Send one message that says when you need the space, how many of you there are and what you will do in it. Finish by asking for a total quote with its terms. An enquiry of one line, with only a date and a request for a price, gets an answer to a question you didn't ask.
Here is how that goes wrong. Your training runs from 10 to 14. The trainer arrives an hour early, and you need another half hour afterwards to pack away materials. The enquiry says only "10 to 14", so the quote covers only that. Write both times: the programme and your whole stay.
Say what you know and what you are estimating
Your date, headcount and budget don't have to be final. Just label them. For example: "we expect 24 participants, registration closes at the end of the month, and another day the same week would work". You then get a quote that can be adjusted, not one built on a number you made up.
Say what people will be doing too. Will they listen to a talk, write at tables or work in groups? A photo of the space can't tell you whether your layout fits. Start with the space and equipment page, and ask for the layout for your group to be confirmed in the quote.
A template you can copy
Copy the text into your message and fill in the fields. Delete what you don't need. Mark what you don't know yet as an estimate.
Subject: Hall hire enquiry
- Company and contact person: ___
- Type of event: ___
- Preferred date: ___
- Alternative date: ___
- Number of participants and whether it is final: ___
- Programme from - to: ___
- Access to the space from - to, including set-up and pack-down: ___
- Activities and preferred table or chair layout: ___
- Equipment we bring: ___
- Equipment we need from the venue: ___
- Coffee for how many people: ___
- Other needs and open questions: ___
Please confirm a suitable layout and the equipment included, and send a quote showing the period of use, the total including VAT, payment terms and the rules for changes or cancellation. Please also tell us what we need to do to confirm the booking.
Attach your programme only if it helps explain how you will use the space. A short schedule with access times is enough for a first conversation. Don't send participants' personal details.
When the quote arrives, go back to your enquiry
Read it line by line against your message. Are the date and hours the same? Is set-up covered? Are extras charged for your real headcount? If something is missing, ask for an update before you accept anything.
The hall at Gacka 16 has a published list of equipment in the hire, and self-service coffee is charged per person. The espresso machines on that list therefore don't mean coffee is included in the hire price. For current prices and terms see hall hire.
Common questions
Do I need to know the final number of participants?
No. Send an estimate and say when you expect the final number. Ask how a change in numbers affects the layout and the quote.
Does a quote mean the date is reserved?
Don't assume so. Ask what is needed to confirm a booking and who confirms it. Promise your guests a date only once you have it in writing.
Send your enquiry
Send the completed template through the contact page. If you need several dates, put the whole list in the same message. Keep the reply with your programme so whoever approves the cost can see exactly what they are accepting.
