Thread “Christmas Party Survey” (in Venues & Events talk )

2011 Christmas Party Survey

During December 2010 Impulse ran a competition for Christmas Party Organisers to win two Take That tickets by answering our Christmas party survey. The survey consisted of 16 simple questions to try and gain an insight as to what the organiser really looks for when shopping the market for a Christmas Party venue. We had an outstanding response which has provided us with some interesting results.

The theme is one of the most important aspects of a Christmas party that the organiser will think about, as it can effect the final turnout at the event. We found that there wasn’t a huge difference between those who preferred a fun and creative theme and those who preferred a Traditional Christmas theme- however when it came to stating their ideal theme we found that over 20% of the respondents specifically wanted Winter Wonderland with people going into further detail and wanting snow scenes, traditional Christmas touches, and festive fun. For this reason we have decided to implement a magical winter wonderland theme into our stunning venue The HC in Marylebone, featuring a surprise snow blast! Many other noticeable keywords included ‘Las Vegas’, ‘Black Tie’, ‘Glamour’ and ‘Casino’ so we decided to incorporate all of these and created Encore at The Grand Hall- a classy and sophisticated Las Vegas casino based around the world famous Encore at Wynn.

We found that only 10% of respondents were happy with the standard package of food, drink and disco and many would look for packages that include entertainment to ensure they were getting the best value for money and providing their guests with a unique and memorable experience. We found that a staggering 41% of respondents would love to see live music included in the package so our Encore theme has a live rat pack singer performing during the reception at The Grand Hall. Other entertainment includes Las Vegas showgirls and casino tables and slot machines. The snow blast at The HC provides the ultimate in unique Christmas experiences to set aside the standard of this Christmas party in comparison to previous themes.

The price of Christmas Parties is understandably another vital factor that needs to be considered by the organiser when looking for a Christmas party. The feedback for the average price of a seated meal with unlimited drinks was as expected with the majority expecting to pay between £80 and £120 per person. The bowl food package with unlimited drinks came in a little under the average price with 55% of respondents expecting to pay under £60 per person.

It is clear that the traditional factors remain as important as the fancy themes and fun entertainment as our open question ‘Could you explain your perfect Christmas Party to me’ consisted mainly of the essentials. The quality and quantity of the food was the most mentioned along with the quality of wine and beer served. We at Impulse take pride in the food we serve- offering all clients a one-on-one tasting session prior to the event to choose the menu and confirm that the food and drink we offer is of the highest quality. Combine this with friendly staff, quick service and top event managers that leave the organiser feeling relaxed and able to enjoy their evening and you have all the ingredients required to create the best Christmas party yet.

The success of the questionnaire has really made us think about how the packages we offer so to ensure we are offering the best value for money in the industry and meeting all the needs of the organiser.

For more information about Winter Wonderland at The HC please see impulseevents.­co.uk/PDF/2011/The-HC-2011.pdf
For more information about Encore at The Grand Hall please see impulseevents.­co.uk/PDF/2011/The-Grand-Hall-2011.pdf

Written by Faye Hayward (placement student from Bournemouth University) More