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.

I actually think that's quite reasonable.

They have to take into account what they would be earning from that same space if you werent there. Doesn't matter if it's a 1st bday party with soft drinks drinkers, if you weren't there they'd be full of alcohol drinkers especially on a Saturday afternoon.

You're not unreasonable for thinking it's expensive but it will be if you're stumping up the full cost! I wouldn't expect the host to pay for my drinks anyway - maybe take it easy on yourself!
Have fun!

Ig I were going to a 1 yr old's party in the afternoon, I'd probably have a mug of tea and that's it. If dh were there as well I might have one glass of wine. I really can't see people spending £15 a head when popping in to a 1 yr old's party in the middle of the day.

But then, I agree with TeenTimesTwo
Why not hire a Church hall or local community rooms and buy in a few bottles of wine and take some tea bags ?
Seems a HUGE amount to be shelling out for what you are getting, or what costs you are passing on to your guests.

It's not an adult meal time, so I don't really see why they would be ordering food, except crisps or similar.
Unless you lay on snacky buffet food like sausage rolls etc?

What does the party consist of?

A cake at home with family and close friends wound to for me. Separate coffee shop get together for NCT.

But each to their own.

I don't think a pub is that daft a venue for a 1st birthday, if there aren't too many other kids coming. First birthdays are mostly for the parents anyway - the children don't know what's going on, and just enjoy being the centre of attention (or hate the whole thing).

If you're planning to provide food for people then £15 a head doesn't seem that crazy. Could you order some small plates/nibbles/sharing platter type things from the usual menu, or is there a special buffet menu for events?

If you're struggling to reach the minimum spend then push fancy coffees, mocktails etc. Should be easy enough to hit the £600 mark.

I'm scrapping the idea for now!

£600 for a 1 year olds party?!? Not a chance in hell, even if you can afford it what a waste. And if you’ve got a load of 1 year olds there it won’t be relaxing for anyone.

Just hire a hall or a soft play so they can charge around being 1 and not be worried about other customers.

Can you afford £600 or is it that you are worried it will be more? Just have a set choice based on a maximum of £20 each and that will limit costs.

Thanks @CasperGutman This was my thinking. It's more of an excuse to get all our friends and family together as we're not having a christening. We're inviting people like my husband's best man and other very close uni friend etc.

There'll be 7 1yr olds which are all very used to the pub! 😂

Party's in pubs I have been to I have had one drink normally alcoholic.

I would suggest you let people crack on with buying drinks like normal and then pay the outstanding balance on the 600 after that.

Presumably the kids party food will come out of that too and you could get some nibblrs for adults.

It really depends whether a kids party is worth that much to you. With pressies and party bags and party food at home we normally spend about 150 just for a comparison. Normally 8 to 12 guests and then parents at that age.

I don't think it's an odd choice at all, but I do think it's something that's more likely to be normal in London than other places.

My friend did exactly what you have in mind for her dc's 1st birthday, it was a lovely day and I don't even have a small child anymore. People brought toys and the babies/toddlers played and snacked, it was all very relaxed. Plenty of parents had a drink or two because they walked or used public transport and because it was a pub it was a more appealing invitation for anyone other than grandparents or those with dc the same age than a soft play would have been. There's plenty of time for those sorts of parties when your ds is old enough to know the difference!

A pub is really not a place for a one year old's birthday plus I'd hate to be there with 7 one years olds probably making a noise. This sounds like a party for yourselves not your child.

Children just want some ice cream and crawling about on the floor. Do that at home with your nearest and dearest.

I went to something with similar timing on a Saturday afternoon at the Queen Adelaide on Putney Bridge Road, so not too far away. Nice relaxed atmosphere and a spacious semi private space.

I'd drink that much in an afternoon family gathering.

A 1 year old's party is not really "a children's party" is it, it's for the adults.

@MrsGollach Yep, it's definitely more for us. I want to get all our loved ones together to mark the occasion. Pub probably doesn't sound good but this place is lovely and always full of parents with babies. I think I'll put off soft play until it's actually needed!

With food included it’s petfectly fine. I’d much rather that than a buffet in a church hall.

Basically my plan is:

Get people we love together in a room to mark my son's first year. We'll be there about 2 hours. All the babies that are there have been to this particular place loads and loads of times. The place has many many high chairs. I will put on nibbles/food etc.

Most people will come by public transport. We'll walk.

Honestly Of course a party for grown ups. The child is bloody one! What are they going to want?! And soft play... give me a break, they have years of that to come!

OP your day sounds lovely, and exactly the kind of thing my circle of friends would do. Nobody would bat an eyelid. If you want to spend that money then great. My lot would easily spend £15 a head but I’d do as someone else suggested and just let people crack on and top up the difference. Have a lovely day!

What are all the 1 year olds going to do in the pub for 2.5 hrs?

Seems reasonable.
The pub could probably serve 25-30 families meals in the same space in 2.5 hours which would be at least £20 per family (probably more).

Surely birthday bookings in pubs are for 18th birthdays, not first birthdays?

What about the Wimbledon Rugby Club in Barham Road or St Mary's church garden room in the village?

If you are happy to spend £600 then other people's opinions don't matter.

Looking back on all the children's parties I have attended, this could be the last one where you get to choose all the guests and don't have to go to a soft play centre, so I'd make the most of it!

at that time of day, I'd have had my lunch and wouldn't be eating more than a canape and a mince pie.

I wouldn't be drinking alcohol either.

I wonder if the pub were hoping to put you off. They might worry that your party is going to be full of whinyarses buying one lemonade between too because it's a CHILDREN'S party and it's outrageous that anyone might want ALCOHOL.