowadays. I can probably understand the reasons.

In the past. to avoid ‘booking fees,’ I have been fortunate to be able to travel into Manchester, and buy tickets, without a fee, with cash.

I am aware that some people are not as local as I am.

However, I cannot get my head around the extortionate booking fees charged.

Whose pocket is ‘being lined here.’ Is it the theatre, the booking company, or the artist? Probably, all three. But whoever it is, how can the extortionate booking fees be justified, when one is doing a ‘Do It Yourself’ job, using your own electricity and own printer/paper.

I have no problem with that in this day and age but cannot come to terms with the amount charged.

I discussed this with my brother, who is a more regular theatre-goer and he is just reconciled to it.

I am not, and will be far more selective in future, before booking tickets in this modern, but unethical way.

Would the theatre-powers that be like to justify this?

Please provide some transparency as to the amounts charged, where they go to and why they are

justified? M. Ratcliffe, Worsley.