Pop-up dinner theatre nights

Couples, friend groups, birthday parties and work teams looking for a night out that is a bit different.

Combined ticket price per guest, minus the meal cost, venue hire and performers. Some venues share the bar takings or hire out the room cheaply on quiet nights.

• Organising events and people
• Writing or sourcing a show script
• Marketing and ticket sales
• Working with venues and caterers

• Alcohol and regulated entertainment: check whether the venue's premises licence covers your event or if you need a Temporary Event Notice from the council
• Food hygiene: if you cook yourself, check whether you must register as a food business with your local council; if a caterer does it, check theirs
• Allergen information must be handled carefully, so check the current rules
• Music and recorded sound may need a PPL PRS licence, which the venue may already hold, so check
• Public liability insurance, and permission to use any scripts that are not your own
• Ticket sales can fall short, so set a minimum number of bookings before committing to catering costs

Startup costs are typically around £1,500 to £6,000, depending on venue hire, catering, show materials and insurance. These are estimates, so set a minimum number of bookings before committing to catering costs.

Monthly revenue is typically around £800 to £4,000, depending on ticket prices, how many events you run and how many guests attend. Treat this as an estimate, as ticket sales can fall short.

Check whether the venue's premises licence covers your event or whether you need a Temporary Event Notice. Check food business registration if you cook, allergen rules, and any PPL PRS music licence. Also check public liability insurance and script permissions.