Derry’s £50 Dine in the Dark at the Guildhall

Name: Dine in the Dark
Start: 2026-10-08T19:00:00+01:00
End: 2026-10-08
Location: Guildhall

demoduck.co.uk editorial team 2026-08-17 10:45 3 min read

Scenic view of the Derry skyline and Peace Bridge reflected on the River Foyle.

Derry businesses and individual diners are being invited to experience a three-course meal while blindfolded at the Guildhall on Thursday 8 October 2026. Dine in the Dark begins at 7pm, with tickets costing £50 per person or £500 for a table of ten.

The charity dinner marks World Sight Day and is intended to give guests insight into an everyday activity without relying on sight. All event proceeds will support HIVE Cancer Support, while guests will be able to donate directly to RNIB during the evening.

Date, venue and ticket details

Detail	Confirmed information
Date	Thursday 8 October 2026
Start time	7pm
Venue	Guildhall, Derry
Individual ticket	£50
Table of ten	£500
Who can attend	Businesses and individuals
Booking	Mayor’s Charity page on the council website

Places are limited, and the council has advised businesses and individual guests to book early. Companies are particularly encouraged to reserve a table for staff as a shared workplace inclusion and awareness activity.

The published event notice does not provide transport information or specific accessibility arrangements.

A three-course dinner without relying on sight

Guests will wear blindfolds during dinner service, turning a familiar task into an awareness exercise focused on sight impairment. The activity will take place in what organisers describe as a safe and supportive setting.

Entertainment is planned after the three-course meal, allowing guests to continue the evening inside the historic Guildhall. No performer or entertainment programme has been announced in the event details.

Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Council Grace Uí Niallais said the dinner was designed to challenge perceptions, build empathy and encourage discussion about barriers experienced by people with sight loss. She has asked businesses across the district to use the event as an opportunity for staff learning while supporting local charitable services.

Why the dinner is being held on World Sight Day

RNIB estimates that 4,355 people in the Derry City and Strabane District Council area live with sight loss. Its Northern Ireland estimate stands at 62,386 people whose sight loss affects daily life, while the organisation says half of all sight loss is avoidable.

Robert Shilliday, RNIB’s Country Director for Northern Ireland, said eating without sight gives participants a direct way to reconsider an ordinary task. The experience may prompt concerns about spillages, finding food or coordinating movements—small moments intended to start a broader conversation about inclusion and the removal of barriers.

Diners will therefore be supporting two connected aims in different ways: ticket proceeds go to HIVE Cancer Support, and direct donations to RNIB can be made on the night.

How businesses and individual diners can participate

A business can buy a complete table of ten for £500 and invite staff to attend together. Individual places are available for £50, so attendance is not restricted to company groups.

HIVE Cancer Support is the Mayor’s chosen charity for the year. The dinner forms part of that fundraising activity alongside other mayoral events supporting HIVE across Derry and Strabane.

Maureen Collins, project manager at HIVE Cancer Support, said the partnership would help maintain services while raising awareness of the challenges faced by people with sight loss. Tickets for Dine in the Dark are available through the Mayor’s Charity booking page on the Derry City and Strabane District Council website, with early booking advised.

Source: Derry City and Strabane Council News

Context & actions About this article

Source check Source trail

The date, venue, prices, programme and booking status were checked against the council’s published event notice.

Checks

Confirmed the event is scheduled for 7pm on Thursday 8 October 2026.
Confirmed the venue as the Guildhall in Derry.
Confirmed tickets cost £50 per person or £500 for a table of ten.
Confirmed ticket proceeds support HIVE Cancer Support, with direct RNIB donations availabl...

Derry City and Strabane Council News Check related coverage