Bar minimum spend - is this reasonable??

[mischie]

I've provisionally booked an area in a nice pub in Wimbledon for my son's 1st birthday party gathering. The booking is for 2.5 hours from 3pm to 5.30pm on a Saturday afternoon in February.

The deposit is £150 which is then redeemed at the bar - fair enough.

Then, there is a minimum spend of £600! Does this seem a bit high?

The area is for between 25-50 people and I'll be inviting around 40 adults.

That's £15 per person. I think that's doable but you'll know the drinks prices and how many people will be drinking. Alcohol is much dearer than soft drinks after all! Also if all 40 don't come that pushes up the amount each person has to spend.

It depends if you can afford it!

Not unreasonable for the bar to charge it if that’s what they’d normally make in that amount of time, but far more than I’d be willing to pay for a 1st birthday party.

Are you eating? If so £15 head isn’t so bad. If not I would say that’s on the high side but it sounds like you are taking up a large area where others would probably spend at least £600.

What happens if they don't spend that much?

I actually just worked it out per head and seems actually fine...... I don't feel comfortable about people paying for their own drinks so we'll probably be forking out the whole amount! Which is a lot!!!

Ah man

That's about 3 drinks per person. Which is quite a lot for a Saturday and 1st birthdays are not known to be boozy occasions. For soft drinks you'd have to maybe put away 4 drinks which is a lot in 2.5 hours.

Seems a tad high. Unless your guests are cocktail drinkers. I would say 400 is more realistic.

Personally, I wouldnt spend £15 in two and a half hours if attending a child's party in a pub. Presumably most of the adults have children attending the party ( or is is a family party with adults only?) and won't be rolling drunk!

Saturday is a weekend day when most bars are busy. If they then televise sport they will lose out on the earnings for that as your party will take up the space. Plus they will need to schedule at least one person on to cover your party.

See if you can negotiate the min spend down to £400.

Any ideas on a better venue?

The min spend includes food too if that makes it more reasonable?

Well with 40 adults that's £15 a head min spend. Even at London prices that's about three drinks each. Admittedly some people will also buy soft drinks etc for kids, but equally some adults will be driving and you probably won't get all 40 able to attend anyway.

So yes, I think that's a very high minimum spend.

Bloody Wimbledon!

I can see why they do it, but for that type of event I'd have one drink.
Unless they a quite a boozy lot I can't see that happening.

You're going to pay at least £600 for a 1 year old's party?

There are too many unknowns in your OP but no one I know would ever consider that as reasonable

Why would you have a 1st b-day party in a pub?
Plus, why would 40 adults want to attend?
What's wrong with grandparents and cake at home?

Surely you can find something more reasonable priced for a 1st birthday

Have you looked at the Old Frizzle? That’s a nice one and has a part at the back.

The pubs round here are packed full of families so a pub isn't that strange a choice. 40 adults are family, nct friends and other mum friends I've made

Missing the point of the thread entirely but I'm with TeenTimesTwo, seems way OTT for a 1st birthday party and an odd choice of venue. But each to their own...

I was going to have a look at the Frizzle and see how much. I'm starting to rethink the whole thing now!

If I was invited to such an event I would buy one drink.

I would also

• wonder what children were meant to do (or aren't there any?)

-expect the hosts to put on some variety of food, even if just nibbles. Do no village halls or similar exist in your area?

Odd choice for a first birthday party. Would a soft play or a community centre not be q better venue?

It includes food? Then that’s not that high tbh