Edinburgh Festival 'thrives in recession'

The Edinburgh Fringe Festival is not suffering from the recession, it has been reported.

Advance ticket sales for the event have increased by 20% on last year, according to Ananova.

Festival chief executive Kath Mainland said: "This year, the Fringe is bigger than ever. More people than before wanted to take part in it, so that's a great thing.

"People need cheering up in a recession and I think the Fringe is perfect for that."

The Pleasance venue reportedly has a doctor on standby due to the swine flu epidemic.

Fringe 2009 will take place from August 7 to 31, showcasing over 2,000 individual shows, including performances from Ricky Gervais and Denise Van Outen.