Ticketing for
Pub Events

Pub events are the grassroots of live entertainment in the UK. There are over 45,000 pubs in Britain, and thousands of them host regular events from live music to quiz nights, beer tastings to comedy. The challenge is that pub event ticketing needs to be dirt cheap, dead simple, and work alongside a walk-up culture.

Ticket prices for pub events are low. Most pub gigs, comedy nights, and quiz nights charge £5-15. At these price points, booking fees are disproportionately painful. A £1.50 fee on a £8 pub gig ticket is nearly 19%. Fans notice, and it creates friction at checkout that kills impulse purchases.

Many pub events also have a strong walk-up tradition. Regular punters expect to just turn up and pay at the bar. Your ticketing system needs to complement this, not fight it. Position advance tickets as the convenient option (guaranteed entry, skip the queue) while still accommodating walk-ins on the night.

Pub landlords are not event promoters by profession. They need a system that takes 5 minutes to set up, requires no technical knowledge, and handles everything automatically. If it is more complex than pulling a pint, it will not get used.

For pub events, simplicity and low fees are everything. You need:

• Zero or negligible fees at low ticket price points
• 5-minute event setup that a busy landlord can do between service
• Mobile QR check-in that works on any smartphone, no special hardware
• Easy event duplication for recurring weekly or monthly events

WeGotTickets is commonly used by pubs but takes 10% of every ticket. On an £8 ticket, that is 80p gone. Eventbrite charges £1.15 per £8 ticket (6.95% + £0.59). Skiddle charges £1.24 (£1 + 3%).

tickts charges nothing. Zero booking fees, zero commission. The only cost is Stripe processing at 1.5% + 20p, which on an £8 ticket is just 32p. For a pub running 4 events per month at 50 tickets each, that is £768 per year in savings vs WeGotTickets.

See our platform comparison or use the fee calculator to model your pub's specific numbers.

Pub event pricing should be simple, round numbers that are easy to collect at the door if needed.

Keep it round. £5, £8, £10, £12, £15. Avoid odd prices like £7.50 or £11. Round numbers work better for door sales and look cleaner online. If your costs demand £7.50, round to £8 and absorb the difference or offer a slightly better experience.

Advance vs door pricing. Offer a £2-3 saving for advance tickets. "£8 advance / £10 door" is the standard format for pub gigs. This incentivises advance purchase (better for your planning) while still welcoming walk-ins at a slightly higher price.

Free entry for early arrivals. For pub quizzes and some live music nights, "free before 8pm / £5 after 8pm" fills the room early and creates atmosphere. The venue benefits from bar spend even from free-entry customers.

Include a drink with the ticket. "£12 including a pint" is a proven format for pub events. It increases the perceived value, simplifies the customer decision, and guarantees bar spend. Negotiate the drink cost with the landlord as part of your venue deal.

Season passes for regulars. If you run a weekly event, offer a monthly pass at the cost of 3 sessions. A quiz night regular who pays £20 for 4 weeks of quizzes (vs £24 individually) commits upfront and comes every week.

For a pub running 4 events per month at £8 per ticket and 50 attendees each (annual total: 2,400 tickets, £19,200 revenue):

• WeGotTickets: £1,920 in fees annually (10%)
• Eventbrite: £2,770 in fees annually
• Skiddle: £2,976 in fees annually
• tickts: £768 in Stripe processing only

The £1,152 annual saving vs WeGotTickets is real money for a pub. That could fund a PA system, pay for better acts, or simply be additional profit for the venue.

The customer experience matters too. Pub audiences are often impulse buyers. They see a social media post, click the link, and buy within 60 seconds. If the checkout is slow, asks for unnecessary information, or reveals hidden fees, they close the tab. A clean, fast, fee-free checkout converts browsers into buyers.

Use the pub's own social media. Most pubs have Facebook and Instagram pages with a local following. Post events there alongside your own channels. The pub's followers are your exact target audience: local people who already visit and enjoy the venue.

Put a QR code on the bar. Print a small A5 poster with a QR code linking to your next event. Place it on the bar, by the toilets, and near the entrance. Regulars will scan it while waiting for their drink.

List your pub on venue directories. Make sure your venue appears on UK Venue Guide and other local event directories. People searching for "live music near me" or "pub quiz [your town]" should find your events.

Build a WhatsApp group. For regular pub events, a WhatsApp broadcast list or group is more effective than email marketing. People check WhatsApp constantly. A quick message like "Friday's line-up confirmed, advance tickets live now" gets seen immediately.

Incentivise early arrival. Offer something for people who arrive early: a free raffle entry, a discounted first drink, or priority seating. This fills the room from the start and creates the atmosphere that attracts walk-ins.

Collect feedback casually. After the event, post a simple Instagram Story poll: "Rate tonight 1-5" or "Who should we book next?" This takes 2 seconds for attendees to respond and gives you invaluable data for future programming.

Cross-promote with other local events. If there is a comedy night on Thursdays and live music on Saturdays, promote each from the other. Fans of one format often enjoy another, especially if it is at a venue they already like.