We were music-led and the way we worked it was that we'd pay the band 10% of the bar take from when they started playing until the end of the night. Support acts play free. If they bring a crowd they could have a gig of their own.
Popular bands such as Tragic Roundabout, Los Albertos, The Resonators make quite a few hundred quid for their work, but of course the pub took quite a few grand from them being there. It means the band tries hard to promote the night but if nobody comes you won't lose out.
In my experience though, it's a right pain in the arse, and you'd need to pay north of £1,000 for equipment plus regular relacements and repairs, a sound man £75 per night, the council and/or police may insist on security outside at weekends which will be £20 per hour or so. Oh, and you'd need to print posters and flyers.
Owning a pub is very costly indeed with a constant stream of things breaking down, going wrong, getting broken, smashed up etc. You're forever jumping through hoops to please the council and police.
It's a lot of hassle and I wish you all the best, but I'll never do it again that's for sure.
Popular bands such as Tragic Roundabout, Los Albertos, The Resonators make quite a few hundred quid for their work, but of course the pub took quite a few grand from them being there. It means the band tries hard to promote the night but if nobody comes you won't lose out.
In my experience though, it's a right pain in the arse, and you'd need to pay north of £1,000 for equipment plus regular relacements and repairs, a sound man £75 per night, the council and/or police may insist on security outside at weekends which will be £20 per hour or so. Oh, and you'd need to print posters and flyers.
Owning a pub is very costly indeed with a constant stream of things breaking down, going wrong, getting broken, smashed up etc. You're forever jumping through hoops to please the council and police.
It's a lot of hassle and I wish you all the best, but I'll never do it again that's for sure.