Taylor Swift’s sensational European leg of her Eras Tour has finally come to an end, closing another run of what’s already become the highest-grossing tour in history.
The hitmaker brought the curtain down on a stellar run of shows on the other side of the Atlantic with a record eighth concert at Wembley Stadium on Tuesday, where she once again sent 92,000 fans into a frenzy with her medley of hits.
Having already been such a success its coined the term Swiftonomics, Taylor’s tour has introduced a jaw-dropping £1 billion to the UK economy.
It’s thought that over one million giddy Swifites – and their bank balances – descended on big cities to see the Love Story hitmaker’s show.
Overall the European leg of Taylor’s tour was booked to span over 50 dates in countries including France, Sweden, Ireland, Germany, Poland, Austria, Spain, Italy, the Netherlands and Switzerland, before wrapping up in London on 20 August.
Taylor Swift ‘s sensational European leg of her Eras Tour has finally come to an end, closing another run of what’s already become the highest-grossing tour in history
The hitmaker brought the curtain down on a stellar run of shows on the other side of the Atlantic with a record eighth concert at Wembley Stadium on Tuesday
As soon as the dates were announced, many European cities saw a sharp rise in demand for hotels and short-term accommodation over the summer.
BBC Scotland also stated that that the accommodation shortage was so severe, that several homeless people had been sent via taxi to Aberdeen and Glasgow.
1.2million fans were estimated to be spending an average of £848 on tickets, travel, accommodation, outfits and other costs to see the star at one of her 15 UK tour dates – more than 12 times the average cost of a night out.
It was recently revealed how Taylor Swift had joined the ranks of the world’s billionaires, with her music, live performances and real estate portfolio estimated by Forbes to be worth $1.1 bn (£874m).
On average those lucky enough to attend Taylor’s shows are thought to have spent £206 on a ticket and for the fans (14% of the total) who dug deeper to buy VIP or premium seats that figure exceeded £400.
The report estimated fans spend an average of £121 on accommodation and £111 on travel to go to the night out.
As 18% will buy a new outfit the average clothing bill for a Swiftie concert is put at £56.
Going for a restaurant meal near one of the tour venues in London, Liverpool, Edinburgh and Cardiff is expected to add £59 to the night’s total cost and add on another £79 for the expensive Taylor tour merchandise.
Having already been such a success its coined the term Swiftonomics, Taylor’s tour has introduced a jaw-dropping £1 billion to the UK economy
Dr Peter Brooks, Chief Behavioural Scientist at Barclays, said: ‘Whoever came up with the phrase ‘money can’t buy happiness’ clearly wasn’t a Swiftie.
‘There’s growing evidence that spending on experiences boosts happiness and well-being more so than purchasing physical items, especially if that experience is shared with friends and loved ones.
‘When it comes to cultural icons like Taylor Swift – like we saw with Elvis and Beatlemania in the 50s and 60s – supporters have such a strong connection to the artist and to the rest of the fandom that the desire to spend becomes even more powerful.
‘For non-fans, £848 may seem like an enormous amount to splash out on a concert – but for Eras Tour ticketholders, every pound they spend is an investment in the memories they’ll create.’
While of course many hotel and restaurant owners have lined their pockets with the profits of Taylor’s concerts, the star has also shown her generous side during her time in the UK.
The Edinburgh Food Project, said it was informed before her first concert on Friday that she would be ‘making a donation to support foodbanks across the city’.
The charity told MailOnline it had agreed not to reveal the exact amount of money donated by Swift, but said it will ‘make a big difference to the people we support.’
One food bank in Liverpool even reported that they only found out she planned to donate when they missed a call from an American number.
The St Andrew’s Community Network, which provides for 11 food banks and eight community food pantries in the north of the city, returned the call on June 20 and discovered Swift’s team wanted to give money.
A Cardiff Food bank also confirmed on Instagram and Facebook that the artist had donated, adding that the development was ‘beyond their wildest dreams’.
As Taylor’s epic Eras Tour concluded its European leg following a mammoth six-night run, Swifties shared their favourite things about the Pennsylvania-born pop princess.
A heartwarming video showcased fans of all ages sharing what they love most about Taylor – and about each other.
One young fan, decked out in a sparkling blue sequin minidress and draped in friendship bracelets, gushed: ‘It’s just the way she is and the way she treats her fans – I think she’s incredible.’
Standing beside her, the girl’s mother chimed in: ‘I think it’s just a real community… and it’s beautiful.’
The daughter, reflecting on the special bond they share, explained: ‘The fact that we get to experience [the show] together. I’ve grown up listening to Taylor. Mum’s never taken me before to see her in concert, so… look at us now!’
Her mother laughed, adding: ‘I’ve put up with it for so many years! To be here now, it’s beautiful.’
Another set of fans, dressed in cowboy hats and monochrome-lace outfits, echoed similar sentiments about Swift, with one answering: ‘Everything is so honest and open.’
Two teenage girls, one wearing a 1989-inspired blue outfit and the other wearing a Reputation-style black dress and snake necklace, shared what they loved most about the singer.
One of the girls giggled as she answered: ‘I love her love for cats, because I love cats too.’
When asked what the teens loved about attending the concert together, the other responded, ‘We barely ever get to see each other,’ as the first added: ‘This is like a once in a lifetime moment.
A mother, who travelled from the United States along with her two daughters, expressed how Swift’s music connects them as a family.
She said, ‘Her songs are something we can all blast in the car,’ as her daughter added, ‘Something I can relate to no matter what mood I’m in.’
The mother cherished the opportunity to share the experience with her daughters, saying: ‘As a Mom, these moments go so fast, and to be able to experience this with my daughters… it warms my heart.’
Another concertgoer, sporting a matte-red lip similar to Taylor’s signature shade, said of the Love Story singer: ‘She brings us all together from all different walks of life.’
A male fan, accompanied by his best friend, shared how Taylor’s heartbreak songs helped him through tough times, while his friend added: ‘It’s just a safe space for everyone to be whoever they want to be.’
Upon being asked what they loved most about attending the concert together, the pair answered: ‘We always have the best time together. We are literally best friends.’
While Taylor certainly made a huge impact on the lives of fans who travelled in their thousands to see her show, she ensured the European leg of her tour ended in spectacular fashion in Wembley Stadium on Tuesday.
As the show came to a close, many fans took to social media to pay tribute to the star for her incredible performances, with one confessing they were ‘crying in the morning’ reflecting on her shows.
Posts to X included: ‘I took these pictures of Taylor Swift myself at one of the most iconic Eras Tour nights and I’ll never shut up about it. Singing and screaming and laughing with my daughter from the barricade is a top lifetime memory. Thank you London;’
‘Message in a Bottle just played at work, and the how is it in London part made me wanna cry. The international leg is really over;
‘If you would have told me two weeks ago that I would get off the London waitlist and get Long LivexChange, yoyok and Getaway Cat, meet mama swift and be given guitar picks straight out of Scott’s pocket I would have slapped you in the face for such cruel lies;
‘Y’all best believe that the next tour I’m gonna be at those shows in London. Watch out work, watch out Taylor nation, tem is gonna be there!’
‘How to cry early in the morning? Listen So Long London from Taylor Swift.’
The Anti Hero hitmaker treated her fans to iconic duets and never played before surprise tracks during her performance.
While of course many hotel and restaurant owners have lined their pockets with the profits of Taylor’s concerts, the star has also shown her generous side by donating to food banks
They added: ‘It will be powerful and emotional, as well as an uplifting celebration of Taylor and her incredible fans’
It has been a difficult time for Taylor, who was forced to cancel three gigs in Vienna this month after it emerged ISIS had planned to target her fans
As the show-stopping concert drew to a close the star gushed: ‘London I have just had the best most unforgettable night with you.
‘Thanks for wanting to be with us for the last night of the European leg of the Eras tour.’
And as 92,000 fans gathered at the stadium, fans went wild as the star was joined on stage by Florence Welch for a duet of their hit track Florida!!! from Taylor’s most recent album The Tortured Poets Department.
Fans screamed the stadium down as the first few bars of the song, before Florence then emerged to mark the first time the singer has played the track on the tour.
While the singer famously saves the songs not on the usual setlist for the ‘Surprise’ section of the show, she seemed to make an exception on this special occasion.
And even after the concert, the star continued to treat her fans as she dropped the video for her hit track I Can Do It With A Broken Heart off her latest record.
Released at 11pm UK time, just half an hour after the end of the Wembley show, the video shows a behind the scenes look at the Eras Tour as Taylor climbs inside her famous box before she is pushed to her place under the stage before her grand entrance.
Meanwhile Florence wasn’t the only guest on Tuesday evening as later in the show, during the surprise section the star brought out her best friend and producer Jack Antonoff.
As Taylor gushed over the privilege of ‘getting to work with her best friend’ the crowd went wild as Jack entered the stage.
The pair then performed a collaboration on guitar of Death By A Thousand Cuts from her album Lover and Getaway Car from Reputation.
It may have been the last Wembley gig, but it was also a night of firsts as Taylor fittingly performed So Long London as her final surprise song from her latest album The Tortured Poets Department.
And as she closed the show she gushed: ‘Thank you for the memories we will keep for the rest of our lives’.
Yet despite the night of excited surprises, it seems fans got it wrong after they predicted the singer was due to announce the re-recording of her album Reputation – referred to as Rep TV (Taylor’s Version).
Swifties were convinced that the superstar was going to make the huge announcement after spotting major clues over her August London shows.
However instead of Rep TV they got a new music video instead, despite the star giving no clues about its release during the show.
The Grammy award-winning singer also made history on Tuesday night as she revealed that she’s become the first solo artist to play Wembley eight times on a single tour.
Making the impressive announcement as she opened up the show, she began with her Lover era as usual she greeted the enthusiastic crowds she told them how it was an ‘honour’ to welcome them to the tour.
She then said it was with fans’ support that she was able to make the milestone, telling the screaming crowds: ‘You have made me the first solo artist to play Wembley eight times on a single tour!’
The audience then loudly applauded back to her as she got on with her next song – Lover.
The star is also reportedly recording a documentary that will tell the story of her record-breaking Eras Tour.
The Sun have revealed the songstress is working on a film to share how the 149 shows were created as well as documenting her experience of heartbreak on the road.
The film will reportedly touch on the Southport knife attack after three young girls were murdered at a Taylor Swift themed dance class in Southport, Merseyside.
It will also cover the foiled terror attacks in Vienna, which saw Taylor forced to cancel her three gigs in the Austrian city this month after it emerged ISIS had planned to target her fans.
Celebrities flocked to attend the final concert as Emily Blunt and her husband John Krasinski led the famous stars in attendance.
The Hollywood couple were seen looking in great spirits as they prepared for an evening of pop hits from the Cruel Summer star with their children Hazel, 10, and Violet, 7.
Elsewhere Taylor’s iconic backing dancer Kameron Saunders left fans in hysterics once again during his famous one liner.
The dancer, who has become famous among Swifties, has his own solo during We Are Never Getting Back Together which he changes each evening depending on the city.
And on Tuesday he gave a nod to London based soap EastEnders as he exclaimed: ‘Get out of my pub’ as Taylor handed him the mic.
The iconic line was coined by the late Barbara Windsor in her role as Peggy Mitchell during her time as landlady of the Queen Victoria pub.
Fans went wild for the reference as they took to TikTok to share their excitement as one wrote: ‘omg the most iconic ever’.
Tuesday night marked Taylor’s eighth show at the London venue after a series of five consecutive shows in London in August and three back in June.
As the show-stopping concert drew to a close the star gushed: ‘London I have just had the best most unforgettable night with you. Thanks for wanting to be with us for the last night of the European leg of the Eras tour’
It has been a difficult time for Taylor, who was forced to cancel three gigs in Vienna this month after it emerged ISIS had planned to target her fans.
The plot came shortly after three young girls were murdered at a Taylor Swift themed dance class in Southport, Merseyside.
Her Wembley show on August 15 marked Taylor’s first performance since both incidents, which have no doubt been hard for her to navigate.
A source told the The Sun how she would be putting on the ‘best show of her life’ for the five nights in London.
An insider told the publication: ‘Everything Taylor does is for her fans and she will be putting on the best show of her life when she returns to Wembley.
‘Hate never wins and Taylor absolutely stands for that. Her shows are about love, unity and acceptance, and this is a message she will always want to convey.’
‘They will be back hard at work tomorrow for the first night at Wembley. It was packed in Annabel’s as there were 200 of them there, but it was a great night. Everyone was so appreciative of Taylor’s efforts.’