A coffee shop’s usual business model is straightforward: serve good coffee and food, create a welcoming space, and give customers a reason to return. At Ronan’s, we found another opportunity by asking a different question: what else could people use our space for?
Sip and paint sessions, a weekly choir, supper clubs, wine tastings, private parties and niche group meetings have helped transform the fortunes of the business. They have brought new people through the door, created private hire income and generated additional sales.
The change came from looking beyond what we could organise ourselves and recognising how many other people wanted somewhere to bring their communities together.
Your venue could be someone else’s opportunity
When you run a hospitality business, it is easy to see the premises through the lens of your existing offer. A coffee shop is somewhere to buy coffee. Tables are for breakfast, lunch and an afternoon catch-up.
But an artist might see a room full of potential painters. A choir organiser sees a welcoming rehearsal space. A supper club host sees somewhere to bring people together around food.
The space has not changed. Its usefulness has.
At Ronan’s, opening ourselves to those possibilities helped us see the venue as more than a place to serve our usual customers during our usual trading hours. It could also be a home for experiences that other people were motivated to create.
Work with people who already want to bring others together
One of the most useful lessons has been that we do not need to be the driving force behind every event.
There are people who love organising activities, teaching a skill, sharing an interest or building a group. What they often need is a suitable venue and an operator willing to work with them.
That creates a practical partnership. The organiser brings the idea, enthusiasm and connection to their audience. We bring the space, hospitality and an understanding of how the venue operates.
Both sides still need to promote the event and deliver what they have promised. But sharing the work makes it possible to offer a broader programme than we could realistically create alone.
It also makes the invitation more personal. People may come because they know the host, belong to the group or want to try the activity. Their first reason for visiting Ronan’s does not have to be coffee.
Different events give people different reasons to visit
Our events work in different ways.
A sip and paint session gives people an activity to enjoy together, with refreshments becoming part of the experience. A weekly choir creates a recurring reason to return and helps the venue become part of someone’s routine.
Supper clubs and wine tastings offer a more focused occasion: something people can put in the diary, discuss with friends and look forward to.
Private parties bring a different opportunity. The customer is looking for a space where they can gather their own guests, with clear arrangements and a host who makes the process straightforward.
Niche group meetings matter too. A small community built around a particular interest may never need a large events venue. A comfortable coffee shop can be a much better fit.
Together, these uses have broadened who visits Ronan’s and what they visit us for.
Make the income model clear
Community events need to work commercially as well as socially.
Depending on the format, the return might come from a hire fee, an agreed minimum spend, food and drink packages, or a combination of these. There is no single arrangement that suits every event.
The important thing is to agree the model before taking the booking.
Be clear about:
- What the organiser is paying for and what is included.
- Who handles tickets, bookings, refunds and customer enquiries.
- Who supplies food, drinks, materials or equipment.
- Whether the event needs extra staff, preparation or cleaning.
- How setup and clear-down time affect the venue’s availability.
- What happens if attendance is lower than expected.
Additional sales are valuable, but turnover alone does not tell you whether an event is worthwhile. The hire income and spending need to cover the additional costs and leave a worthwhile contribution.
An event that fills an otherwise quiet period can be particularly useful. An event that replaces a busy service needs to earn its place.
Protect the experience your regulars value
Expanding the use of the venue does not mean saying yes to every enquiry.
The event must suit the space, the team and the atmosphere you want to create. Capacity, accessibility, noise, staffing and any relevant licensing requirements all need checking.
Regular customers also need clear information if an event changes normal opening or access.
A good partnership should make life easier for the organiser and the venue. If the expectations are unclear, even a popular event can create unnecessary work and disappointment.
Start with a manageable format, review how it went and use what you learn before committing to a recurring programme.
Look beyond what you already sell
The biggest change at Ronan’s has been how we think about the business.
We still value the everyday coffee shop experience. But we also recognise that our premises can help other people do something they care about: make art, sing, share food, celebrate or find others with the same interests.
By supporting those organisers, we have created more reasons to visit, developed private hire income and generated additional sales.
For another hospitality operator, the starting point could be simple: identify a quiet period, think about which activities suit your space, and speak to people who already bring a community together.
What could your venue become?
The next opportunity for your venue might begin with someone else’s idea. Turning that idea into regular bookings and worthwhile income takes a clear offer, the right partnerships and marketing that reaches beyond your existing customers.
At Marketing for Hospitality, we draw on experience from our own venues to help operators identify opportunities, shape their offer and give people a reason to book.
If you have a space that could be working harder for your business, talk to us about putting it to work.