...to want to find a no hire fee/min bar spend only venue for DP's 40th

[MiaSparrow]

That's it really... Or am I just being cheap?

It'll be in London (central or east), I have two months to plan it. I reckon we'll easily spend a grand on the bar with 100/150 guests, but some places charge a hire fee and security on top. I need to keep costs down to a minimum so that he actually gets a birthday pressie as well. What do you think? Any venue ideas gratefully received - pub function rooms, etc. Thanks.

I think most places will have a hire fee/min bar spend if you're expecting to have a reserved area which is fair really as they could be turning away other business to accommodate you. An indepdendant pub (rather than a chain) is probably your best bet as the hire fee might be quite low.

Where east are you? I might know of a pub function room in hackney area but there will be a hire fee and used to be relatively low cost.

Thanks MrsDe Hackney might be a bit too far east, actually. City/Clerkenwell/shoreditch/London Bridge would be perfect. More than happy to spend and least £1K on the bar so any hire fee would need to be minimal really.

Arh ok, I think places in the City will at least ask for a deposit which in some places you can then use against the final bill which works if you have a tab.

Hi OP, when I was looking for venues for my 40th I found these, I don't think either of them charge a hire fee for a Sat night (although there is a minimum spend).

The Fable Bar

Corney & Barrow

I know of a few in Central London, but the minimum bar spends were closer to 4 grand.

Happy to dig out details if they'd help, though.

If it's on a Saturday, that's a quiet night for some places in the City proper so they may be glad of the chance to guarantee spend... There's a youngs or a fullers near St Paul's that my friend used for this reason, and I think they opened specially for her function IYSWIM

i helped organise a do for my friend 3 years ago and most places were at least 2.5K

Yeah the minimum spends are generally very high for sole use of a function room / decent area.

I second the suggestion of trying some proper city bars rather than shoreditch as Saturday night isn't a great night for them.

Surely with 150 guests the bar spend would be well over 3k- or am I working it out wrong?

Hello, this post may not be any help at all, but....

When I was helping my cousin arrange her wedding we found a national bar hire. Deposit of £200 (or something) but as long as there was 50 plus people there was nothing else to pay. They took all the takings as their profit. The prices they charge wasn't too bad either. £3.20 for a vodka and juice and £1 to double up.

You got your deposit back to. I thought it was a good deal!

I'm still trying to find the email from the company to give you the actual company name

It'll be really hard to find something in the Christmas season (which starts mid/late Nov) if that is when you are thinking, much easier if you can wait for January.