The Cambridge College Supper Club has been enjoying such success since its trial evenings last year that more dates have been set for 2011.

The Club offers members of the public the chance to experience a Cambridge formal hall. They are invited to drinks and a 3-course dinner on the long candle-lit tables of Corpus Christi College’s dining hall, drinking fine wines provided from the College’s own cellars.

Four more evenings have been organised for this year as a result of the popularity of last year’s events, with discussions currently underway to add even more dates.

It is perhaps fitting that these evenings for the public are held at Corpus Christi, as the only college in Cambridge or Oxford to have been founded by townspeople.

The unique opportunity to “dine like Harry Potter” certainly seems to have caught the public’s imagination and rave reviews have been pouring in.

“The Cambridge College Supper Club is an opportunity not to be missed,” wrote Louise Martin in the Cambridge Evening News, giving the occasion a 5 star rating for ambiance and 4 stars for food, service and value.

Other diners wrote in with comments such as “a great evening” and “excellent work”, and many seemed very keen to repeat their experience.

The Club also says that “well-behaved” children are welcome, and the concept seems particularly popular among families.

“What a fantastic idea to have Harry Potter style dining in such a great historical place,” said one online reviewer. “I for one want my child to experience this wonderful event and really look forward to doing this as a family.”

Visitors not only experience the fine food and wine on offer but also are given a short history lesson about the college, founded in 1352, as they gather for drinks in the elegant Old Combination Room. They then dine in the College’s historic wood-panelled hall, which is home to the only existing portrait of Christopher Marlowe.

However, despite much support and enthusiasm from diners, there has been some criticism over the price a diner has to pay. Previously, the set fee for the night was £57.50 but, after the recent rise in VAT, prices for this year’s events are now even higher, set at £58.50.

Online debates showed some discontent with the prices, and featured comments such as “like the university fees, the food is ridiculously priced”.

There was also some suggestion that the College was merely using the “Harry Potter style dining” to boost its status, and one blogger noted that the Harry Potter hall from the films is actually in the Oxford college, Christ Church.

However, Anna Everitt, founder of the Club, maintained that the aim was to show the public areas of the college they might never see otherwise, and added that it was “not just about eating, it’s about the whole experience.”