Secondary ticketing site Viagogo have been accused of “moral repugnance” over a decision to resell tickets to an Ed Sheeran cancer charity gig.

The website is advertising circle seats at the Royal Albert Hall concert next month, which is in aid of teenage cancer patients, for up to £5,000.

In a statement on their website, the Teenager Cancer Trust said: “The only people who should profit from Teenage Cancer Trust at the Royal Albert Hall are young people with cancer.”

Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran (Isabel Infantes/PA)

They added: “ID will be rigorously checked and anyone with tickets purchased on the secondary market will not be admitted.”

The Guardian reported that a statement on Viagogo’s website reads “buyers of tickets for this event will be accompanied into the venue by the seller”.

The website was condemned by ticket reform campaigners Fan Fair Alliance.

viagogo website
Viagogo website (PA)

They said: “Teenage Cancer Trust have gone to huge lengths and expense to prevent resale and profiteering of their tickets. To all intents and purposes they are non-transferable, with buyers needing to provide photo ID on the door.

“And yet, not only are Viagogo encouraging touts to sell these tickets at vastly inflated prices, none of which goes back to the charity, they attempt to circumvent the terms and conditions by advertising that the buyer will be accompanied into the venue by the seller.

“Leaving aside the moral repugnance of profiteering at the expense of teenage cancer sufferers, this appears a flagrant breach of consumer law and yet another reason why Government intervention is so desperately needed.”

Nigel Adams
Nigel Adams MP (PA)

Conservative MP Nigel Adams told the Guardian it was “disgraceful that Viagogo are profiteering from selling tickets meant to be raising money for a teenager cancer charity”.

He added they should “perhaps examine their consciences”.

Musicians have hit out on the topic recently, with You Me At Six frontman Josh Franceschi and Stormzy criticising online ticket touts.

Last year Josh told MPs on the Culture, Media and Sport select committee – of which Adams is a member – that the future of live music depends on a clampdown on touts.

Viagogo have been contacted for comment.