Small event hall for hire, bring your own caterer

Families planning birthdays, showers and anniversaries, community and cultural groups, and small companies hosting dinners or workshops.

A hire fee by the day or block of hours, plus add-ons like setup, cleaning, damage deposit retention and equipment rental, and sometimes a referral fee from partner caterers.

• Organizing bookings and a calendar
• Customer service and clear contracts
• Marketing through social media and local networks
• Practical setup and tidy-up

• Zoning, occupancy limits and fire code: check with your municipality and ask for written confirmation of the capacity
• Whether your lease allows event use, late hours and noise, and what your landlord requires
• Commercial general liability insurance, and ask whether clients should also buy one-day event insurance
• Alcohol rules vary by province, so check your regulator on special occasion permits and who is responsible
• Caterers need to hold their own food permits, so check this and keep copies
• Music licensing fees may apply to events: check the requirements
• Slow weekday and winter months, so consider daytime hire for classes or meetings

Startup costs are typically estimated at around $15,000 to $75,000, depending on the room, furnishings and lease terms. Check whether your lease allows event use, late hours and noise, and what your landlord requires.

Monthly revenue is typically estimated at around $3,000 to $15,000, depending on how often the hall is booked and your hire rates. Weekdays and winter months can be slow, so consider daytime hire for classes or meetings.

Check zoning, occupancy limits and fire code with your municipality, and get written confirmation of capacity. Also check alcohol rules with your provincial regulator, caterers' own food permits, music licensing fees and commercial general liability insurance.