Seating layouts and capacity: theatre, banquet and reception

The single most useful question when comparing halls is "how many in my layout?" — because the same square metres seat wildly different numbers depending on the setup.

Theatre and classroom

Rows of chairs facing a stage (theatre) pack the most seated people in; add tables to write on (classroom) and the number roughly halves. Best for talks, conferences and presentations.

Banquet and cabaret

Round tables for a seated dinner (banquet) need the most room per guest. Cabaret — tables angled toward a stage — sits fewer again but keeps everyone facing the front. Best for weddings, galas and dinners.

Reception (standing)

A standing reception fits the most people of all and leaves room for a bar and dancefloor. It's the figure most venues quote as the headline capacity, so always confirm the seated number for your format.

• Theatre — most seated, talks
• Banquet — fewest, dinners
• Reception — most overall, standing

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