Taylor Swift spectacle triumphs over terror scare on London return

'Tay-gating' ban in place to protect fans after Vienna attack plot and Southport stabbings

Taylor Swift performs in London wearing a T-shirt bearing the message 'A lot going on at the moment'. Photo: TAS24

Many Taylor Swift fans have focused on the US superstar's various outfits during her tour, but it did not take a devoted Swiftie to see meaning in the "A Lot Going On At The Moment" T-shirt she wore on her London comeback.

The Wembley show marked the singer's return to the stage after a terrorism plot scuppered her tour dates in Vienna. It also came after three children were killed at a Taylor Swift-themed dance event in the UK, an attack that sparked riots in England and Northern Ireland.

Five concerts in six nights in London will end the European leg of the Swift's Eras Tour, with London's hospitality industry rubbing its hands at a potential £300 million ($385.4 million) boost. Fans travelling to the city from around the world have been determined to enjoy the spectacle despite the plot by an ISIS supporter to attack her Vienna concert.

Swift did not disappoint at her first London show on Thursday, bringing out Ed Sheeran as a surprise guest to the delight of the capacity crowd at England's national stadium.

But a security cordon means fans will be moved on if they gather outside to listen to Swift's performance during her concerts, a practice known as "Tay-gating" that was not banned in Vienna.

In Vienna "there were going to be lots of people just hanging out, and that is definitely a security risk", Daniela Pisoiu, a terrorism expert at the Austrian Institute for International Affairs, told The National.

"ISIS has said several times that one should attack public events – especially, of course, the European Championship and the Olympic Games, and there were some plots in France – but in principle all big events," Ms Pisoiu said. "Knowing this, it’s a little bit reckless not to have the necessary security measures in place. At the least you have to be able to check on everybody who takes part in these events."

Taylor Swift's Eras Tour returns to London - in pictures

Ticket rush

Some heartbroken fans denied the chance to see Swift, 34, perform in Vienna held an emotional gathering in the Austrian capital. Other have looked for a second chance in London, after tickets were exchanged on social media.

Analysis by Barclays found that fans spend twice as much to watch Swift in concert compared with that they spend to attend a wedding. A typical fan spends $156 on a hotel and $102 on official merchandise, while one in five will buy a new outfit for the occasion, it found.

The average amount spent on an Eras Tour ticket was £206, but some fans spent more than £400 on VIP ticket packages. Hotel searches were four times higher than usual in the week leading up to the shows this month, Visit London said.

It added that flight bookings were up by a third. London is hosting more Eras Tour shows than any other city, after three dates in June.

Safety rules

Some fans have been reassured by security rules around the concerts, which have been praised as a safe space for women and girls. People without a ticket "should not travel to Wembley Stadium", organisers said, while non-ticket holders "will be moved on".

“We are well prepared for this event and the public should expect to see officers, security staff and stewards working together in and around the venue and at transport hubs," Met Police commander Lou Puddefoot said.

“The Met is regularly involved in the policing of these types of events and as always, we have a flexible plan in place to ensure everyone can enjoy themselves safely.

Celebrity guests at Swift's June shows in London included Prince William, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Hollywood actor Tom Cruise. Her return to the country was supposed to follow three shows in Vienna, but Austrian intelligence said it was tipped off about a plot only days before the concerts.

A teenager who swore loyalty to ISIS confessed to a terrorist plot. Chemicals and equipment to make explosives were found at his home, authorities said.

Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer said a "tragedy was prevented". Authorities said the concert organisers decided to pull the plug on the shows.

Mr Nehammer said the suspect had "concrete and detailed" plans to commit an attack similar to those at concerts in Paris, Moscow and Manchester in recent years. The incident came days after three children were killed at a Swift-themed dance event in Britain.

Swift said she was "completely in shock" at the killings in Southport. She has made no public comment on the Vienna security threat.

Police in England have remained on high alert for any further disorder, but London Mayor Sadiq Khan said the city would "carry on" with the Eras Tour.

"We have a huge amount of experience in policing these events. We’re never complacent, many lessons were learnt after the awful Manchester Arena attack," he said.

Catherine Santamaria, 47, and her daughter Carla, 14, were among those who managed to get a Wembley ticket after their Vienna trip was ruined. Ms Santamaria said an American fan "sold them to me at face value, which is just unheard of, and we’re going on Monday".