The problem
A monthly comedy or tribute night sells seats over the bar and by message, with names on a paper list and cash in an envelope, and people who reserved don't always turn up. If a pub has 80 seats at $16£12€14A$23C$23 and usually reserves 55, of whom 10 don't come, it takes $718£540€643A$1,037C$1,015 on the door when a full room is $1,277£960€1,142A$1,843C$1,805.
What the AI does
Ticket Tailor is an online ticketing service. Its UK pricing page says there's no subscription, paid tickets cost 60p each plus VAT (less with prepaid credits), card processing is separate through your own Stripe, PayPal or Square account, and you can add a booking fee so buyers cover the costs. It sends order confirmations and has a free check-in app for scanning guests at the door. Create the event, share the box office link on your posters, social media and what's-on email, and scan people in on the night. Tickets are paid in advance, so a no-show has already paid.
A worked example
A pub in Chester runs a comedy night once a month in a back room with 80 seats at $16£12€14A$23C$23 and a fixed fee for the acts. It moves from a paper list to Ticket Tailor and absorbs the fees.
Before
55 reserved, 45 turn up and pay: 45 x $16£12€14A$23C$23 = $718£540€643A$1,037C$1,015 a month
After
About 70 tickets sold in advance: 70 x $16£12€14A$23C$23 = $1,117£840€1,000A$1,613C$1,579 minus about $93£70€83A$134C$132 in Ticket Tailor and card fees
What it's worth
About $306£230€274A$442C$432 a month in extra ticket income after fees, almost all profit because the acts' fee is fixed: $1,117£840€1,000A$1,613C$1,579 minus $718£540€643A$1,037C$1,015 is $399£300€357A$576C$564 minus about $93£70€83A$134C$132 in fees. Fees are 70 x 60p = $56£42€50A$81C$79 plus VAT ($67£50€60A$96C$94) and Stripe UK at 1.5% + 20p on about 35 orders (about $27£20€24A$38C$38). Selling 70 is an assumption; bar takings aren't counted. Add a booking fee and the cost to the pub falls to about nil.
How to set it up
- Create a Ticket Tailor account, connect your Stripe, PayPal or Square account, and check the processing fees.
- Create the event with the room's capacity under your premises license and fire risk assessment, and decide whether buyers pay a booking fee.
- Share the box office link on posters with a QR code, social media and your what's-on email.
- Scan tickets with the free check-in app on the night, and keep a printed list in case the signal drops.
- Set your refund terms before you go on sale and say them on the event page.
What goes wrong
- Capacity must match your premises license and fire risk assessment, not just the chairs you own.
- Ticket Tailor's fee is separate from card processing; both apply to every paid ticket unless you pass them on.
- Ticket buyers haven't agreed to marketing. Under PECR, add them to your what's-on list only if they opt in.
- Reserved seating uses an extra credit per seat; unreserved is cheaper for a pub night.