Taylor Swift’s upcoming London shows will go ahead with greatly increased security, after the singer was forced to cancel her concerts in Vienna following police foiling a terror plot.
The 34-year-old singer had been due to perform in front of an estimated 170,000 fans on August 8, 9 and 10 in the Austrian capital, but was forced to cancel all three shows following the horrific attack, which He threatened to take ‘as many lives as possible’ – He was exposed.
Now the Metropolitan Police have confirmed that Taylor’s five concerts at Wembley Stadium, which begin on August 15, will go ahead as planned, with additional protective measures such as metal detectors believed to be in place.
This comes as branding expert Nick Ede also shared the so-called ‘Swiftonomics’ surrounding the singer’s cancelled shows and the huge costs the star will face from cancelling her three concerts.
A Metropolitan Police spokesman said: ‘London hosts a significant number of very high profile events each year and millions of visitors enjoy a safe and enjoyable experience.
Taylor Swift’s London shows will go ahead with a huge increase in security, after the singer was forced to cancel her concerts in Vienna after police foiled a terror plot.
The singer was scheduled to perform on August 8, 9 and 10 in the Austrian capital, but was forced to cancel all three shows after the terror plot was revealed.
This comes as branding expert Nick Ede also shared the so-called ‘Swiftonomics’ surrounding the singer’s cancelled shows and the huge costs the star will face from cancelling her three concerts.
‘The Met works closely with venue security teams and other partners to ensure appropriate security and surveillance plans are in place.
‘There is nothing to suggest that the matters being investigated by the Austrian authorities will have any impact on future developments here in London.
“As always, we will continue to carefully review any new information.”
London Mayor Sadiq Khan also confirmed the concerts will go ahead, saying: “We have huge experience in policing these events, we are never complacent.
‘Many lessons have been learned after the terrible attack at Manchester Arena. The police are working closely, not only with the City Council, but also with local councils and those organising concerts, such as the one taking place in the coming weeks.
“I’m sure Vienna has its own reasons for cancelling Taylor Swift’s concerts. We will continue to move forward, working closely with the police and ensuring that the concerts can take place safely.”
Experts have warned that terror threats are “a wake-up call”, with Chris Phillips, former head of the UK’s National Counter Terrorism Security Bureau, telling The Sun: “Music events are the flashpoint for terrorist targets.”
“We must continue with business as usual and make sure nothing happens. We must not allow the terrorists to win, but we must be vigilant.
Taylor’s five Wembley Stadium concerts, which begin on August 15, have been confirmed to go ahead as planned, with additional protective measures believed to be in place.
Following news of Taylor’s cancelled concerts, brand and culture expert Nick Ede told MailOnline that the star could face a nine-figure bill due to the cancelled shows.
Breaking down the so-called ‘Swiftonomics’, he said the three Eras Tour shows will cost around £136.5 million, based on the average ticket price and a spend of £700.
He added: “This does not take into account the extra security and the teams that have to support the thousands of fans who have travelled to see it.
‘The venue, the Ernst Happel Stadium, has a capacity for almost 65,000 people, of which 195,000 spectators will be there on three nights, but to that must be added the relatives and fans who will be outside listening, approximately another 10,000 a day.
‘With people travelling from all over the world to see Taylor, the costs and implications for fans and also the economy in Vienna will be enormous.
‘All tickets were refunded, which is a loss of millions, and when Taylor was in London, Swiftonomics brought in around £380m to the city, so you can see that Vienna has an impact on costs too.
‘As the event was cancelled at the last minute, many people will still travel to Vienna, so there will be a boost to the economy, but not on the scale it would have been if the concerts had gone ahead.
‘From hotels, Airbnb, food and drink, Swiftonomics is a cultural phenomenon and can literally change the fortunes of businesses in and around the Eras Tour orbit.
“Taylor is very loyal to her fans and I’m sure she would want to reschedule her concert to ensure they can see the show, but with a packed schedule and also the very real threat of terrorism, she and her team will have to decide if they can return to Vienna after her 152-date tour ends.”
Following news of Taylor’s cancelled concerts, brand and culture expert Nick Ede told MailOnline that the star could face a nine-figure bill due to the cancelled shows.
Taylor’s concert promoter confirmed the cancellation in a post, citing public safety concerns.
It was previously thought that Taylor’s run of London shows could bring in around £300m to the city’s economy.
On Wednesday, police revealed that two suspects had been arrested for allegedly planning a terrorist attack at Taylor’s shows in Vienna.
It has since been confirmed that radicalised teenagers aged between 17 and 19 – including one ISIS fanatic – had “planned a massacre involving bombs, knives and a vehicle attack on young fanatics”.
Following the foiled terror plot, Taylor’s concert promoter Barracuda Music released a statement informing fans that her Vienna dates were being cancelled, leaving tens of thousands of people disappointed after struggling to secure tickets for the sold-out tour.
‘Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour shows in Vienna are cancelled due to confirmation by government officials of a planned terrorist attack,’ the post reads.
‘With confirmation from government officials of a planned terrorist attack at the Ernst Happel Stadium, we have no choice but to cancel all three scheduled shows for the safety of everyone.
‘All tickets will be automatically refunded within the next 10 business days.’
Shortly after the news broke, it was reported that Taylor was “devastated” at having to cancel the dates.
Taylor’s fans were also “devastated” by the last-minute cancellation, but thanked the singer for “keeping them safe.”
Since then, they have been seen reuniting in Vienna to sing the star’s hits together.
The main suspect, a 19-year-old Austrian with roots in North Macedonia identified as Beran A, was arrested in Ternitz, south of Vienna, on Wednesday morning.
A second teenager, aged 17, who had recently broken up with his girlfriend, was arrested in the Austrian capital in the afternoon, according to public security director Franz Ruf.
Beran A, who pledged allegiance to the current leader of the Islamic State group last month, was “focused” on Taylor’s concert in Vienna, Ruf confirmed, and had quit his job.
He had said he had ‘big plans’ on July 25, Ruf revealed, adding that the teenager had also ‘significantly changed his appearance’.
“There has been a clear social change,” Ruf added.
Austrian media reported that the suspects’ plans included driving a car into groups of Swifties expected to gather outside the venue, before proceeding to attack them with machetes and knives.
They had reportedly planned to launch their attack today, August 8.
The 19-year-old, who was photographed posing with knives, fully confessed to plans to “kill as many people as possible outside the concert venue,” Austrian security officials said.
His planned terror attack was to end with him detonating his homemade bomb and committing suicide in the process, according to Austrian newspaper Heute.
Public security director general Ruf confirmed today that “explosives were manufactured” at the suspect’s home after local media reported that Beran A. had stolen chemicals from his former workplace, a metal processing company also in Ternitz, to build a bomb.
The three-time Super Bowl winner reportedly called Taylor as soon as the news broke and spent “hours” consoling her over the phone.
This comes days after a dance class celebrating their music was attacked in Southport, England, where three children were fatally stabbed.
