Any business minded folk on here?

[Fredflinstoneswife]

I am running workshops and they are hosted at a few different venues. One of the venues does most of the marketing, sells the tickets and provides food. I bring the materials and teach the class. Ticket costs are £70. I get £30 for my workshop and the venue gets £40.

The venue, in their advertisement, states cancellations need to be made 3 weeks prior in order to get a refund. When the participants purchase tickets they pay in full. At my last class there was one "no show". I was paid for the no show, but I have since been told that going forward I will not be paid anything for no shows, as far as I am aware the venue did not refund the no show. So, going forward, for no shows the venue takes the £70 ticket fee and I don't get anything. AIBU to think is it a bit unfair to me? Or is this standard practice?

If this is common practice for venues how can I make sure it will be worth my while even going... if say 8 tickets sell and only a few turn up?!

The venue is a CF. You get your share of the cancelled place fees.

The venue is out of order. You still need paying for the no show

What's in your contract with the venue?
When is due for renegotiation?

I actually don't have a proper contract...most of our communication was via email. I'm pretty new to this!

It seems a tad unfair to me that if someone doesn't turn up I won't get paid but she will actually earn more. Especially if that person was coming to the venue particularly for my workshop.

sounds like the venue is taking the biscuit

They are taking advantage of you being inexperienced (from a business side)

Of course you should have a contract that covers eventualities such as this. The there is no ill feeling. It should also cover if you don’t turn up or cancel late minute eg due to sickness, so that it is balanced

Call them out OP. Utter nonsense. If anything you should get more of the fee for no shows as it's fewer people using the venue, eating the food. At least it should remain as previously agreed

Thanks for all your thoughts. I guess she feels she doesn't make enough with the number we usually get in. The other thing is I would have zero control over who she refuses to refund and those customers will probably think that I am still getting the money- it is potentially damaging to my business not only losing out on the day financially but damaging the goodwill of my business.