To question how much a prom venue wants to charge per head for non-eating members of staff?

[Ginmere]

This isn't as much as an AIBU as a -has anyone heard of this?

I work at a secondary school and have got a prom booked for the end of the month. There are about 160 students attending and around 40 staff. The venue quoted £20 per head for the students for buffet food and unlimited soft drinks all night. No problem with that but..... have now said that they charge £20 per head for all attendees whether they eat or not!!!' In other words they want £20 per head per staff member attending who won't eat the buffet food and will buy their own (mainly alcoholic but not to get drunk drunk) drinks at the bar.

Is this normal? Has anyone heard of this, we are thinking it is pretty shocking to be fair 😳 but it is mainly a wedding venue so wondering it they are right?

Our staff always had to pay so do DH's. We never found a venue that allowed staff in free. The staff made a big thing of it, got all dressed up, made a big fuss of the young people - all very proper- it was a lovely occasion. Venue provided their own security.