By Michael Baws THE finances of a top international choir that visits Ludlow next month have been crippled by the doubling of work visa charges for its 30 members.

Ludlow MP Philip Dunne is to quiz foreign secretary David Miliband in Parliament later today (Thursday) about the charges.

Ludlow Assembly Rooms director Paula Redway said it made it difficult to bring in more international artists.

The Boyan Ensemble from Kiev, Ukraine, will appear at the Assembly Rooms on November 12 but its tour finances have been hit by the increased costs for entertaining in Britain.

On April 1 the Foreign and Commonwealth Office hiked the cost of the appropriate visa from £100 to £200, adding £3,000 to the choir's costs.

This week Mr Dunne tabled a Parliamentary question to Mr Miliband asking whether it was the case that visa costs had been increased for performing arts groups from Ukraine. "That will give me a chance to question him further. It seems unnecessarily heavy handed," he said.

Paula Redway said: "This decision is making it difficult for arts organisations to fulfil the wishes of the Arts Council to bring in more international artists. It also makes it difficult for the artists themselves."

The choir's UK representative Margarete Rolle said: "An extra £100 a head is a fortune for these people. They all have other jobs back in Ukraine and even then they still have a pretty frugal lifestyle. Such a massive increase came completely out of the blue."

To save money on tour, choir members try to live off food from home. "When they come to Ludlow they will arrive in mid-afternoon. They will probably have eaten sausages and rye bread on the coach," said Mrs Rolle.

Ironically, the Assembly Rooms is promoting the concert alongside a two-course meal and a glass of wine for £12.95.

"That would be well beyond the choir's means," Mrs Rolle said. "All they have been able to do is borrow the money they need and hope that they will make enough on the tour to pay it back with interest charges.

"If they fail to do so, it could mean the end of the ensemble. One of the singers recently had to give up performing to sell mattresses because he could earn more that way."

The choir has sung five times at St Peter's Church in Ludlow but it has not appeared in town since 1997. This weekend it begins a 24-concert tour, which also includes St Francis Xavier Church in Hereford on November 16.

Tickets for the Ludlow concert, which begins at 7.30pm, are available from the Assembly Rooms box office on 01584 878141.

John Neil, press officer for UKVisas, sent the Advertiser a 1,350 word statement which said, in part, that the new fees would be valid for the financial year and the situation would be monitored.