Banqueting hall with catering
Lease a large room and host weddings, dinners and parties, with food and drink included in the hire.
- £15k-60k
- Full-time
- Own premises
- Licence or permit needed
Estimates for a small start in the UK, not guarantees.
Official data
1,354 UK companies in this field, 29% registered in the last 2 years
SIC 68202 “Letting and operating of conference and exhibition centres”. Source: Companies House, November 2026.
What it is
A leased hall or function room set up for weddings, milestone birthdays, wakes and corporate dinners. You supply the space, tables and chairs, and a catering package, either cooked by your own team or by a kitchen partner.
Your first three steps
- Visit venues in your area to see what they charge, and check whether any suitable halls or function rooms are available to lease
- Draft two or three menu and hire packages, with costs worked out per head and per event
- Speak to your local council about the premises licence, food registration and planning use before you sign a lease
Who pays
Couples planning weddings, families holding celebrations and local firms or clubs booking dinners.
How it makes money
A hire fee per event, plus a price per head for catering and extras such as drinks packages, decor and staffing.
Skills that help
- Event planning and organising
- Managing a kitchen and front-of-house team
- Selling and handling enquiries
- Budgeting and costing menus
Watch out for
- A premises licence is usually needed to sell alcohol or provide regulated entertainment, so check with your council
- Food businesses must register with the local council, and you will need good food hygiene and allergen systems
- Fire risk assessment, capacity limits and accessibility: check what applies to your building
- Public liability insurance, plus employer's liability once you hire staff
- Music licences (for example PPL PRS) may be needed for playing recorded music
- Lease terms, business rates and a quiet winter season can squeeze cash flow
Deep research report · UK
Everything you need to start: banqueting hall with catering
Researched with live web search for United Kingdom: real startup prices, the licences and rules, what others charge, a break-even example, how to find your first customers and a 30-day launch plan. With sources.
- Startup costs with real prices
- Licences, registration and rules
- Pricing: what others charge
- Break-even example
- Finding your first customers
- 30-day launch plan
- Risks and how to reduce them
Questions people ask
How much does it cost to start a banqueting hall in the UK?
Startup costs are typically around £15,000 to £60,000, depending on the premises, fit-out, furniture and kitchen set-up. These are estimates, not quotes, so build your own costings from local lease and equipment prices.
Do I need a licence to run a banqueting hall?
Things to check include a premises licence to sell alcohol or provide regulated entertainment, which your council can advise on, plus food business registration, fire risk assessment, capacity limits and music licences such as PPL PRS.
How much can a banqueting hall earn?
Estimated monthly revenue is typically around £4,000 to £20,000, depending on how many events you host, your catering packages and the season. Winter can be quiet, so it is worth planning cash flow carefully.
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