On top of the booking fee introduced for this year's Proms comes another new charge. There's now a £1 per Prom cloakroom fee - and because that could add up frighteningly over the full 76 concerts, a £20 season ticket is also available.
It may not sound like a lot, and those who pay £50 for a seat probably won't even notice it. But for prommers, the single charge is an additional 20% on top of a day ticket, or 10% for the cloakroom season ticket on top of a season pass.
So much for encouraging the less well-off to attend.
Of course there's a simple way to avoid paying - leave bags at home. But that's not an option for everyone - those coming straight from work for example.
Inevitably, cloakroom use will drop. More people will cart all their belongings into the arena, making an an already unpleasantly crowded space even more so. There will be more arguments with stewards and more delays.
I don't know of any other classical music venue in London that imposes any charge whatsoever. They no doubt recognise that leaving your coats and bags in a cloakroom is as much for the comfort as your fellow audience members as a convenience for yourself. So why can't it remain built into the price of a ticket?
