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Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Tap water ...with a twist.
Posted By: el D 14/05/08 11:55 Source ID: 15fca7f6-d1c3bb90
In Reply To: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Tap water ...with a twist. AndrewS 14/05/08 10:11
 | Can someone explain again why a salsa night can't make a profit from the cover charges and then view any bar takings as a bonus? |  |
Hi Andrew,
I have explained in detail why this doesn’t work exhaustively in previous threads but as you’ve asked nicely I’ll at least attempt to give you an idea!!!
Firstly you have to understand that in 99% of the Salsa nights you attend there are two completely separate and distinct businesses working in tandem. The Salsa promoter and the venue owner each has to generate enough money to be viable as a business, you are therefore paying for one product as you see it but dividing the money you hand over to two separate providers the venue owner provides the space and the Salsa promoter provides the content.
There is no cover charge (by that I assume you mean an extra charge at the door to go to the venue owners) being charged by a single promoter in the UK, as far as I am aware … Please correct if I’m wrong about that! If having a cover charge were beneficial in any way you can bet that at least some would be using it as a business model to gain an advantage over their competitors!
There are several reasons why it is not being used and I’ll try to explain why I won’t at this stage go in to the extra logistical nightmare of turning a cover charge into a drinks voucher:
1. Logistically it adds a complication to the business/ financial arrangement between the venue and the promoter which shouldn’t on face of it be a problem but would be in a lot of cases as it would need to be policed properly and thoroughly by both parties and/ or a system would need to be put in place to monitor the take and the numbers of entrants and that would have to be precise. Therefore at a minimum there would be extra and unnecessary administration for the person on the door, the promoter and for the venue manager/ owner.
2. The person on the door because of the extra administration that would be necessary to process a separate cover charge (separate because it would have to be noted and put aside) would take longer processing customers through the door and where a venue was busy this would undoubtedly cause frustration for those coming in who may complain to the person on the door and/ or potentially go elsewhere, where the process of getting in to a venue was smoother.
2. Human beings, being what they are, the transfer of money between two separate and distinct business entities the Salsa promoter and the venue owner would, I promise you, be open to fraud/ theft by any number of people who are involved between the person handing over the cash at the door to the person/ body who ultimately benefit from the proposed charge.
3. Many Salseros being what they are (and let’s politely say, frugal) will almost always gravitate to the cheapest option. So naturally if a promoter were to add £5 - £10 to a cover charge on the door, he/ she would put themselves at a very distinct disadvantage to their competitors in terms of price! £5 - £10 as has already been explained would be the amount necessary to charge in order to compensate the owner for those who would otherwise not spend at the bar. These people would simply see that whatever charge was added was that much more expensive a Salsa night than the Salsa night down the road…
4. Those who would still like to purchase a drink would continue to do so, and would in effect be subsidising - to an even greater extent than they already are - those who prefer free drinks as they would now also have to pay the cover charge … They couldn’t argue that they should be exempt from the cover charge because they buy drinks – that would be impossible to police. Many would simply find another Salsa venue where there was no cover charge!
This is by no means an exhaustive list but I hope it helps to explain why a cover charge - as you put it - would be a non starter!
The only effective way to pay for the space in which you wish to dance is to spend between £5 and £10 at the bar and then not only do you fairly contribute to that space in which to dance but you also get a drink or two in to the bargain – which incidentally you wouldn’t if you paid a cover charge at the door only … For me it’s a no brainer!
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