Signing a venue contract is one of the most consequential decisions in conference planning. Get it right, and the rest of the event has a solid foundation to build on. Miss something important, and you may find yourself locked into a venue that cannot actually deliver what your event needs.
This checklist covers the 26 questions and confirmations that matter most, organised by category so you can work through them systematically. Use it on site visits, in venue conversations, and before your pen goes anywhere near a contract.
The Checklist at a Glance
| # | AREA | WHAT TO CONFIRM |
| 1 | Maximum capacity | What is the venue’s maximum capacity for your intended layout? Confirm separately for theatre, cabaret, boardroom, and banquet configurations. |
| 2 | Layout flexibility | Can the room be reconfigured during the event if needed, and is there a cost or time implication for doing so? |
| 3 | Minimum numbers | Is there a minimum guest number in the contract, and what happens if your attendance drops below it? |
| 4 | In-house AV | What AV equipment is included in the venue hire? Get a full inventory, not just a general assurance that ‘AV is available’. |
| 5 | Preferred supplier clause | Is there a preferred or exclusive AV supplier? If so, get their rates and assess whether they meet your production requirements. |
| 6 | Rigging and power | Is there a rigging structure for lighting and sound? Where are the power sources, and what is the load capacity? |
| 7 | Control room and tech space | Is there a dedicated AV control point that does not block sightlines or use up guest seating? |
| 8 | Dedicated bandwidth | Can the venue provide a dedicated line for your event, separate from public or shared hotel Wi-Fi? |
| 9 | Guest and delegate network | Is there a separate network for delegates? What is the realistic concurrent capacity without performance degradation? |
| 10 | Connectivity test | Can you conduct a speed test on site before signing? Ask for a recent third-party test result if not. |
| 11 | Exclusivity of catering | Is the venue’s catering team exclusive, or can you bring in an external caterer? Exclusive catering arrangements need careful scrutiny. |
| 12 | Dietary capability | How does the venue handle complex dietary requirements? Ask for specific examples, not just a general assurance. |
| 13 | Service style options | Can the venue accommodate buffet, seated, and grab-and-go formats? Is there flexibility on service times? |
| 14 | Minimum F&B spend | Is there a minimum food and beverage spend requirement, and is it achievable within your delegate numbers and format? |
| 15 | Number and configuration | How many breakout spaces are available, and can they all be used simultaneously without sound bleed between rooms? |
| 16 | AV in breakout rooms | Is AV available in each breakout room, and is it included in the hire or charged separately? |
| 17 | Breakout room allocation | Are the breakout rooms allocated exclusively to your event, or could they be used by other groups? |
| 18 | Natural light | What is the natural light situation in the main room and breakout spaces? Is there effective blackout for presentation-heavy sessions? |
| 19 | Acoustics and sound | Is the room acoustically suitable for presentations and discussion? Are there known echo or sound issues? |
| 20 | Step-free access | Is the entire event space, including all breakout rooms, toilets, and catering areas, accessible without steps or lifts? |
| 21 | Parking availability | How many spaces are available, at what cost, and are they guaranteed for your event or shared with other building users? |
| 22 | Public transport links | What are the nearest public transport options, and is there step-free access from those connections to the venue? |
| 23 | Cancellation and force majeure | What are the cancellation terms at different points before the event? Is force majeure defined, and does it cover pandemic-type disruptions? |
| 24 | Payment schedule | What deposits are required and when? What is the final balance timeline? |
| 26 | Exclusivity and noise | What guarantees does the venue give around exclusivity? Could another event run simultaneously in an adjacent space? |
| 26 | Damage liability | What is your liability exposure for damage, and what does the venue’s own insurance cover? |
Section by Section: What to Look For
Capacity and Layout
The headline capacity figure that venues use in their marketing is almost always the maximum for theatre layout, standing, or cocktail-style events. For a conference with presentations and discussion, your usable capacity in the right layout will be lower.
Always confirm capacity for your specific format, and build in contingency. A room that seats 200 in cabaret looks very different to one that holds 200 in rows, and the experience for delegates varies significantly.
AV and Technical Infrastructure
This is where the most expensive surprises tend to happen. A venue with a basic in-house system can quickly generate large production costs if you need to bring in external equipment, rigging, or crew. A venue with strong built-in infrastructure may cost more on day rate but significantly less overall.
Ask to see the technical specification sheet, not just a verbal briefing from the sales team. If you are working with an external production company, bring them to the site visit.
Common AV mistake: Many venues quote ‘full AV included’ in their venue hire, which often means a projector, screen, and basic PA. If your event requires LED walls, live streaming, complex lighting design, or multiple breakout AV setups, confirm exactly what is and is not included before assuming the hire rate covers your needs.
Wi-Fi and Connectivity
Shared hotel or venue Wi-Fi is almost never adequate for a conference where delegates are using laptops, streaming content, or where you are running any live digital interaction. A dedicated line, sized for your peak concurrent usage, is the only reliable solution.
Ask specifically about upload as well as download speeds. Streaming, video conferencing, and live content creation require strong upload performance, which shared networks rarely provide consistently.
Catering and Dietary Options
Exclusive catering arrangements are standard at most hotels and many purpose-built venues. Within those arrangements, the quality and flexibility can vary enormously. The key question is not just whether they can accommodate your dietary requirements, but how they manage the process on the day.
Complex dietary requirements handled well, with clear labelling, knowledgeable staff, and no cross-contamination risk, are a mark of an experienced catering team. Ask for a specific example of how they have managed a high-complexity brief.
Breakout Rooms
The main conference room gets most of the attention, but breakout room quality significantly affects delegate experience. Sound bleed between adjacent rooms is one of the most common complaints at multi-stream conferences. If possible, ask to test this on your site visit by running a presentation in one room while someone stands in the adjacent space.
Natural Light and Acoustics
Natural light is often undervalued in venue selection and overvalued in venue marketing. For a conference, the practical question is whether there is adequate blackout for presentation screens during daytime sessions, and whether the natural light can be managed without roasting delegates on a sunny afternoon.
Acoustic quality is harder to assess without experience. High ceilings and hard surfaces create echo. Carpeted rooms with soft furnishings generally perform better. If in doubt, ask whether the venue has hosted events of a similar format and speak to a previous organiser if possible.
Accessibility and Parking
Accessibility planning should start at the point of arrival, not the conference room door. Check the route from the car park or public transport drop-off to the event space, including the availability of step-free routes, accessible toilets, and any lift reliability issues.
Do not assume. Walk the accessible route yourself on your site visit and assess it honestly.
Contractual Terms
Conference venue contracts are often long and use boilerplate language that may not reflect the specific arrangements you have agreed verbally. Read the cancellation clause carefully and model the financial exposure at each cancellation point against your event budget.
Force majeure clauses in particular have received more scrutiny since 2020. Check whether the definition is broad enough to cover the types of disruption that are realistically possible, and whether the remedy is a credit, a rescheduled event, or a refund. If in doubt, take legal advice before signing. If you want support negotiating venue contracts as part of a managed brief, our venue-finding service handles this as standard.
A Note on Site Visits
A site visit is not optional. Photos and virtual tours do not show you the loading bay, the kitchen smell from the adjacent restaurant, the noise from the external terrace, or the walk from the car park in the rain. Visit in person, ideally at a time when another event is running so you can see the venue in operation.
If you are managing the venue search as part of a broader event brief, Make Events’ venue-finding team will conduct site visits on your behalf, shortlist options against your specific requirements, and manage the contracting process through to signature.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I check first when viewing a conference venue?
Start with the basics that are hardest to change: capacity in your intended layout, AV infrastructure, and Wi-Fi capability. These are the areas where mismatches between what the venue offers and what your event needs create the most expensive problems. Get these confirmed before spending time on softer factors like decor or catering options.
What is a preferred supplier clause, and should I be concerned?
A preferred supplier clause means the venue has agreed commercial arrangements with specific companies for AV, catering, or other services, and you may be required or strongly encouraged to use them. This is not inherently problematic, but you should assess their quality and rates against the open market. Some venues have exclusivity clauses that prohibit you from bringing in external suppliers entirely. Always check before assuming you have freedom of supplier choice.
How do I check a venue’s Wi-Fi is adequate?
Ask for the results of a recent independent speed test, not just a claimed speed from the venue’s brochure. For a conference with 100 or more delegates, you will typically need a dedicated line with at least 100Mbps symmetric (upload and download) for a reliable experience. Ask whether a dedicated line is available at additional cost, and get that cost quoted before making your decision.
What cancellation terms should I expect?
Most conference venues operate a sliding scale of cancellation fees based on how close to the event date you cancel. Losing your deposit for cancellation within 12 months and 50 to 100 percent of the contract value within 30 to 90 days is common. Always negotiate the cancellation terms before signing, and consider event cancellation insurance for high-value bookings.
Do I need a venue coordinator or event manager on site?
A venue coordinator manages the venue’s team and services. They are not managing your event. For any conference with multiple sessions, external speakers, AV requirements, or a complex agenda, you need a dedicated event manager or production team. If you do not have that resource in-house, our conference event management service provides full on-site management as part of the brief.
