What a corporate summer party costs in London

The typical range

Pricing for the parties we book runs from about £50 to £200 per head, plus VAT. At the lower end you are usually looking at a drinks-led evening in a bar, terrace or shared party, with a set number of drinks and bowl food or canapés. Towards the top of the range, prices typically include exclusive use of a space, a longer open bar, a fuller food offer and entertainment or production.

Use it as a guide to start a budget conversation, not a quote: the same venue can sit at different points in the range depending on your date, numbers and package.

The three ways venues charge

Venue hire. You pay a fee for the space, then pay separately for food, drinks and anything else. Common for whole-venue hire, historic buildings and marquees.

Minimum spend. There is no hire fee, but you agree to spend at least a set amount on food and drink. If you spend less, you pay the difference. Common for bars, restaurants and rooftops.

Per-head packages. A price per guest that bundles the space, drinks and food, and sometimes a DJ or entertainment. Easy to budget, and common for summer parties. Shared, ticketed parties are always priced this way.

What changes the price

• Date. Thursday and Friday evenings in June and July are in highest demand. Earlier in the week, or earlier and later in the summer, venues are often more flexible.
• Exclusivity. Having a whole venue or terrace to yourselves costs more than a semi-private area or a shared party.
• Duration. Longer parties mean more drinks, more staff hours and sometimes a late licence.
• Food. Canapés and bowl food cost less per head than a seated dinner; BBQ and street-food stations sit between the two.
• Drinks. An open bar, a set number of drinks per guest or a bar tab each give very different totals.

Extras to allow for

Quotes do not always include everything. Check for:

• VAT, currently 20% in the UK, which some quotes show separately.
• A service charge, often added to food and drink bills.
• Security, cloakroom and extra staff for larger groups.
• Entertainment, production, lighting and sound.
• Late-night surcharges if the party runs past a set time.

Many venues bundle some of these into their summer packages. On our listings, packages mention cloakrooms, drinks packages, DJs and lighting and production, so ask exactly which are included in your quote.

How to compare quotes

Put every quote on the same basis: total cost including VAT and service charge, divided by your likely number of guests, for the same length of party. A venue with a hire fee can work out cheaper than a minimum spend once food and drink are added, and the reverse is also true.

Getting real prices

Prices change with the date and the size of your group, so the quickest way to a reliable figure is to ask. Send us your budget, date and numbers and we will come back with venues that fit, with prices for your date. Our service is free: we are paid by the venue, not by you.