Business

Events

What are the room hire costs and minimum spend requirements for different spaces?

Council Chamber costs £1,000-£1,200 + VAT (reduced from £1,700 + VAT), Dorchester Library costs £2,000 + VAT (reduced from £2,700 + VAT), and there's a minimum spend requirement of £2,000 + VAT for some bookings. Garden and medicinal garden hire costs £2,500 + VAT with a minimum spend of £69 + VAT per guest.

What are the Day Delegate Rate (DDR) packages and what do they include?

DDR rates range from £84-£105.60 + VAT per person with minimum guarantees of 80-200 delegates depending on the package. DDR includes main room hire, private catering room hire, 3 refreshment breaks with hot and cold drinks plus sweet and savoury bites, lunch (hot fork buffet, bento boxes for max 100 people, or bowl food options), dedicated event manager, complimentary cloakroom, and complimentary Wi-Fi.

What are the catering costs for drinks receptions and dining?

One-hour drinks reception costs £22 + VAT per guest (beer, wine, soft drinks and nibbles) with a 70-person minimum. Three-course dinner with half bottle of wine costs £70-£74.50 + VAT per person with a 70-person minimum, and there are BBQ and pizza packages available for garden events.

What AV packages are available and what do they cost?

Theatre AV package costs £2,000 + VAT and includes projection screen, conference lectern, 12,000 lumens projector, confidence monitors, laptops for presentations, multi-input switcher, PA system, 12 microphones (6 cabled, 6 radio), hearing induction loop, theatrical lighting, Zoom/Teams capability, basic recording, and expert technical support from 08:00-17:00. Plasma screens for smaller rooms cost £150 + VAT.

What are the venue's capacity limits for different room configurations?

Wolfson Theatre seats 300 in auditorium style, Seligman Theatre seats 150, Dorchester Library accommodates 180 theatre style, Council Chamber holds 100 theatre style, and smaller breakout rooms like Linacre and Sloane accommodate up to 50 people theatre style. The venue requires minimum guarantees ranging from 70-200 people depending on the package.

What are the access times and additional charges for early setup?

Standard events run 09:00-17:00 with complimentary access from 07:00. Earlier access from 05:00 costs £250 + VAT per half hour or part thereof, overnight setup after 23:00 is subject to application and quotation, and catering requests before 08:00 incur an additional £250 + VAT per hour charge.

What restrictions apply to events and what content approval is required?

The venue requires knowing the event topic to ensure it adheres to Royal College of Physicians values. Inflatables are not allowed in the garden, tickets cannot be sold at the door and must be pre-ordered for certain events, and the venue is closed for refurbishment during the entire month of August.

What is the booking process and how long are dates held?

Initial enquiries are placed on first option, but if another enquiry is received for the same space, you have 48 hours to make a decision or your booking moves to a second option waitlist. The venue offers site visits and will hold dates while you consider the proposal.

Are there any discounts available for specific types of organizations?

Charity rates are available with reductions from standard pricing - for example, DDR rates reduced from £93 to £89 + VAT for qualifying charitable organizations. Student discounts may be considered on a case-by-case basis, though budget constraints often prevent accommodation of very low-budget requests.

What additional services and facilities are included in venue hire?

All packages include dedicated event manager throughout the day, complimentary cloakroom use, complimentary Wi-Fi, and the venue is fully accessible. The venue can accommodate exhibitor stands and has spaces suitable for sponsor displays, with power supply available for exhibitors.