Pop-Up comedy nights in pubs and function rooms

Audiences buying tickets, usually friends, couples and groups looking for a night out. Some venues also pay a small fee for guaranteed footfall.

Ticket sales minus performer fees and any room hire. Many pub venues give the room free in return for the bar sales, so ticket income covers the acts and promotion.

• Spotting good acts and booking them
• Promoting events on social media and locally
• Hosting or managing a room
• Keeping to budgets and schedules

• Check the venue has a premises licence covering live entertainment and its capacity limits
• Public liability insurance, check whether the venue's cover includes your event
• Quiet nights can leave you out of pocket after paying the acts, so agree fees carefully
• Check rules on music or recorded material if you add any to the night
• Register as a sole trader with HMRC and keep records of ticket income

Startup costs are typically around £300 to £2,000, depending on promotion, equipment and act fees. Monthly revenue is typically estimated at £300 to £3,000, depending on ticket prices and audience size. Quiet nights can leave you out of pocket after paying acts.

Things to check: the venue's premises licence covers live entertainment and its capacity limits, public liability cover (including whether the venue's policy includes your event), rules on any music or recorded material, and registering as a sole trader with HMRC.

Estimates suggest at least 6 hours a week. Useful skills include spotting and booking good acts, promoting events on social media and locally, hosting or managing a room, and keeping to budgets and schedules.