Business

Dining

What are the room hire costs for private dining events at The Midland Hotel?

Room hire varies by suite: Fairclough Suite costs £300, Derby Suite costs £500, and Houghton Suite costs £300. The Alexandra Suite for larger events costs £12,000 with a mandatory food and beverage spend commitment. All rates are exclusive of VAT.

What are the minimum numbers and package costs for afternoon tea events?

The Afternoon Tea Package requires a minimum of 20 guests and costs £52 per person (£1,040 total for 20 people). The package includes arrival drinks, traditional afternoon tea with sandwiches, scones with cream and jam, homemade cakes, tea/coffee, room hire, and white table linen.

Can I bring external caterers for my private dining event?

External catering is only permitted on Sundays. For all other days, you must use the hotel's catering services. This restriction applies to all private dining and banquet events regardless of the day of the week requested.

What dining packages are available and what do they include?

The Midland Dinner Package costs £75 per person (minimum 250 guests) and includes arrival drinks (Prosecco, Peroni, or orange juice), 3-course set menu, half bottle of house wine per person, room hire (6pm-1am), bar facilities, stage, dance floor, white table linen, table centrepieces, and table plan. All prices include VAT.

Are there restrictions on using public areas of the hotel for events?

Public areas like the staircase and communal spaces cannot be booked or cordoned off as this affects other guests' experience. The hotel cannot guarantee specific public areas will be available and only offers bookable meeting spaces where furniture can be removed if needed.

What are the capacity limits for different dining room layouts?

The Alexandra Suite accommodates up to 500 for banqueting (rounds), 450 with a stage, or 400 with both stage and dance floor. For cabaret style, it holds 400 guests at tables of 10, 300 at tables of 8, or 200 at tables of 6. Smaller suites accommodate significantly fewer guests.

How long can I hold my event booking and what are the payment terms?

Events are typically held on first option for 2 weeks while you make your decision. For events approaching within 2 weeks, the hold period may be shorter (such as until Friday at 12pm for events the following week). Specific payment terms and deposit requirements are detailed in individual proposals.

What AV equipment is included and what costs extra?

Basic LCD projector and screen are included in some packages. All additional AV requirements are handled by Sterling Event Group at extra cost, including staging (£50 per 1m x 2m block), enhanced sound systems, and specialized lighting. Contact details and rate cards are provided separately for AV requirements.

Can I bring my own alcohol or is there a bar minimum spend requirement?

The hotel operates bar facilities with minimum spend requirements that can be met through prepaid/pre-ordered drinks or guests paying on the day. Specific alcohol policies and whether outside alcohol is permitted are not detailed in standard packages and would need to be confirmed for each event.

What dietary requirements can be accommodated for dining events?

The hotel can cater for Halal and vegetarian dietary requirements, with afternoon tea packages specifically mentioning these options instead of standard offerings. Other specific dietary needs would be accommodated around your requirements, but details should be discussed when booking.