Before booking a venue for a meeting, conference or corporate party entertainment discuss the following factors with the venue or venue finder to make sure it is right for your budget and your event.
Minimum Charge/Fee - Discuss with the venue hire representative their minimum charge for hiring their facilities. Check that you are not being charged over the odds for a venue that will not be fully utilized.
Scrutinize the Charges - Ask the venue finder or venue hire representative for a comprehensive breakdown of the charges. You may be able to save a significant amount if you can convince the venue that certain charges are not applicable to your particular function. You can expect to find the following items on the list:
- admin fee
- service charge
- room hire
- VAT
- insurance
- refundable deposit
Other Hidden Charges - Ask the venue finder if there is a charge for things like cutlery and crockery, which could add up to a substantial amount. This is why it is important to ask for a thorough breakdown of the charges.
Venue Bar - Before cementing your venue hire arrangements, make sure the venue has a bar - this is essential for convenience. Find out if there is a minimum spend for the bar. If appropriate, find out if you can supply your own drinks. If so, what would they charge for corkage?
Catering - Ask if the venue can provide catering. If not, find out what facilities they have onsite for caterers.
Music - Ask if the facility has a late licence for entertainment. Find out if you are limited to a particular type of music or DJ. Acoustics could be an issue at some venues.
Preferred Supplier - Avoid venues that demand you use all their preferred suppliers. Your bill will be inflated and you could limit your creative options. If necessary, opt for the best of their suppliers and insist on choosing the others.
Who Else Is Using The Venue? It is important to find out who you will be sharing the premises with. You may find that there are two or three other events taking place at the same time as yours. In this case, if you are determined to have your function at that venue, find out if you can hire the entire floor, or if there is overflow space, such as a reception area or a garden, that can be made available for your exclusive use.
Accommodation - Find out if the venue can suggest any local hotels, and if so, do they have an arrangement with any of the hotels for discounted accommodation.
- admin fee
- service charge
- room hire
- VAT
- insurance
- refundable deposit
