During the 2009 Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Peter Buckley Hill (PBH) won the Panel Prize as part of the Edinburgh Comedy Awards. At the time it was agreed by many that PBH's Free Fringe was an overdue and honourable enterprise that would only add to the spirit of artistic experimentation, innovation and most importantly co-operation that many felt the Edinburgh Fringe had lost in the nineties and noughties.

Since then, PBH has become one of the most divisive characters at the Edinburgh Fringe. Each year he imposes harsher and harsher restrictions on artists who agree to use the venues he "manages". Those with legal training have argued that several of these restrictions are not only  unenforceable, but they are in fact down right illegal in so far as they restrict trade and employment.

This is making it more difficult for PBH Free Fringe artists to be artistically creative and put on shows which are financially viable... Ironically going against the whole reason the Edinburgh free shows movement was created, rightly lauded and for which the Edinburgh Comedy Awards Panel Prize gifted him £4000.