The heads of Pleasance, Gilded Balloon and Underbelly have told The Stage that the Fringe’s later-than-usual start, coupled with Scottish schools returning earlier than normal, is raising concerns about audience numbers later this month.

Children’s shows are considered particularly vulnerable to a downturn, with most Scottish schools reopening on 12 August – just five days after the Fringe began on 7 August.

The end of the Scottish summer holidays would normally fall during the second week of the festival, providing a boost from local families. This year, however, the earlier return to school means that boost has largely been brought forward into the Fringe’s opening week, leaving children’s productions potentially facing a significant drop in audiences during the final two weeks.

Pleasance boss Anthony Alderson has described this year’s Edinburgh Fringe as “a festival of two halves”, warning that soaring accommodation costs could deter audiences travelling from England later in the festival.

He told The Stage that the usual influx of visitors from the south could be reduced as Edinburgh becomes increasingly expensive to visit, leaving venues more dependent on a local audience that has already returned to work and school.

Children’s shows could be particularly vulnerable, Alderson said, because they generally have lower ticket prices but larger casts and higher running costs. He suggested that affordable accommodation, rather than changing the Fringe dates, would be a more effective solution.