Events and Hospitality Agreement Templates
Hospitality, events and functions are multifaceted, often involving a management planning team, a venue, caterers, live or recorded music, or other entertainment and photographers. Above and central to all however is the client.
Flexibility is key to meeting a client’s needs, however this should always be balanced with your own business needs.
Having a written agreement (contract) in place to cover the provision of services is always advisable. Key provisions will set out the scope of the services you provide, payment provisions and - most importantly in this area of business - protection from last minute event cancellations and changes.
A suitable contract will provide clarity, certainty and protection for both parties and facilitate the negotiation and execution of a smooth-running transaction.
Events and Hospitality Agreement Templates is part of Business . Just £38.50 + VAT provides unlimited downloads from Business for 1 year.
Frequently Asked Questions
A client wants to book my venue or catering. What should the contract cover so I am protected if they pull out? +
It should fix the services and date, the price and payment schedule, a deposit and clear cancellation and postponement terms, ideally a sliding scale of charges as the event nears. It should also deal with changes to guest numbers, force majeure and liability. The events and hospitality agreements here are built around cancellation, which is the main commercial risk in this trade, so late changes are handled in advance.
Can I keep a client's deposit if they cancel the event? +
If the client is a business, you can keep a deposit or charge the cancellation fee your contract provides for, subject to the rule against penalties: the sum must protect a genuine commercial interest and not be extravagant next to your likely loss. If the client is a consumer, the charge must not exceed what you actually lose after savings, or it risks being an unfair, unenforceable term. Set the deposit and cancellation scale out clearly.
The client called off at the last minute because of something outside their control. Am I covered? +
Only if your contract says so. There is no automatic right to walk away or withhold payment just because circumstances change, unless the contract is legally frustrated, which is rare and narrow. A force majeure clause is what allocates that risk, listing the events it covers and what happens to fees and the booking. The templates here include force majeure and cancellation wording so last-minute changes are dealt with in advance.
My client is a member of the public, not a business. Does that change the contract? +
Yes. When your client is a consumer the Consumer Rights Act 2015 applies: the service must be performed with reasonable care and skill, and any term, including cancellation charges and deposits, must be fair and in plain language or it can be unenforceable. Since April 2025 the CMA can directly fine businesses for unfair terms. Use the consumer version of the agreement and keep cancellation charges tied to real losses.
Do I need separate agreements for the venue, the caterer and the entertainment? +
Usually yes, because each relationship carries different obligations, risks and payment terms. A venue hire, a catering or services contract and an entertainment booking each need their own scope, liability and cancellation terms. One loose document covering everything leaves gaps that surface when something fails. This subfolder, with the related hire and services templates, lets you put a suitable written agreement in place for each part of the event.
