Theatre Booking Fees

[normantee]

It has been known for decades that booking theatre tickets through an 'agency' will incur a fee. If you did not wish to pay this you could avoid it by booking on the phone or in person. But today things have changed for the worse.

Both West End and fringe theatres now use agencies, many have no personal or limited phone booking facilities - and then, most have the internet. Online booking is advantageous when you can choose a seat but not when you are charged a fee for doing all the admin. work yourself! Booking fees, Reservation fees, Admin fees; the charges proliferate, sometimes two ostensibly different charges are made on the same transaction. I am finding this intolerable - and a disincentive to visiting the theatre. Why are theatres doing this? How do they justify these new charges?

Does anyone know the reason for them? And are they as new as I think they are?