Theatregoers pay the price for booking tickets online

Theatregoers heading to the West End are being hit with "rip-off" charges when they book tickets for big shows online, it has been revealed. Extra fees of up to £12.25 extra are being added on to the price of tickets when customers buy on the web, while those who buy from the venue face no such fee.

The charges were slammed by consumer magazine Which?, which has called on the Government to take action to prevent the extra fees. "About 50,000 people supported our campaign to see these 'rip-off' charges stamped out so the Government must stick to its commitment and ensure the ban happens by December," a spokesman told The Stage magazine.

The highest charges were found on tickets for We Will Rock You at the Dominion Theatre, while other shows such as Chicago and War Horse had no such fee. Online buyers must pay a "service charge" of £8.25 on the top-price ticket for We Will Rock You, plus an additional £4 to have the tickets posted.