Topic: Dance pricing - ouch!

[John Gimber: Webmaster]

I've recently seen an ad for a dance which is £11 entry later in the evening.

Much though I enjoy dances, and am fairly sure that the dance is going to be of good quality, that's enough to give me pause for thought - especially as I often only get a few dances before running out of energy and need to sit out for the rest of the night!

In comparison it is possible to go to other dances for £7 - which is £4 cheaper.

Is £11 for a dance a bit much, acceptable, or regarded as a good deal?

John.

[Nick-J]

I think with inflation currently at 3.4% it is a bold (or foolhardy) event organizer who implements a 10% price increase. It will make me think twice when choosing where to go.

[John Gimber: Webmaster]

Ah, when comparing to a previous dance:

The previous prices were:
£9 before 9.30pm, / £10 after

Risen to:
£10 before 9.30pm / £11 after

Which works out as price rises of
11% before 9.30pm / 10% after

Ho hum. 

[Anita]

Yeah--I know what you mean about prices, and it's a shame they had to put it up as £10 is about my limit even for a good well attended dance--but to be fair the dance in question does run for 6 hours (8pm-2am)-and does include a full lesson and inclusive food, tea & coffee.  No other Bristol dances open for this length of time--many close @ 11--30 or 12 pm--even the BAWA--which I think charges £8 ,shuts at 1am and there is no inclusive food or drink, (which is useful when it's a long night). Another point to mention--which I'm sure many ladies will relate to, is that this is one of the few Bristol dances where the organiser makes a point of trying to dance with as many ladies as possible. There is frequently a shortage of good male dancers at Bristol dances and I have often been to dances where there are lots of ladies over, wanting a good freestyle dance but the  organisers make no attempt to go round the floor dancing with them--organisers will know if they are the ones who never dance with the punters!! So 6hrs of dancing, food & drink, good music and some guaranteed good dances--I know where I'd rather go!!

[philsmove]

- especially as I often only get a few dances before running out of energy and need to sit out for the rest of the night!

John, I can understand  that £10, for few dances, is not good value for you
 
But as Anita says, Switch does run until 2 am, includes a very good lesson,  and of course, the famous chip butties, not to mention,  free tea and chocolate cake. Ten quid for a Saturday night out, is  fantastic value for money 

[John Gimber: Webmaster]

Indeed what is right for people varies from person to person.

If it is right, people will go to it.

[John Baker]

The reason for the 10% increase
Our venue hire increased by 85% last year and we chose to absorb the increase.
The venue hire has now increased 300% since our first event ! and we may suffer a further increase to keep the event going to 2am
Unfortunately we felt we needed to raise our price by £1 to absorb some of the increase.
We still feel this is good value and we appreciate the support we have had for the event and hope it will continue in the future.

Thanks John Baker

[Karen Mary]

Perhaps it would be better if the chip butties were optional -  £1 off the door price if dancer doesn't want chips and a chip ticket issued if the dancer opts to pay the £1 and wants chips!  I only have them because I have paid for them on the entrance price, wouldn't bother if they were optional.

Also, the price going up at 9.30pm can be dodgy.  Last time we went we were in the queue for 5 minutes while the person on the door chatted to person in front of us - it then became past 9.30pm and we were charged an extra £1 each - so beware, make sure you get there well before 9.30pm if you only have a tenner!

[MELADAMS]

Ref this quote below:-

"Also, the price going up at 9.30pm can be dodgy.  Last time we went we were in the queue for 5 minutes while the person on the door chatted to person in front of us - it then became past 9.30pm and we were charged an extra £1 each - so beware, make sure you get there well before 9.30pm if you only have a tenner!"

I am the person who runs the door & have done so for every Switch Event. I always have ensured if there is a queue at the cutover time that every person in the queue is charged at the lower rate to ensure no bad feeling is felt for there being a queue at that particular cutover time. I usually wait for at least 5 minutes before charging the extra pound.   

[John Gimber: Webmaster]

The reason for the 10% increase
Our venue hire increased by 85% last year and we chose to absorb the increase.
The venue hire has now increased 300% since our first event ! and we may suffer a further increase to keep the event going to 2am
Unfortunately we felt we needed to raise our price by £1 to absorb some of the increase.
We still feel this is good value and we appreciate the support we have had for the event and hope it will continue in the future.

Thanks John Baker

That's quite a big price rise in venue hire costs.

I had the same problem at the Elmgrove Centre - it just got too expensive to host events there.

Do you think it's legit price rising at the venue, or just opportunistic profiteering from the venue owners?

John.

[philsmove]

Do you think it's legit price rising at the venue, or just opportunistic profiteering from the venue owners?

John.

If there was an opportunity for profiteering from  hiring out venues, then I suspect we would have a lot more choice of Dance Halls and  Ballrooms

If venues were owned by opportunistic profiteers, I suspect they would quickly be  tuned into supermarkets, Private hospitals or yuppie flats

[philsmove]

- so beware, make sure you get there well before 9.30pm if you only have a tenner!

If you are late, you will also miss Carl's excellent blues lesson

I think free food and drinks is a very nice gesture and just one of the many little things, that makes the evening special 

I know know it makes no financial sense but people do drive all the way from Sussex , The Smoke ,The Midlands, Cornwall  and Wales  just to get a free chip butty

[Simone]

There are many reasons I believe this to be the best freestyle event in the South West.
In my opinion it has by far the best music and sound system, the best floor and it is  attracting great dancers from out of the area. I also love the fact it goes on until 2AM and that there is a distinct change in ambience when midnight arrives. A  bit of a Cinderella moment. 
I am not bothered about having chips - it depends how I feel. I will continue to support this event as it is the best dance night out in the area for me.

[Anita]

  

[John Baker]

I'm not sure if it is profitering or trying to discourage the 2am finish , we have had to fight hard to maintain the 2am finish as we believe this is one of the main attractions , but the huge increase is something we have had to endure.