Book River & Bean

River & Bean is available for private hire, organisation bookings, small events, planning sessions, training, workshops, support groups, creative sessions, fundraising and calm group use.

We are a private basement cafe space, not a daily public cafe. That means bookings matter. If we are travelling in, staffing the space, preparing drinks, heating the room and setting up for you, the booking needs to cover the real cost of doing it. Glamorous, yes. Civilisation really has peaked.

Grand opening and private hire

Daytime private hire is available by arrangement throughout our grand opening, 25 September–4 October, including Monday daytime. Events are TBC. Online booking for daytime and evening private hire opens on 11 October 2026, subject to availability. Monday evenings remain closed for now; Monday daytime stays available to book. Until online booking opens, email us to arrange hire.

Best For

• charity and community organisation meetings
• committee days and planning sessions
• staff or volunteer training
• support groups and private group sessions
• small workshops and learning sessions
• fundraising events
• clubs and societies
• microbusiness planning days
• content recording, photography or creative production
• quiet group workspace
• seaside-trip base of operations

Capacity

River & Bean can seat up to around 30 people depending on layout, with 25 being more comfortable for longer sessions.

Layouts can include cafe seating, group tables, planning/workshop layout, small event layout, or a more relaxed sofa-and-tables arrangement.

Standard Hire

3-hour private hire

Price: £100

Best for meetings, planning sessions, workshops, private catch-ups, small support sessions or creative work.

Includes:

• use of the private cafe space
• two jugs of filter coffee, one caffeinated and one decaf
• a small selection of teas and instant coffee
• basic shared facilities

6-hour private hire

Price: £175

Best for longer workshops, away-days, training, project work, fundraising prep, group activity days or organisation use.

Includes:

• use of the private cafe space
• two jugs of filter coffee, one caffeinated and one decaf
• a small selection of teas and instant coffee
• basic shared facilities

Weekend and Event Hire

3-hour weekend / event hire

Price: £150

Best for small events, group sessions, fundraisers, clubs, private gatherings or higher-demand weekend slots.

6-hour weekend / event hire

Price: £250

Best for longer events, fundraising sessions, partner-led programmes, private gatherings or weekend organisation use.

Weekend and event hire includes setup and cleanup time within the booked slot unless otherwise agreed in writing.

Ticketed Events and Event Merch

If it is the right fit, we can agree ticketing, merch, drinks or fundraising products for your event.

This can help charities, clubs, small businesses and for-good projects cover event hire, raise funds, sell products and support River & Bean's wider mission at the same time.

Examples include:

• ticketed talks
• fundraiser nights
• workshops
• training sessions
• product or project launches
• art exhibition extensions
• local interviews or panel sessions
• club events
• conference fringe sessions
• paid Lunch and Learn sessions

You remain the organiser; we provide the room and any agreed sales support.

Ticketed events need at least 72 hours notice, River & Bean agreement and a non-refundable hire deposit before sales start. Full hire payment is required before the event starts. At River & Bean's discretion, ticket sales processed through our system may be used toward the hire balance.

If River & Bean processes ticket payments, ticket buyers will be refunded if the event is cancelled. Organisers must agree to reimburse or be re-billed for refunds, reversals, chargebacks or post-event payment issues linked to their event.

Plan a Ticketed Event

Community, Charity and Member Pricing

Discounted or supported pricing may be available for registered charities, community groups, clubs, support groups, official student groups, for-good projects and eligible members.

The exact rate depends on the membership, subscription, booking pattern, purpose and support model. This lets us avoid one-size-fits-nobody pricing, which is very popular with forms and very unpopular with reality.

Community and charity bookings may also be able to use:

• discounted room hire
• fundraising profit-share models
• Proper Coffee drinks service
• Propa Cuppa drinks service
• Happy Coo treats or fundraising stock
• partner-led collection or order campaigns
• trusted organisation access where approved

Proof of status or purpose may be requested.

Daylong and Multi-Day Hire

Need the room for longer? We can work out a day or multi-day booking for groups, organisations and partner-led programmes.

These can include:

• room use only
• room use with coffee and tea service
• delivery or collection coffee attached to your booking
• fundraising sales model
• self-staffed trusted organisation model
• private base for an Ayr visit or group outing
• external catering arranged by you or with our help

Tell us the plan and we will price the real work involved: setup, travel, staffing, supplies, cleaning and drinks.

Base of Operations Bookings

River & Bean can be booked as a practical base for trips into Ayr.

This works well for:

• clubs
• youth groups
• support organisations
• volunteer teams
• social groups
• charity outings
• groups travelling with mixed energy or access needs
• organisations that need somewhere calm between activities

A Base of Operations booking can give your group somewhere to gather, make drinks, eat, regroup, plan, charge phones, leave bags safely, and escape weather or crowds.

This is especially useful for seaside visits, town-centre activities, fundraising days, campaign days and group outings where "we will just meet somewhere" usually becomes a live-action test of everyone's remaining patience.

Coffee, Drinks and Catering

All standard private hire includes two jugs of filter coffee, one caffeinated and one decaf, plus a small selection of teas and instant coffee.

More involved drinks service, takeaway service, Proper Coffee, Propa Cuppa, Happy Coo treats, simple snacks, fundraising stock or partner catering can be arranged.

You may bring your own food or order from local food businesses in Ayr. We encourage that where it makes sense, and we can help arrange catering if useful.

Trusted Organisation Membership

Trusted organisations may apply to train staff or volunteers in River & Bean site operations.

This can reduce booking costs where the organisation can safely staff the facilities themselves, especially for fundraising sessions, recurring group use, daytime sessions, training days or community programmes.

This is by approval only. We need to trust your organisation, your people, and your ability to use the space responsibly.

Important Access Note

River & Bean is currently a basement venue. It is private, calm and flexible, but it is not currently step-free.

If anyone attending has access, mobility, sensory or support needs, please contact us before booking so we can be honest about whether the current venue is suitable.

We are actively exploring more accessible options, including the long-term ambition of River Cottage.

Cancellation

Bookings can normally be cancelled or refunded up to 24 hours before the booking start time, unless otherwise agreed in writing.

Late cancellations, no-shows or significant unarranged extensions may still be charged because the costs do not vanish just because the calendar has developed commitment issues.

Ticketed events, published events and event hire deposits use separate event terms. Once an event is published on the River & Bean site and ticket sales have begun, organiser refunds are not normally available in full. Any refund agreed by River & Bean may deduct incurred costs.

Tell us what you need, roughly how many people are coming, what kind of session you want to run, and whether you need coffee, quiet, kit, layout changes, catering or fundraising support.

Book 3 Hours

Book 6 Hours

Enquire About Daylong / Organisation Use