Three overseas ticket scalpers dominate majority of Manchester resale listings, many overpriced

A FanFair Alliance probe of Viagogo listings uncovered tickets for almost 300 events at 13 venues in Manchester, Salford and Stockport, with three sellers based in Latvia, North America and Germany responsible for over 75% of the 1,600 tickets on the platform. Prices were dramatically inflated, highlighted by a £5,899 ticket for Mica Millar’s concert—a 19,728% increase over face value—and £549 tickets for a Smiths anniversary talk.

The investigation also noted breaches of UK consumer law through false seller details. Artists including Tinie Tempah and Mike Joyce denounced the profiteering, while Virgin Media O2’s Gareth Griffiths called for government action to ban touting. FanFair Alliance’s Adam Webb warned the pattern extends beyond major shows to grassroots venues nationwide. Viagogo defended its compliance, arguing listed prices do not reflect final sales.