New Year's Eve - what would you pay?

[VeryFoolishFay]

DH and I run a little monthly supper club at home, been doing it 6 months and its starting to get rather popular. We only have 8 places and are now starting to sell out about about 3 weeks in advance.

We live in the middle of nowhere, so not much competition and have 5 * food hygiene certificate. We currently charge £35 ph, that's aperitif/canapes, soup and soda bread, starter, main course, dessert, coffee and truffles. Everything is handmade by us and ingredients are locally sourced. Because we are not licenced, guests bring their own wine, we provide glasswear and there's no corkage charge.

Now, we were thinking of having a New Years Eve celebration, because we don't usually do much, the evenings are rather convivial anyway and it would help boost the coffers after a family Christmas.

There is a nice pub with rooms that people could walk to (or I could drive them) and perhaps they could even come back for a full English in the morning.

We both love doing it but it is a huge amount of work and it also impacts on our DC's so I would like to charge accordingly. And our reputation locally is getting rather good. There is also a cost benefit to guests that they won't have to pay inflated alcohol prices. They will obviously stay till after Big Ben so it will be quite a long evening for us.

My main issue is that I have such an overwhelming fear of looking like a massive CF, I am liable to sell myself short, just to be polite.

So, if it's the sort of thing you might like, how much do you think it would reasonable to pay?

Do you have some regulars that you are friendly with that you ask?

I think you need to test your actual market and not just randoms on the internet.

I know but I am that nervous I thought some randoms might provide me a range of starting values!

I hate that places try to capitalise on really just another night of the year and unless you were providing entertainment I wouldn't be asking for much more per head. I think if it's your first year doing it you need to think about the impact it may have on your business and not come across as grabby.

I would float the idea of £50 to a few regulars and gauge their reaction.

I'm not sure what I'd pay but I disagree with a poster upthread about not capitalising on the fact that it's NYE - you're running a business at the end of the day, so it would be silly to sell yourself short. Maybe 50 to test the waters?

No, we're not providing entertainment. I wouldn't put anyone through a floor show and there's not enough room!

But it's getting the balance right, which is why I asked. I don't see it as just another night of the year because its generally regarded as a party night and I personally don't think its unreasonable to reflect that. I think most people expect to pay a little more (I would myself) and we won't be charging inflated alcohol prices.

But if all my potential guests think the same way as JPclarke, then I'm glad I asked!

Assume guests would be very local, it doesn’t sound like a “destination” NY eve out.

As you say the big cost saving for people is alcohol. £50 head for food seems steep though.

I think £50 is definitely reasonable for NYE if you charge £35 normally.

Well, we have quite a good social media thing going on now, and we had 4 people come 25 miles last week and another couple nearly 50 miles (that's one way, not a round trip) which is not what we really expected when we set it up.
People also like the fact they're not jostling for service in a big place and everything is freshly prepared. It's very labour intensive, hence the cost.

I would pay £50 per head on NYE, what time are guests arriving from? Be clear they need to leave at say 12.30am (see new year in, then go!)

Sounds awesome, I'd buy all 8 places and bring my mates and a load of champagne, perfect NYE!

I think your prices are reasonable at the moment and 50 a head is good value for ny eve. You could add a course or coffee or something to make it more special and justify the extra cost.
Bringing your own booze and no corkage means they can drink really nice quality drinks if they want to.

You should make a reasonable profit for working ny eve!

I think probably from 8pm.

We usually suggest a leaving time of about 11pm but if its all going really well, we just let it come to a natural conclusion!

You're not in the South West by any chance are you, Holly?!

I am thinking of going a little party bag of goodies to take home too. We usually offer a little port or brandy at the end which often goes well.

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Whats the venue like? Is it a historic or particularly attractive building?

@VeryFoolishFay sadly not otherwise I'd book you like a shot! Hope it all goes well!

I suppose it depends on what area you are on. South east where we live is extortionate. We’d pay up to about £100 for something like that.

Of course you have to charge a premium for big celebration nights. It will be a longer evening and presumably the menu will be a little bit more festive to reflect the occasion, maybe with additional decor items, centrepiece or whatever?

Can you give us an idea of menu?

Look up what other places are charging for NYE. It is not about taking advantage of the day it is about supply and demand.

I think £50 vs a normal price of £35 sounds a bit cheap. I would expect to pay double for NYE but would expect the menu to change accordingly.

It is a pretty special setting actually, a 17th mill house in a lovely woodland setting. Looks lovely at Christmas, with sparkly lights and a dual log burner.

For something that sounds intimate and offering really lovely food I’d readily pay £50 and up to £65 for s special occasion .

I don't think you can suggest a leaving time of 11 for a NYE do though. I would start it later say 8.30nand go to say 12.30 to see in the NY and have a toast etc

I think £50 is more than reasonable for all that food on NYE! Sounds amazing!

Next time, we have venison loan as a main course. October is pheasant breast, last week was duck in whiskey and passion fruit sauce and the month before was sea bass.

New Year's Eve? At least £50 per head.

not 11pm for NYE - that's our usual time, but last time, they were having such a laugh, they didn't go till nearly midnight anyway.