Christmas party bookings in a pub: how to fill December (and the quiet nights in it)

December makes or breaks a lot of pubs' winters. Some nights you'll turn people away. Others, a Tuesday in the first week, can be as quiet as January. The aim is to sell the nights everyone wants early and properly, and then do something about the rest.

Here's how we'd plan it, with the 2026 dates.

The 2026 dates that matter

Fridays: 4, 11 and 18 December. These go first.
Thursdays: 3, 10 and 17 December. Close behind.
Friday 18 December is the last Friday before Christmas, often called Mad Friday. Expect it to be your busiest night of the month.
Christmas Eve is a Thursday. Christmas Day is a Friday. New Year's Eve is a Thursday.

Booking data from the venue site VenueScanner backs up what most landlords already know. In its 2026 trends report, Friday was the most asked-for day for Christmas parties, at 35.9% of enquiries, with Thursday next at 30.3%.

So you don't need to work hard to sell Fridays. You need to sell them properly, and work hard on Monday to Wednesday.

Make two or three simple packages

Groups want to know what they get and what it costs per head. Three choices is plenty.

Drinks and nibbles. A reserved area, a welcome drink and a platter. Easy for the kitchen, easy for the group.
Christmas dinner. Two or three courses from a short set menu. Pre-orders essential.
The party night. Your Christmas quiz, a DJ or a band, with food. Good for groups who want something to do.

Keep the set menu short. Three starters, three mains, three puddings, with one vegetarian and one that suits common allergies. A long menu slows the kitchen down when 40 people order at once.

Take deposits and pre-orders

No-shows hurt most in December, because you could have sold the table twice.

Ask for a deposit per head when the booking is made. Decide your amount and stick to it.
Write the terms down: when the balance is due, when numbers are final, and whether the deposit comes back if they cancel.
Get pre-orders for set menus at least a week before. Give the group organiser one simple form, not 15 emails.
Confirm in writing with the date, time, numbers, package, deposit paid and the balance.

Be clear and fair. People don't mind rules they were told about at the start.

Keep one booking sheet

Whatever you use, a diary, a spreadsheet or a booking system, keep every Christmas booking in one place that every member of staff can see. For each one note:

Name, phone and email of the organiser
Date, time and numbers
Package and price per head
Deposit taken and balance due
Pre-orders received (yes or no)
Any allergies or access needs

Check it every morning in December. Most Christmas problems are a booking somebody forgot to write down.

Fill the quiet nights

The first half of December, Monday to Wednesday, is where the money is left on the table. Some ideas:

A lower price per head on Monday to Wednesday. Make the difference big enough to notice.
Smaller groups. Lots of teams, clubs and groups of friends want a Christmas do but don't need a Friday. Ask your regulars: the darts team, the quiz teams, the walking group.
A Christmas quiz night. One of the easiest midweek events to sell, because teams book a table. There are round ideas and questions in our Christmas pub quiz post.
A Christmas jumper night or a carols night. Cheap to run and good for photos.
Daytime. Retired groups and parents with young kids often prefer a lunch.

Our post on getting more customers in on quiet nights has more ideas that work in December too.

Check your licence before you sell late nights

If you plan to stay open later than your licence allows, or to do something it doesn't cover, you may need a Temporary Event Notice. You must apply at least 10 clear working days before the event, so leave plenty of time. We've written a plain guide to Temporary Event Notices for Christmas and New Year.

Tell people now

Most work Christmas parties are planned well before December. The same VenueScanner report says September and October are the busiest months for Christmas party enquiries. If you haven't started, start this week.

Put a "Christmas bookings now open" slide on your screens, with the packages and prices.
Put a card on every table and a flyer in every bill folder.
Post on your socials once a week with what's left: "Two Fridays left. Every Monday to Wednesday still open."
Email your own customer list, if you have one. Our post on building your own email list legally covers the rules.
Ask every group that comes in during November if they've sorted their Christmas do.

On the nights

Staff to the bookings, not to last year's rota.
Print the evening's bookings and pre-orders for the kitchen and the bar.
Have the bill ready to go for big groups. Splitting a bill for 20 at 11pm is no fun for anyone.
Watch the drinking. Big groups and long nights need a calm eye from the bar. The licensing objectives still apply in December.

How StockTap TV helps

StockTap TV puts your own offers on every TV on a timed loop, so "Christmas bookings now open" can run all day and "Christmas quiz this Wednesday" can run on the days before it. Countdowns to your events are live at Teal Farm and coming to founding pubs. Quiz players can also join your pub's own email list, with a separate, unticked box for offers, so you've got someone to tell next year. See the offers loop or join the founding pubs.

Frequently asked questions

When should a pub start taking Christmas bookings?

As early as you can. September and October are the busiest months for enquiries in VenueScanner's 2026 data, but it's not too late in late October. Focus on what's left, and make the quiet nights cheaper.

Should I take deposits for Christmas parties?

Most pubs do, because no-shows in December cost a lot. Set the amount, write down when the balance is due and whether it's refundable, and tell people at the time they book.

How do I fill quiet nights in December?

A lower price per head on Monday to Wednesday, a Christmas quiz night, smaller groups like clubs and teams, and daytime lunches for groups who'd rather not go out late.

What's the busiest night for a pub in December?

For most pubs it's the last Friday before Christmas, which is Friday 18 December in 2026.

Sources

VenueScanner: 2026 UK Christmas party booking trends businesses need to know
GOV.UK: Temporary events notice

We checked every source on 24 October 2026. Rules change, so check the latest version before you act. Nothing here is legal advice.