Party Venues in Cornwall

Browse venues across Cornwall and enquire directly - plus how to compare two quotes that are not measuring the same thing, and what to settle before you pay a deposit.

The venue is usually the first thing you book, and it sets the shape of everything after it. Which type suits you comes down to headcount, drink arrangements and how much of the day you need - the Cornwall party venue guide compares halls, clubs, barns and beach spaces on capacity and cost. This page is the next part: getting comparable quotes out of the venues above, and the terms to settle first.

Comparing quotes that are not like-for-like

Two venue prices are rarely measuring the same thing, and the difference is in what each one bundles. Ask each venue the same list: are tables, chairs and crockery included, who cleans afterwards, is any staffing in the price, who deals with the waste, and are toilets part of the hire. A hall rate and a barn day rate can answer very differently. Write down what each price covers, then price the gaps in the cheaper one. A venue that looks dearer per hour can still be the lower total.

Hall rates also tend not to move with headcount - most charge one flat rate up to around 100 guests - so a smaller party rarely buys a smaller price. Timing moves it far more. Weekend dates in summer carry the highest rates and go first; the same room on a weekday evening in February can cost close to half as much. If your date has any give, ask what a different day costs before committing to a Saturday.

What to put in a first enquiry

Venues answer vague enquiries vaguely. Send these five things and the first reply is usually a price, not a request for more detail.

• Your date, and whether it is fixed or has a week or two either side.
• Rough headcount, and whether guests will be seated or standing.
• The time window you need, counting setup and clear-down, not just the party.
• What you intend to do about food - your own, an outside caterer, or theirs.
• What you intend to do about drink - their bar, or your own supply.

What to settle before you pay a deposit

A room that suits your party can still come with terms that do not. Get these in writing before money changes hands.

• Seated capacity, not standing - ask for the seated figure specifically, because it is always the lower of the two once tables are in.
• Kitchen access: a warming kitchen and a full kitchen are different propositions, and a caterer will ask which before quoting.
• The deposit - how much, when the balance falls due, and whether any of it comes back if you pull out.
• The cancellation window, and what happens if you move the date rather than cancel; the two are often treated quite differently.
• Whether the quoted price is fixed, or can change between now and the day.
• The refundable damage deposit, usually £50 - £150 on a community hall, what it can be withheld for, and how long it takes to return.
• Whether the venue requires public liability cover from suppliers you bring in - caterers, entertainers, bouncy castle operators - since it limits who you can book.
• Who carries the cost if the party overruns, and whether that is charged by the hour or as a flat penalty.

Figures on this page are a guide only. What you actually pay depends on the supplier, the time of year, and what each quote includes - always confirm the details directly with the supplier.