The Proms must be suffering from rising costs like everyone else. So it's to the BBC's credit that they've managed to hold most 2009 ticket prices at 2008 levels, including season tickets.
But what a shame that the only price increases - of up to 20% - are on the cheapest tickets. A seat in the airy reaches of the Royal Albert Hall's top deck, the Circle, now costs between £1 and £5 more than it did last year. And the concerts in the lowest price band, G - the new music, the late nights, the family shows, the hard sells, the really interesting stuff - have gone up from £10 to £12.
A couple of quid might not sound like much. The people who are happy to pay upwards of £40 for the best seats probably wouldn't even notice it - so why wasn't it stuck on those tickets instead?
For the students, old people, families and low paid who go for the cheapest seats because that's all they can afford, it can be a real dent in the wallet.
And a price increase of 20% on the family concerts, which are specifically designed to introduce young people to classical music, simply beggars belief.
Wasn't the original idea behind the Proms to make music more accessible for everyone?
Has Roger Wright really thought this through?
At best it's a PR blunder, at worst it's a betrayal of the entire spirit of the Proms.
