To find out how much it costs to hire 1st Base for a private event in 2026, request a current written quote for your group, date and proposed booking. Confirm what the quote covers, particularly private access and activities, before treating it as your total event budget. Agree the booking details before collecting money from your guests.
- How much does it cost to hire 1st Base for a private event? Request a current written quote.
- Private event hire and group activity bookings are different requests; confirm which arrangement your quote covers.
- The Southampton activity bar offers interactive baseball, shuffleboard, ping-pong and foosball; confirm your booking’s inclusions.
- Check the total, payment terms and private access before asking guests to contribute.
Start with 1st Base for current venue information. Use the checklist below to turn a general enquiry into a clear booking brief, then check the reply against what your group actually needs.
How much does it cost to hire 1st Base for a private event?
Request a written quote for the event you want, rather than using a general activity booking as a private-hire estimate. The key question is not just the total: it is what that total buys your group.
The venue is an American-themed activity bar in Southampton city centre, with an interactive baseball batting cage, shuffleboard, ping-pong and foosball. Those activities explain the experience, but they do not establish what is included in a particular private-event booking.
For a 2026 enquiry, follow these steps:
- State your event. Explain whether you are organising a birthday, stag or hen do, corporate event or family outing.
- Give your headcount. Separate confirmed guests from people who have not replied, and mention whether children will attend.
- Specify your date and timing. Give your preferred date, arrival time and finish time, plus any flexibility.
- Describe the access you want. Say whether you need the whole venue to yourselves or a group activity booking.
- Name your activities. Explain whether baseball is the main event or whether you want other games involved.
- Ask for the written total and terms. Request a clear list of inclusions, exclusions and payment requirements.
Keep the reply alongside your original enquiry. That gives you a straightforward way to spot a detail that has changed or a question that has not been answered.
Why this matters
A group booking and an exclusive event are not interchangeable. You need to know whether your guests are booking an activity together, reserving a particular space or asking for the venue to be private.
That distinction matters when you invite people. A birthday organiser needs to describe the evening accurately; a work-event organiser needs a booking that matches the approved brief. Neither should promise private access before it is confirmed.
1st Base is best for Southampton groups seeking an activity-bar outing built around interactive baseball and social games. The fit is strongest when playing together is the point of the event. If your priority is a quiet presentation or a formal seated gathering, ask about suitability before committing.
What should the quote include?
A useful quote lets you explain the booking without filling in gaps yourself. Ask for the event details and financial terms in the same written reply, so the amount is tied to a clearly described experience.
Use this checklist when reviewing a 2026 proposal:
| Detail to confirm | What you need in writing | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Event date | The date covered by the quote | Keeps the proposal tied to your intended event |
| Booking times | Start and finish times, with any arrival instructions | Lets you give guests an accurate schedule |
| Guest numbers | The headcount used for the quote | Makes later changes easier to discuss |
| Private access | Exactly which spaces or activities are reserved | Prevents confusion about exclusivity |
| Activity access | Which games are included and how access works | Helps you plan the evening around the actual booking |
| Total payable | The total and whether taxes or other charges apply | Gives the payer a clear commitment |
| Payment terms | Any initial payment, balance deadline and payment method | Helps you organise contributions or approval |
| Change terms | What happens if attendance, timing or plans change | Sets expectations before circumstances change |
These are questions to ask, not a list of confirmed venue policies. Treat a term as agreed only when it appears in your booking confirmation.
If the reply gives a total without enough detail, ask for clarification before accepting it. A short follow-up is easier than explaining an unexpected arrangement to a room full of guests.
Which games suit your private-event brief?
Choose activities around your guests, not just the organiser’s favourite game. Baseball, shuffleboard, ping-pong and foosball offer different ways to compete, so name your priorities in the enquiry rather than assuming every game comes with the booking.
| Activity | Best for | What it adds | Planning limitation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Interactive baseball batting cage | Groups wanting baseball as the main attraction | A clear shared focus for an activity-led outing | You need to understand turn-taking and booked access |
| Shuffleboard | Guests who prefer a tabletop game | An alternative to batting and racket games | Do not assume it is reserved or included |
| Ping-pong | Guests who enjoy racket games | A familiar competitive activity | Check access and whether it suits your guests’ participation needs |
| Foosball | Guests who enjoy tabletop team competition | Another way for guests to play together | You still need to organise participation and confirm access |
The advantage of the 1st Base activity bar is its mix of baseball and social games. The planning limitation is that the venue’s activity list is not a promise that every game is included, reserved or suitable for every guest.
Ask how your intended group would use the activities during the booking. If you want baseball to be the centrepiece, say so. If some guests prefer to watch or chat, explain that too, without assuming a particular seating or space arrangement.
Why private-event quotes need a clear brief
Do not assume any particular detail changes the venue’s charge. Instead, provide the details that define your request and ask which ones affect the quote.
These points give the venue a clear brief:
- Date and timing: Supply the date and proposed start and finish times. Ask whether an alternative changes the proposal.
- Headcount: Give an honest attendance estimate, including any uncertainty. Ask how a revised number would be handled.
- Private access: Explain exactly what you mean by private, whether that is venue-wide exclusivity or a reserved activity arrangement.
- Activity priorities: Identify the games your group wants to use, rather than asking for an undefined package.
- Guest requirements: Mention children, accessibility needs and anything that affects participation. Request confirmation rather than assuming suitability.
- Additional requests: Describe anything beyond playing games, such as a speech or a planned celebration moment. Ask what is possible and how it would be treated.
Change the brief openly, then request an updated quote. Do not assume the original proposal still applies after changing the event.
How do you request a useful quote?
Send one clear enquiry instead of a series of messages containing different versions of the plan. Give the organiser responsibility for keeping the details consistent.
Define the event
Describe the occasion and what you want guests to do. An activity-led birthday and a work gathering with a speech need different conversations, even when the same people are attending.
Decide what is essential. If private access is a requirement, state that directly; if playing baseball together is enough, describe that instead.
Gather the details
Record your preferred date, proposed timing and headcount. Include the activities you want and any participation needs the venue should consider.
For your 2026 booking, keep an alternative date separate from the main request. That makes the response easier to understand and avoids treating different proposals as the same offer.
Check the reply
Read the quote against your original brief. Check the access arrangement, activity inclusions, total payable and terms rather than looking at the amount alone.
List unanswered questions in one follow-up. Ask for a revised written confirmation when an answer changes the proposed booking.
Confirm the plan
Share the agreed details with the person paying or approving the event. Only then give guests the contribution request and booking information.
Keep a single final version of the plan. Guests should not have to work out which message contains the correct timing or payment instructions.
How should you organise the group’s event budget?
Separate the venue commitment from anything guests arrange independently. Travel, personal spending and another stop on the night should not become part of the venue booking by accident.
Keep 2 budget totals: the amount payable under the confirmed booking and the wider amount your group chooses to set aside. Label them clearly so nobody mistakes an optional personal expense for a required contribution.
Choose 1 lead organiser to maintain the booking details and tell guests who is handling payment. This is an organising recommendation, not a venue requirement; follow the payment instructions you receive with the confirmation.
For a practical way to organise contributions, see how to split payment for a group booking at 1st Base.
Before sending a payment request, give guests 3 confirmed details: what they are contributing towards, when you need their reply and who they should contact with questions. Keep the venue’s actual terms separate from any deadline you set for your group.
Is private hire the same as booking a batting cage?
No: private venue access and booked batting-cage access describe different arrangements. Ask exactly what is reserved, who can use it and whether other visitors will be present elsewhere.
The word private is not enough on its own. Your confirmation should describe the arrangement clearly enough that you can explain it to guests without adding your own interpretation.
Can you work out a contribution per guest?
Yes: divide the confirmed amount your group has agreed to share by the number of people sharing it. Decide who is included in that split before sending a contribution request.
Keep personal purchases separate unless the group has explicitly agreed otherwise. Ask how attendance changes affect the booking before promising that someone can drop out without consequences.
Should you choose the lowest quote?
Choose the quote that matches your brief, not simply the lowest total. Compare access, timing, activities, guest numbers and terms on the same basis.
If you are comparing options for a 2026 event, record any difference in what each proposal includes. A lower total does not answer whether the booking delivers the private access or activities you need.
FAQ
How do I find the current cost of hiring 1st Base for a private event?
Request a current written quote for your date, headcount, timing and access requirements. Confirm the inclusions and payment terms before using the quote as your event budget.
Does a private-event booking include every game?
Confirm the included games in writing; do not assume the venue’s full activity list comes with your booking. Ask which activities are reserved and how your group will access them.
Can I ask for the whole venue to be private?
You can include whole-venue exclusivity in your enquiry, but treat it as a request until it is confirmed. Ask the venue to describe exactly what private access covers.
What should I send when asking for an event quote?
Send the occasion, preferred date, proposed timing, headcount, activity priorities and access requirements. Include any guest needs that affect participation.
Should I collect money before the booking is confirmed?
Confirm the booking details and payment terms before collecting contributions against a promised event. Tell guests exactly what their payment covers and keep your organising deadlines separate from venue terms.
What if my guest numbers change?
Tell the venue and ask whether the quote or booking terms need updating. Keep the revised arrangement in writing before changing guests’ contributions or expectations.
Is an activity bar right for a corporate private event?
An activity bar suits a corporate brief centred on playing games and socialising. If you also need presentations, private discussions or specific facilities, confirm those requirements before booking.
One last thing
Define what private means before you discuss the final budget. A quote is only useful when everyone understands the experience it covers.
Write a single sentence describing your non-negotiable requirement: exclusive venue access, a reserved group activity or baseball as the main event. Ask for that requirement to be addressed explicitly in the confirmation. It is a small step that makes the rest of the planning clearer.
