Fans of Suffolk superstar Ed Sheeran face paying as much as four-and-a-half times the usual amount for hotel rooms when he performs his four homecoming gigs next summer.
Prices for rooms at some of Ipswich’s most popular hotels have soared from Friday, August 23 to Monday, August 26 2019.
Others – including Holiday Inn Ipswich, one of the closest hotels to Chantry Park where Ed will be performing – are completely sold out.
Pentahotel is fully booked, and so is the Premier Inn at Chantry Park.
MORE: Everything you need to know about Ed Sheeran’s 2019 Ipswich gigsHow much does a room cost on Ed Sheeran gig nights?
For hotels that still have rooms, the highest price rise we spotted was at the Ipswich Novotel.
A typical one-night stay on the previous weekend – August 17 to August 18 – would set one person back £62.
Fast forward a week to a one-night stay on an Ed Sheeran gig date and the same type of room would cost them £265 – that’s up 327%.
Revellers wanting to stay at Premier Inn hotels near Ipswich will need to fork out £183 – that’s triple what a one-night stay at any of the chain’s five hotels costs for the previous weekend.
And prices are up 88% and 113% respectively at Travelodge and Best Western.
Just 12% of AirBnB properties are remaining for that weekend.
Why do hotels put prices up in times of high demand?
Expert Philip Berners, from the University of Essex’s Edge Hotel School, said if the demand is there, it is usual for hotels to charge more for rooms.
“It’s all about supply and demand,” he said.
“In this case, it’s a perfect storm.
“The demand is there because of these major events – and I know the public will say that’s wrong and it’s just greed, it’s pure economics of business.
Lecturer and course director Mr Berners added: “If the demand is there, in business you are then able to charge more.
“It would be usual for any hotel – whether it’s big or small – to charge more during these sorts of events as they bring in huge demand.”
MORE: Fourth and final Chantry Park performance revealed by Suffolk star Ed SheeranWhat the hotel chains had to say
Representatives for Premier Inn and Best Western Ipswich have been approached for comment.
A Travelodge spokesman said: “Our mission is to always offer the most competitive price within the marketplace.
“We do this by daily checking all UK hotel room prices and competitively pricing our rates to ensure we are offering the best value to consumers.
“This policy includes our four hotels in and around Ipswich.
“We do operate in a demand led industry and we are confident that we are offering consumers the best value prices for a branded hotel chain within the area.”
Meanwhile, reps for Novotel Ipswich added: “Hotel room rates are much lower at quiet times of year and more expensive at times of peak demand, however we regularly monitor and review our pricing to ensure it is competitive in the marketplace and fair to guests, who always have a choice based on transparent information given to them in advance of booking.
“We did publish a preliminary price for these dates, however we have removed this for now and anticipate publishing prices and selling rooms closer to the event.”
Boost for Ipswich
Meanwhile, council chiefs believe Ed’s gigs will have a positive impact on the local economy.
“Ipswich is proving that it is the regional centre for entertainment and this is having a beneficial effect on the local economy,” said a spokesman.
“I’m sure that Ipswich’s hotels, restaurants and bars and cafes will all receive a boost when Ed comes to town.”
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