Gross floor area is the total floor space of a room, measured from wall to wall. Net floor area is the space available for your guests after subtracting all space-consuming elements: stage, bar, coat check, technical room, emergency exits, and aisles.
In practice, the net area is 60 to 75% of the gross area. A venue with a gross area of 600 m² actually offers you 360 to 450 m² of space for your guests. Always check with each venue whether the stated size is gross or net: that difference determines whether a venue is suitable or not.
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