2022 Edinburgh Fringe
Fringe performer Vash Pernikar is having to camp in the wild
Much has been written already about the cost of accommodation at this year's Edinburgh Festival, but we've just heard about a pretty extreme example of how it is impacting on performers.
Having spent all his savings on a one-way train ticket to Edinburgh, London-based Czech stand-up Vash Pernikar is having to spend the duration of the festival wild-camping, as he can't afford a room.
Pernikar is performing a show as part of PBH's Free Fringe at 11:30pm at The Canons' Gait titled My Body Your Choice. We spoke to him, to find out how he's getting on post-show: "I'd never wild-camped before this year's Edinburgh Fringe. I'm not an outdoorsy type - I have a hay fever - I prefer the indoors. I imagined camping around Edinburgh was going to be lovely. It is bearable at best - and only for the first half of a night before it gets cold and windy, and before you get kicked out from Holyrood Park by one of their park rangers."
With rain forecast for the week ahead, he says "I can't wait to move out of my tent!" and has now set up a crowdfunding page to try and help him initially improve his camping experience, or - better still - find somewhere to stay that has a roof.