With comedian Peter Kay announcing his first live tour in 12 years, fans are eager to get their hands on tickets. Kay is one of the UK’s best-loved comedians, and his tour is set to be in high demand. This has led many fans to wonder – can I queue for Peter Kay tickets?
When do Peter Kay tickets go on sale?
Peter Kay will embark on an arena tour across the UK, Ireland, and Germany in 2023. The tour is titled Peter Kay’s Better Late Than Never Tour. Kay has announced over 100 dates for the tour, starting on December 2nd, 2023 in Manchester. The tour will run until August 2025.
Tickets for Peter Kay’s Better Late Than Never tour will go on sale November 12th, 2022 at 10am. Tickets will be available from major ticket retailers like Ticketmaster, See Tickets, and Gigs and Tours. Venues will also have allocations of tickets to sell directly.
Can I queue for tickets in person?
In the past, major tours have seen dedicated fans queue for tickets in person at venue box offices. However, for Peter Kay’s 2023 tour, there will be no physical in-person queuing for tickets.
The tour promoter, SJM Concerts, has confirmed that all tickets must be purchased online. No tickets will be sold in person at venue box offices. This is to ensure fair access to tickets for all fans.
Why is there no physical queue?
Peter Kay’s 2010 tour saw major queues form at ticket outlets around the country. Fans camped out overnight to get tickets. This led to crowded scenes and long queues.
For the 2023 tour, the decision has been made to only sell tickets online. This is for a few key reasons:
- Safety – Physical queues can lead to crowding and safety issues
- Accessibility – Online sales allow anyone to access tickets easily without having to queue in person
- Convenience – Buying online is more convenient than queuing for hours/overnight
- Fairness – Online sales give everyone an equal chance to get tickets
The move to all online sales aims to make the ticket buying process easy, fair and accessible for fans.
Can I still queue online?
With no physical queueing allowed, some fans may still want to queue online to get their tickets as early as possible. However, there is limited benefit to queueing online.
Most major ticket retailers now use virtual waiting rooms while tickets go on sale. This means when you land on the website to buy tickets, you are assigned a random place in a virtual queue. So turning up early online doesn’t improve your chances.
Ticketmaster
Ticketmaster uses their Verified Fan system for high demand tours like Peter Kay. Fans must register for Verified Fan access in advance, then Ticketmaster emails Verified Fans a code to access the ticket sale.
So queuing online makes no difference – it’s the Verified Fan code that gets you access to the tickets.
SeeTickets
For the Peter Kay tour, SeeTickets will be using their new Priority Access system. Fans need to register weeks in advance for the chance to get Priority Access. This will then give them an earlier slot in the virtual queue.
Again, regular online queueing won’t help – Priority Access is needed to get earlier access to tickets.
Gigs and Tours
Gigs and Tours operates a simple first come, first served online queue. Theoretically, joining this queue earlier could give you better access to tickets.
However, there is no evidence that queueing online hours/days in advance makes any difference to your spot in the queue. The queue system is essentially randomised once it opens.
Tips for buying tickets
If you want to maximize your chances of getting Peter Kay tickets, here are some top tips:
- Register for pre-sales – Register for pre-sale access links from the ticket retailers
- Be ready on time – Log on ahead of 10am on general sale opening
- Have accounts set up – Ensure you have accounts with the ticket retailers
- Use multiple devices – Try on your phone and laptop
- Pick less popular locations – Opt for extra dates added in smaller arenas
- Persist – Keep trying if tickets initially sell out as they are often re-released
Are ticket touts allowed?
Ticket touting refers to re-selling tickets at inflated prices, often by using bots to bulk buy tickets. Major tours usually see tickets appear on reseller sites like Viagogo at hugely inflated prices shortly after the tickets sell out.
However, strict measures are in place for Peter Kay’s tour to avoid ticket touting:
- Ticket limits – Restrictions on the number of tickets individuals can buy
- Named tickets – Tickets will be named and ID will be required to enter the venue
- Re-sale ban – Terms and conditions prohibit re-selling tickets
These measures aim to deter mass buying of tickets and ensure real fans can get access to tickets at face value.
Is there anything else I need to know?
Proof of disability
Accessible tickets will be available for disabled fans. Proof of disability may be required.
Age limits
The tour is suitable for ages 12+ with under 16s requiring adult supervision. Under 5s will not be admitted.
Dates and venues
Keep checking Peter Kay’s social media channels for announcements of any extra dates and venues added.
Official vendors only
Fans are advised to only buy from official ticket vendors listed on Peter Kay’s website to avoid invalid or fraudulent tickets.
Conclusion
Peter Kay’s 2023 arena tour is set to be one of the most popular comedy tours ever in the UK. No physical queueing will be allowed for tickets, with all sales being online only. Registering for pre-sales, being ready on time and persisting through the congested sales process will be key to securing the coveted tickets.