Business

Dining

Events

What are the dry hire rates and minimum spend requirements for events?

Dry hire packages start from £10,000.00 inclusive of VAT, with rates varying by space and date. For example, reduced rates of £14,000.00 inclusive of VAT have been offered for boxing events. For ticketed events, all tickets must be pre-purchased as no ticket sales are allowed on the night.

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

Day Delegate Rates range from £55.00 to £87.00 per person inclusive of VAT (reduced from standard rates of £129.00-£189.00). Packages include room hire 09:00-17:00, air-conditioned rooms with daylight, superfast Wi-Fi, water, pastries and smoothies on arrival, energising lunch, unlimited tea and coffee, flipchart, and 3000 lumen LCD projector with 8'x6' screen.

What are the banquet and Christmas dinner package rates?

Banquet packages range from £100.00 to £160.00 per person inclusive of VAT for seated dinners, including glass of sparkling wine, three-course dinner, half bottle of house wine, coffee and petit fours, mineral water, and room hire 18:00-01:00. Christmas packages are £112.00 per person (reduced from £190.00) and include additional Christmas novelties, decorations, and DJ with dance floor until 1am.

What are the mandatory security requirements and costs?

Security is compulsory for all events at £29.40 per hour inclusive of VAT. Requirements are: 1-200 guests require 2 guards, 201-400 guests require 4 guards, 401-600 guests require 6 guards. Minimum 4-hour booking applies and payment must be made no later than 1 month prior to the event.

What room capacities are available for different event layouts?

The Grand Hall accommodates up to 400 guests cabaret style or 650 theatre style. Cornwall Suite holds 250 banquet or 200 dinner dance. Crown Suite accommodates 250 for receptions. Smaller meeting rooms like Dorset Suite hold 60 classroom style, Cambridge Suite holds 24 boardroom style, and various syndicate rooms accommodate 45-105 guests in theatre style.

What are the catering options and additional food and beverage costs?

Additional catering includes unlimited tea and coffee at £11.50 per person, energising lunch at £20.95 per person, sandwich lunch at £12.95 per person, bacon/egg baps at £4.95 per person, and Danish pastries at £4.00 per person. Post-meeting drinks require minimum spends of £3,000-£5,000 inclusive of VAT with at least 50% spent on food.

What AV equipment is included and what are the upgrade costs?

Standard packages include 3000 lumen LCD projector with 8'x6' screen and flipchart. LCD projector and screen upgrades start from £195.00 inclusive of VAT. Bigger screen upgrades are recommended for larger events at additional charges. Full AV quotes are provided by their AV supplier upon request.

What are the booking hold periods and confirmation requirements?

Provisional space holdings are offered on joint 1st option basis. Booking holds require decisions within specific timeframes - for example, confirmation required by 1pm on Thursday 7th August 2025 for a Friday 15th August event. If confirmation is not received by the deadline, bookings are automatically released.

What are the room hire timing restrictions and additional charges?

Standard room hire runs 09:00-17:00 for day events and 18:00-01:00 for evening events. All spaces must be vacated by 17:00 for day events or additional de-rig charges apply. Early access can be arranged - for example, setup from 06:00-09:00 may be complimentary, while early access to evening spaces like Cambria Suite from 17:00 costs £3,500.00 VAT exempt.

Are there any restrictions on event types or special requirements?

Boxing events are accommodated but ring setup reduces overall capacity. For events requiring special layouts like U-shape for 60 people, interactive plenary setups can be arranged. The venue provides back-of-house space for photocopying and printing. All dietary requirements are catered for as standard.