SURPRISE additions to the price of theatre and concert tickets in the form of booking fees and credit card charges will shortly become a thing of the past, the Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise and Employment Mr Pat Rabbitte has said.

Under new rules devised by the Government to be introduced in May, written advertising will have to detail not just the admission price, but any additional charges, given as either a percentage of the ticket value or as the cash amount.

Mr Rabbitte said that, for television and radio advertisements, concert and theatre promoters would have to state the admission price and warn listeners where extra charges apply.

"The imposition of additional charges, such as booking fees and credit card charges, over and above the price of admission has been a source of concern to consumers for some considerable time," he said.

As far back as 1991, the Director of Consumer Affairs had expressed unhappiness at the lack of information and transparency in ticket prices, Mr Rabbitte added.