The number a venue quotes you on the phone is rarely the number you actually pay. The hire fee is the headline; the agreement is where the real cost of the night lives, and it's where first-time and seasoned promoters alike get caught out.

Start with the deposit: how much, what it covers, the conditions for getting it back, and what they're allowed to deduct for — damage, cleaning, going over time. Then find the bar minimum or minimum spend. This is the figure you're liable for even if the bar takes less on the night, and if you don't know it, you can hand over your door money without realising.

After that, hunt for the extras the headline fee hides: door and security staff, a sound engineer, a late licence, cleaning, PRS, glassware and breakages, equipment hire, card fees on the bar.

Finally, check the timings and the penalties. Load-in and load-out windows, soundcheck access, curfew, noise limits and any limiter on the system, plus overrun and cancellation charges. None of this is a reason not to book a venue — it's the information you need to do the maths properly before you commit. Run the full picture against a realistic door count, and get any changes you agree in writing.