The short answer
For a typical family party of 40 to 80 guests outside the big city centres, expect anything from free (with a bar spend) to a few hundred pounds for the room itself. Food and drink usually cost more than the room. A community hall might be £10 to £30 an hour. A pub upstairs room might be free, a flat £100 to £250, or a minimum spend of £400 to £650 on a busy night.
The room price is only part of the cost. What you'll actually pay depends on the pricing model, the day and time, how many guests you have and what food you want.
The four ways venues charge
- Free hire with a bar spend. Common in pubs and social clubs. The room is free because the venue expects to make its money behind the bar. Some ask for a small refundable deposit.
- Flat hire fee. A set price for the room for a session, evening or day. Common in pubs with a separate function room, clubs and hotels.
- Hourly rate. The norm for community halls, parish centres and sports clubs. Remember to include setting up and clearing away in your hours.
- Minimum spend or price per head. No room fee, but your group commits to spending a set amount, or the price is per guest and usually includes food.
Free hireYou spend at the bar instead
Hire feeA flat price per session or day
Hourly rateUsual for halls and clubs
Per head or minimum spendA food and drink target
What real rooms charge
Here are prices published by venues listed on BookaFunctionRoom. They change, so treat them as a guide and confirm with the venue.
| Venue | Town | Published price |
|---|---|---|
| Bryn Labour Club | Wigan | Free to hire, small refundable deposit |
| Houghton Arms | Oldham | From £8 per person |
| Lyndhurst Road Community Centre | Reading | From £9 an hour, plus fees |
| Cross Keys Inn | Swindon | From £10 per person |
| Unsworth Cricket Club | Bury | From £30 an hour, 3-hour minimum |
| Octagon Theatre Kitchen & Bar | Bolton | From £35 room hire |
| Thomas 'A' Becket, The Upstairs | Northampton | From £100 hire fee |
| Summat to Ate, smaller room | Wigan | £150 hire fee, free for christenings |
| The Seven Oaks | Manchester | From £250 hire fee |
| Old House Bar & Restaurant | Northampton | £400 minimum spend (afternoons), £650 (evenings) |
What pushes the price up
- Saturday nights. The most in-demand slot everywhere. The same room is often cheaper on a Friday, Sunday or weeknight.
- December. Christmas parties fill rooms from November to New Year, and some venues raise minimums.
- Late finishes. Staying past the normal licence can mean extra staff costs or a later-licence fee.
- Exclusive use. A whole venue or a fully private room costs more than a semi-private area.
- Extras. DJs, decorations, security for big parties, cleaning and cake-cutting fees.
What brings it down
- Afternoon slots. Christenings, communions and wakes usually run from midday, and daytime rates are lower.
- Community halls and clubs. Hourly hire plus your own food is often the cheapest way to feed a big family party.
- Free-hire offers. Some venues waive the fee for certain occasions. Summat to Ate in Wigan, for example, doesn't charge room hire for christenings.
- A buffet instead of a sit-down meal. It's cheaper per head and easier for mixed ages.
Hidden costs to ask about
- Deposits, and whether they're refundable
- Opening and closing or caretaker fees at halls
- Insurance fees (Reading's council halls add 11% of the hire cost)
- Service charges, and whether they count towards a minimum spend
- Charges for extra hours if you overrun
Tip: Send the same enquiry to two or three rooms: your date, start and finish times, numbers, and the food you want. The quotes will then be easy to compare like for like. Our shortlist lets you send one enquiry to up to 5 venues.
Sources: Reading Borough Council: Lyndhurst Road Community Centre
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