Auditoria & venues with tiered seating

The Human Rights Action Centre serves as a focal point for Amnesty International’s supporters, but its seven no-nonsense event spaces also cater beautifully for meetings, conferences, drinks receptions, private events and exhibitions. The standout space is the 250-seat auditorium, which can be arranged to suit theatre- or cabaret-style layouts. For more intimate events, it can be split to seat just over 110 delegates. As well as a number of smaller meeting rooms, there’s also the larger Sir Elton John Exhibition Hall – the venue’s reception area – which works well for private viewings and can host drinks receptions for up to 200 guests.

The purpose-built Wellcome Collection Conference Centre combines light, modern spaces with a prime location. The venue’s state-of-the art event space features a helical staircase that connects delegates to the fascinating Medicine Now gallery and Reading Room – excellent for drinks receptions – and the Library. Elsewhere, the Henry Wellcome Auditorium is best suited to presentations, and there are a number of smaller meeting rooms and breakout areas.

Versatile interiors and a handy location off Kensington High Street attract a loyal client base to Kensington Conference & Events Centre. Its mainstay is international conferences, as well as fairs and exhibitions, but dinner dances are also popular. The Great Hall can be hired along with two foyers and four breakout rooms. For more intimate board meetings, the Council Chamber has leather-topped desks, with individual microphones. 

The Barbican’s Frobisher Suite was refurbished in late 2016, with upgraded decor, flooring and AV among the improvements. Its two auditoriums have generously spaced tiered seating, good sightlines and a dedicated technician. Both are next to a café/restaurant that can be hired for screenings. There’s also a smart boardroom, while another six meeting rooms can be used separately or combined to make two large rooms.

The studios that brought Harry Potter to the big screen can be booked for events. Among the spaces are the Great Hall, a range of interior sets including the Gryffindor Boys Dormitory (housed inside a sprawling studio), and the Platform 9¾ experience. The green screen area enables guests to recreate scenes from the films – such as flying on a broomstick – while experts who worked on the films can be brought in to speak and reveal behind-the-scenes secrets.

The Johnson Roof Terrace at the refurbished IET London: Savoy Place offers up a memorable Thames backdrop for barbecues and summer parties. It makes a fine extension for events taking place in the adjoining third-floor Riverside Room – the place for large-scale networking events, receptions and dinners. Stages and dancefloors are easily set up and, for smaller groups, the room can be split into five spaces. It has its own private balcony too.

This purpose-built Westminster venue is no stranger to high-profile clients. Its 32 event spaces hold up to 2,500 delegates, and conferences and exhibitions work well here. A major refurb, including a renovated façade, new breakout spaces and improved lighting, was recently completed. We’re big fans of the Churchill, whose slightly raked seating means everyone gets a good view. The larger rooms work well for banquets and drinks receptions.

The former residence of prime minister William Gladstone is now home to the British Academy, which under its venue moniker, 10-11 Carlton House Terrace, offers 11 rather grand event spaces for hire. Period features contrast with abstract art and up-to-date tech, providing rooms ready for modern business needs. In 2016, the venue added the book-lined Lee Library to its lineup of spaces, which lends its regency character to evening dinners.

A striking and characterful venue, the London Transport Museum is in a prime location on famous Covent Garden Piazza. Its galleries make an impressive backdrop for evening receptions and dinners, mixing old and new interiors with displays of iconic transport posters and original artwork. The purpose-built Cubic Theatre is well suited to conferences and presentations, with state-of-the-art AV and a breakout area for registration and catering.

This international dance venue has partnered with video agency Streaming Tank to provide live streaming, webcasting and encoding packages. The main auditorium comes with state-of-the-art sound and lighting, while retractable seating makes the Lilian Baylis Studio a versatile alternative. Movable acoustic walls do the same for the Mezzanine Level. Groups can enjoy private pre-show and interval drinks receptions in the modern Pina Bausch Room.

Located on the same stretch of Fulham Road as the many bars and restaurants on ‘Chelsea Beach’, this West London Cineworld has six screens and capacity for up to 337 people. It also houses two licensed bars – holding up to 150 and 100 delegates respectively. The venue works well for private film screenings (3D or 2D) and conferences, as well as live screenings of sporting events, opera and theatre, not to mention interactive gaming events. Any of the screens would make a great setting for a product launch or event requiring PowerPoint presentations (with plug-and-play connectivity). Buffets and bowl food can be served up by the venue’s preferred caterers, in either of its two bars.

Around the corner from Southbury station, Cineworld Enfield is a massive 15-screen complex with capacity for up to 488 people. The venue is spread out over three levels, with screens on the ground and second floor, and a 75-capacity bar on the first floor. The venue works well for private film screenings (3D or 2D) and conferences, as well as live screenings of sporting events, opera and theatre, not to mention interactive gaming events. Any of the screens would make a great setting for a product launch or event requiring PowerPoint presentations (with plug-and-play connectivity). Buffets and bowl food can be served up by the venue’s preferred caterers.

Europe’s largest arts and conference venue boasts world-class facilities. The tiered Barbican Hall and Barbican Theatre have good sight lines, fine acoustics and adjoining foyers. Three auditoria are also on offer, with adjacent conference suites. Elsewhere, a trio of banqueting rooms can be used together – a popular combination being the Conservatory and Garden Room (a plant-filled oasis). The Exhibition Hall has a versatile 1,800sq m of space.

When it’s not flooded with rugby fans, the England national stadium operates as a venue for corporate and private events. Spaces include the 1,200-capacity Rose Suite and the Live Room auditorium that has retractable tiered seating operated at the touch of a button. The South Stand conference centre got a £300k AV upgrade in 2016, and more recently had a refurbishment of its carpets and a reduction of its pillar sizes. The most unusual space for a sporting venue is the Twickenham Cellar, where 14 guests can feast on seven courses and fine wines. Three VIP areas have floor-to-ceiling windows that maximise views of the pitch, while the England Changing Rooms have been completely modernised. Group tours and guest speakers can also be arranged.

Modern music-arts-restaurant hub Kings Place has been a prime mover in the regeneration of King’s Cross. Kings Place Events offers its hi-spec function rooms for private hire, including the Hall One auditorium, with its outstanding acoustics, and the Battlebridge Room, which looks out across Regent’s Canal. Available for exclusive use, the venue also houses the Rotunda restaurant, which has a large terrace for summer entertaining.

One of London’s best-known live music venues, the Coronet Theatre in Southwark is also a flexible function space that lends itself as readily to multimedia conferencing as product launches and parties. A substantial refurb in 2003 restored many of the original 1920s features of the art deco building while adding state-of-the-art AV facilities. The auditorium can hold 1,072 in theatre-style seating and 1,500 for a reception, with the balcony as an overflow for larger events. There are three function rooms available for meetings or drinks receptions, the largest of which can hold 300 guests standing, while the 500-capacity outdoor area has a permanent cover to protect guests from the elements.

Down on Canary Wharf waterfront, 28 West takes the edge off busy days in the financial district. Alongside continental beers and classic cocktails, menus cover the casual bistro bases (think burgers and steaks). Its two spaces can be hired privately: the Bar for buzzy standing receptions with bowl food and canapés; the Lounge for sharing platters on sofas. VIP events are handled with aplomb; for more ad hoc occasions, there’s table football in the bar.

The London Stock Exchange: Events & Studios is located in the City, very close to St Paul’s Cathedral. The venue combines the latest in presentation technology with contemporary and versatile event space. Every day, broadcasters report on current business and market news live from the TV studios, providing a dynamic backdrop for company presentations, conferences and product launches. The venue houses a tiered 120-seater theatre with web-casting, audio and video-conferencing facilities. In addition, the Atrium space and the Gallery, overlooking the TV studios, provide stimulating settings for drinks receptions for up to 200 people.

The Roehampton portfolio now includes Elm Grove, a new-build conference centre a short train ride from Waterloo. It joins 18th-century Grove House and Parkstead House, adding contemporary spaces and state-of-the-art facilities to the group offer. Its main Oak Suite can be divided into three and features keypad-controlled AV. A pair of smart boardrooms work well as breakout spaces, while the top-floor Lime Tree Suite has scenic city views and its own terrace.

Since opening in Soho in 1979, The Comedy Store has launched the careers of Clive Anderson, Paul Merton and Ben Elton. Nowadays, it’s located just off Leicester Square. When it’s not eliciting belly laughs from the 3,500 punters who pass through its doors each week, the 400-capacity venue can be hired for private events. As you’d expect from an arts hub, there’s amphitheatre-style seating and top-notch AV kit. Air conditioning and fibre-optic broadband help keep guests cool and informed. Bespoke comedy packages can be arranged by the in-house agency, while all catering is handled on site. As you’d expect, there’s a fully licensed bar too.

Telling the story of London’s river and port, the Museum of London Docklands spreads over five floors of a splendid Grade I-listed Georgian warehouse. Its pine columns and floors sit alongside contemporary fittings, producing a spacious and atmospheric feel. Facilities include a boardroom, along with three other spaces that work well for daytime events. By night, guests can also enjoy receptions and dinners in one or more of the museum’s 11 galleries.

Troxy opened its doors in the 1930s as a grand cinema. Today, it’s an impressive events hub that retains its Grade II-listed art deco features. AV facilities are a strong point, with hi-spec sound, flexible staging options and a permanent lighting system on offer. Combined, they deliver for concerts, fashion shows and awards ceremonies. The main space is also well suited to indoor sports events, corporate dinners and Christmas parties.

The refurbished Savoy Place offers increased capacity and cutting-edge tech. We like the idea of the Kelvin Lecture Theatre – with its original mahogany paneling – for presentations and product launches. Check out the Turing Lecture Theatre upstairs for a more contemporary feel. Our favourite spaces are the Riverside Room and Maxwell Library, which have fine views over the Thames. The Johnson Roof Terrace is made for summer parties.