DEMAND for UK Snooker Championship tickets in York next month is so big that an extra 1,200 are going on sale from tomorrow morning.
They are for the semi-finals and the final at the Barbican Centre, with 200 up for grabs for each of the four sessions involved in the semis and two sessions in the final.
Tickets for the final were sold out within a few days of going on sale last month, the second semi-final is a sell-out and the first semi-final close to capacity, so space to accommodate more spectators is being created by opening the Barbican arena's balcony for the last three days of the fortnight-long tournament.
The first semi-final is on Friday, December 13, with sessions at 2pm and 6.45pm. The second semi-final is on Saturday, December 14 (1pm and 6.45pm). The final is on Sunday, December 15, with sessions at 2pm and 8pm.
The UK Championship begins on Sunday, December 1 and climaxes with the best-of-19 frames final on December 15.
The Barbican box office opens at 10am. The phone number is 01904 656688.
Prices for semi-final tickets are £7.75 for the 2pm session, £6.50 for evening session, £13.50 all-day ticket.
Prices for tickets to the final are: £13.50 afternoon, £15.50 evening, £26 all-day ticket.
Up to yesterday over 7,700 tickets had been sold for the championship, an increase of 20 per cent on last year.
They have been sold to fans as far away as Canada and the Netherlands and spectators will also be coming to the city from Scotland, Ireland and Wales.
The tournament starts at noon on December 1.
The starting field of 48 features the world's top 32 players including UK defending champion Ronnie O'Sullivan and Embassy world champion Peter Ebdon.
They will be battling for a first prize of £84,000 and a total prize pot of £615,000, the richest fund for a single sports event in York.
Tickets for the early rounds of the tournament start at £3.50 for adults (£1.75 for children and senior citizens) and are still available, as are season tickets for the whole event, at £100.
Updated: 12:10 Thursday, November 21, 2002
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