What is a Venue for Hire?

A venue for hire (also called venue hire or venue rental) is an event space rented to outside clients, such as promoters, companies or private hosts, who run their own events there while the venue provides the space and support. Venues for hire range from music venues and theatres to conference centres, halls and converted industrial spaces.

How venue hire works

Most venue hires follow the same path:

  1. Enquiry: the client asks about dates, capacity, layout and price.
  2. Hold and quote: the venue places a date hold and sends a quote.
  3. Contract: the client signs a hire agreement and pays a deposit.
  4. Plan: the venue and client agree timings, technical needs, staffing and paperwork.
  5. Event and settlement: the event runs, and any extra costs are settled afterwards.

Hire venues may handle many enquiries a week, which is why many manage hire requests through forms in Crescat.

Dry hire vs wet hire

In a dry hire, the client rents just the space and brings their own staff, equipment and catering. In a wet hire, the venue supplies its own staff, technicians and services as part of the package. Many venues offer both.

What a venue hire fee may include

  • The space for the agreed hours, including get-in and get-out
  • House lighting, power and basic facilities
  • A duty manager
  • In-house sound and lighting, on wet hire
  • Technical staff, security and front of house, on wet hire
  • Cleaning, sometimes charged separately

Frequently asked questions

How much does it cost to hire a venue?

It depends on size, location, day of the week and what is included. Some venues charge a flat fee, others a minimum spend at the bar, or a mix of both. Weekend evenings usually cost more.

What is the difference between a venue for hire and a promoting venue?

A venue for hire earns money from renting the space to others. A promoting venue books and promotes its own events, taking the ticket risk. Many venues do both, mixing in-house promotion with hires.

What should I ask before hiring a venue?

Ask about capacity, curfew, what is included, extra costs, technical equipment, accessibility and licensing conditions. Ask for a full quote in writing.

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