Exclusive hire venues

Deep in the City, Bolton’s is a long-standing bastion of Italian hospitality next to the Lloyd’s building. Its upmarket, classic menu – showcasing home-style cookery using the freshest ingredients – is a favourite with local workers. The spacious dining room makes an inviting backdrop for a drinks reception or a small corporate function. The staff are happy to help with special arrangements, whether it be for a private party or business lunch.

Just across from Tate Modern, next to the Millennium Bridge, glass-fronted Northbank boasts fine river views from all corners. Its modern British menu has a West Country slant, with the likes of Cornish crab tian and slow-cooked oxtail matched to wines from an eclectic list. The restaurant, with its cool chandeliers and quirky wallpaper, can be hired exclusively or partitioned off for smaller events. In summer, the terrace is a sought-after space.

Botanical features bring a touch of the outdoors to this Drake & Morgan outpost amid the high towers of the City, from its garden-inspired lounge to the relaxing private dining room. The first-floor bar and dining area works for large group dinners on wooden bench tables, while smaller gatherings are best served in the basement private dining room, or two even smaller vaults. Cocktail masterclasses are included in the venue’s teambuilding offering.

Art-laden walls and Conran interiors have helped D&D London’s South Place Hotel establish itself as a hip City hang-out. With five dedicated function rooms on its first floor, it’s also caught the eye of event organisers. Hire the five of them together and you’ll have space to invite up to 400 guests for multistage parties. The food is top drawer: Michelin-starred Angler, up on the roof, and the ground-floor South Place Chop House can both be hired exclusively.

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. 

100 Wardour St once hosted the Rolling Stones’ first London gig. Today, the venue has the feel of a ‘refined living room’: a plush spot for daytime business and making merry by night. Beyond the light-filled atrium lies a cavernous main space dominated by an island bar. At the far end, a well-equipped private room has a smart pool table that can be flipped flat for meals. Downstairs, there’s a stage for live performances, and assorted private and semi-private spaces.

Restaurant review of 100 Wardour St

In the vaulted cellars beneath Ivory House in St Katharine Docks, The Ivory Vaults offers 1,000sq m of space to play with. Exclusive use gets you all nine of its private dining areas, which are available individually to groups. Three-hour banquets (including medieval, masquerade and Viking themes) are a speciality, but bespoke evenings can be arranged. The in-house production team can provide entertainment, and dry hire is an option.

Built by Sir Christopher Wren after the Great Fire of London, St Andrew Holborn is now a popular location for events, with a series of spaces to hire in the church, courthouse and crypt. The church itself is an atmospheric backdrop for dinners and concerts, while the crypt is a dramatic subterranean space for receptions. There’s also plenty of straight-up meeting space, while catering can be provided by the in-house team or from preferred suppliers.

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.

Richard Corrigan’s glitzy Mayfair restaurant can be hired exclusively – and there’s also the option of its private dining rooms. The Lindsay Room has a 42in LCD screen, letting diners watch all the kitchen action, or, for a more private affair, Poet’s Corner offers a VIP feel. At the Chef’s Table, guests meet the kitchen brigade before taking their seats behind a glass wall to watch them at work. Lastly, in the Kitchen Library tasting menus are introduced and served by the chefs.

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In the shadow of St Paul’s, Paternoster Chop House champions hearty British food. While it acts as the location for TV favourite First Dates, its fashionable interiors also appeal to a business crowd. Groups can sit at large tables in the main restaurant or, for something extra-special, in the nearby Temple Bar – a private space atop a Christopher Wren-designed gateway. The restaurant hosts breakfast meetings for up to 35 guests with no minimum spend.

On the fringes of Greenwich Royal Park, this traditional three-storey pub stands tall as a destination in its own right. As well as keeping both tourists and locals happy with its crowd-pleasing British menu, it offers a couple of function spaces for private events. The first-floor King William Room has its own bar and expansive park views. Go up a level and you’ll find the vistas are just as splendid from the Treehouse, which is a cosy space for less formal gatherings.

Greenwich Yacht Club claims to be the ‘only venue built in the Thames’. Cross the footbridge (or arrive by boat) to the stilted Clubhouse, and you’ll find a glass-clad event space with big windows framing a view of Greenwich Peninsula. Alternatively, there’s the River Rooms: a standalone venue split into three. Start things off in the bar, proceed to the Banqueting Hall for the main event, and then, if it’s warm enough, finish outside on the decked terrace.

Steamed-bun sensation Bao’s second restaurant is larger than the famous Soho original. This minimalist Fitzrovia restaurant can also be booked for private events. Upstairs, guests can sit around the wooden central bar and watch mixologists at work; downstairs, groups can enjoy the full theatre of the kitchen. On the menu, the likes of beef cheek and tendon nuggets, cumin lamb ribs and bone marrow rice sit beside five different takes on the signature bun.

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The Manhattan loft-style decor at this chic St James’s restaurant and bar is complemented by a recently revamped fusion menu – its new robata grill turns out elegant Asian dishes with a meaty South American twist. A marble-topped tasting table caters for small groups, while the venue’s private dining room seats guests round an antique wooden table. This space can also be used for meetings, with a 46in LCD screen for presentations.

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Information on D&D London

Winner of the Best New Venue accolade at 2015’s London Venue Awards, Banking Hall features a mezzanine level that overlooks the Bank of England. It’s well suited to receptions, dinners and conferences, all of which can be held in the Main Hall – a Grade II-listed art-deco space, complete with a grand staircase – and the Counting Room. High-end glamour is the order of the day, and there’s an in-house production and AV team to ensure events go smoothly.

Venue review of Tanner Warehouse

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It’s named after the mechanical model of the solar system, so it figures that Orrery on Marylebone High Street should take inspiration for its interior from an observatory. An armillary sphere flanks the entrance, and sunlight floods through large windows into the minimalist dining room, where wooden screens divide the banquette seating. An elegant PDR serves the same French-inspired fare as the restaurant, while things are less formal on the covered terrace.

The largest of the family-run mini-chain’s three London sites, Barcelona Tapas Middlesex Street encompasses an open-plan bar and restaurant on the ground floor, with additional seating on a mezzanine-level balcony. The decor is boldly Spanish, showcasing the group’s signature mosaic lizard alongside traditional matador and flamenco costumes. Available for exclusive hire, this is an atmospheric venue for informal social gatherings. Menus run the gamut from reliable crowd-pleasers such as bacalao and paella mixta to subtler pleasures like steamed black Galician mussels with sofrito, chorizo and white wine. An extensive, all-Spanish wine list might encourage organisers to bookend events with cava and sherry.

Venue review of Barcelona Tapas Bar y Restaurante Lordship Lane

Venue review of Barcelona Tapas Bar y Restaurante Lime Street

Commissioned by James I in 1622 as an entertaining space for court masques, Banqueting House dazzled London’s high society when it opened. You can almost feel the spirit of courtiers who partied beneath the magnificent Rubens-painted ceiling of the Main Hall. This space is an awe-inspiring sight when set for a candle-lit dinner, but the room is also perfect for receptions of 500 and awards dinners for 380 guests. Once enjoyed as a drinking den by James I, the vaulted Undercroft below is an atmospheric space for a cocktail reception or after-dinner party. A list of approved suppliers provides everything from flowers to furniture.

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This Grade II-listed property was once home to The Morning Post. Today, it’s a five-star hotel, with modern event spaces decorated with contemporary art. The bright Adelphi & Novello Rooms can be used together as one large space for meetings and à la carte dining, while the glamorous Screening Room is popular for presentations and private film screenings. The hotel’s modern Basque restaurant, Eneko, can be booked exclusively for larger events.

Venue review of Eneko - Basque Kitchen & Bar

Every June and July, the Boiler House on Brick Lane is converted into a fun venue for private parties, receptions and casual dining. You can expect to find an even split of indoor and outdoor space, along with a tiki bar, food stalls and dancefloor. Flexible packages cover venue hire, a hog roast, a Pimm’s reception, a DJ and garden games. Extras can include hot tubs and photo booth, while there’s a VIP Garden, available with the high-end Access All Areas package.

The Lincoln Centre sits at the crossroads of the City and the West End. Equipped with state-of-the art technology, it’s a popular choice for financial presentations, AGMs, seminars and product launches. All nine event spaces can be branded, from the clean-lined Presentation Room 1 and 2 to the more homely Blake room, which comes with views of Lincoln’s Inn Fields. The brightest spaces, Hamano and Turner, feature floor-to-ceiling windows.

You’ll find this slick dining destination at the back of culture hub Kings Place, hugging the waterfront of the Battlebridge canal basin. At the far end of its elegant curved dining room, double doors lead guests to a private dining space with floor-to-ceiling windows. In warm weather, events can spill out on to a 150-capacity terrace. When the restaurant, bar and private dining room are hired exclusively, summer events for up to 300 guests can be catered for.

Venue review of Kings Place

Permanently moored at Temple Pier, The Yacht London is a characterful 1927 steam vessel available for hospitality bookings. A 3am licence means parties can last way into the night, while its central location gives views of some of the capital’s iconic landmarks, including Big Ben and the London Eye. The alfresco Top Deck is the place to book in summer, and there’s the option to hire spaces in conjunction with one another.

Aqua has two destination restaurants on Regent Street taking up 1,600sq m, five floors above Oxford Circus. It offers the choice of stylish Japanese at Aqua Kyoto or modern Spanish at Aqua Nueva, along with cocktails in the adjacent Aqua Spirit. Aqua Kyoto has a glass-walled PDR, while Nueva’s La Casita and El Salon make a striking pair of private dining spaces next door. The venue’s three terraces, overlooking the rooftops of Regent Street, are a highlight.

Venue review of Aqua Shard

Venue review of Hutong

London – all of it – is the backdrop to any event at Aqua Shard, on level 31 of western Europe’s tallest building. Even the toilets come with a view. A distinctly British theme runs through the venue, from the Liberty-print banquettes to a menu big on home-grown ingredients. There’s a spacious private dining room if your event is a little more exclusive, or the semi-private Gin Wing for larger affairs. Its little sister, Tea Wing, is another glass-clad event space.

Venue review of Hutong

Venue review of Aqua Regent Street

Feature: Lunch Club at Aqua Shard spring 2014

Home to one of London’s oldest livery companies, Saddlers’ Hall is constructed in the classical style, with period details and furniture. Events from conferences to AGMs, large drinks receptions and banquets can be held in its rooms. The highlight is the Great Hall, with exquisite stained-glass windows and a musicians’ gallery. Multiple breakout spaces provide extra conferencing facilties, while the secluded courtyard can be used for alfresco summer entertaining.

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The stately backdrop of Old Westminster Library gives this upmarket Indian a sophisticated, private-club feel. Quality cooking ranges from canapés to exceptional tandoori meats. This can be served on the elegant Gallery above the dining room, where privacy is assured without losing the buzz of the restaurant. Elsewhere, the Reading Room works well for private dinners, while the modern downstairs bar is a cosy spot for evening drinks receptions.

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Information on Cocktail Masterclasses at Cinnamon Club

Information on Cookery Masterclasses at Cinnamon Kitchen

A couple of floors above Aqua Shard, its Chinese sister Hutong has amazing views from the Shard’s 33rd floor. Based on the hip Hong Kong establishment of the same name, the place is inspired by the imperial cuisine of old Peking. The traditional interior nods to the Anglo-Chinese tea trade, and its two red-lanterned private dining rooms continue the theme. Exclusive hire is an option, and you can add Aqua Shard to take the overall standing capacity to 700.

Venue review of Aqua Shard

Venue review of Aqua Regent Street

Artigiano is popular with Belsize Village’s locals, but it also has a reputation for feeding celebrities on a regular basis – photos of Madonna and Kate Moss hang on the walls. The contemporary main restaurant can be hired for private dinners, and menus feature both classic and contemporary Italian food. Thanks to a glass roof, daytime sees the space basked in sunlight, while the front can be opened in warmer months.

Information on Etrusca Restaurants & Events

The old home of Frederic, Lord Leighton – Victorian painter and former president of the RA – this museum is one of London’s hidden gems. Tucked away behind a rambling red-brick exterior, statement backdrops abound here. Among them, the domed interior of Leighton’s Studio is a striking spot for dinner parties, while cocktail receptions can be held in the opulent Arab Hall – the museum’s centrepiece, designed to house the artist’s priceless collection of 16th- and 17th-century Islamic tiles and the house’s central fountain. Private events must take place in the evening as Leighton House is open to the public during the day.

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Groups can now dine at the painter’s own dining table – only used once since 1896. Up to 16 diners can be accommodated, with the evening including pre-dinner drinks in the Arab Hall, followed by a tour of the house. 

With retractable floor-to-ceiling windows along its outside wall, this riverside restaurant makes a bright, scenic setting for events. Selling points include panoramic views from Tower Bridge to Canary Wharf and an outdoor terrace for fair-weather drinks. British-leaning menus feature the likes of potted duck, piccalilli and toasted sourdough, followed by roasted cod, creamed king cabbage, bacon and new potatoes. Desserts might include eton mess and lemon posset.

This King’s Road venue’s illustrious past is apparent the moment you walk through its marbled foyer. The Main Hall is a classic late-Victorian design: its ornate arched ceiling and marble columns form a dramatic backdrop for drinks receptions and dinner dances. The same space affords sizeable conferences and lectures added gravitas, while the Small Hall’s minstrels’ gallery and collection of oil paintings make it a characterful spot for a gala dinner.

Opposite the Bank of England, 1 Lombard Street is a City institution, serving elegant European dishes backed by an extensive drinks list. Its main space has a soaring glass-dome ceiling and houses the Bar and Brasserie, which can be combined for dinners or standing receptions. For a quiet working lunch, try the adjacent 1776 restaurant, while the Botanical Room, resplendent in floral prints and vintage details, is the spot for private dining.

Restaurant review of The Dome at 1 Lombard Street

Restaurant review of 1776 at 1 Lombard Street

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The City restaurant’s newly refurbished Botanical Room can be hired for screenings of both major sporting events. Prices start from £35pp, which includes sharing platters.

In the Royal Festival Hall on the South Bank, Skylon makes the most of its position with floor-to-ceiling windows looking out over the Thames. The spacious venue’s mid-century look echoes the building’s 1950s architecture. It’s divided into three sections, with a raised bar separating the relaxed brasserie from the fine-dining area – both are popular for semi-private dining. The space can also be be hired exclusively for large dinners. Expect modern British menus.

Back in the 1800s, this Grade II-listed venue was a Turkish bath – and many of the original features are still present. With fun details such as an inbuilt bath to fill with champagne, and extravagant wallpaper and furniture, the striking space is best suited to receptions and dinners. The main room can accommodate groups for a sit-down dinner, while the Drinking Den is best for stand-up receptions. Curfew is 1am, but Spitalfields is nearby to continue the party.

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A celebrated society restaurant since the 1920s, Quaglino’s has seen some famous feet descend its statement staircase. It was revived by Terence Conran in the power-dining 90s, and is now part of the D&D London stable. It’s well suited to large dinners or receptions, while smaller groups can choose between two striking private rooms that overlook the main space. Not unlike the clientele, the food is international with a luxury twist.

The visible red-steel frame of the striking 1920s building is softened by greenery, while low lighting adds atmosphere at night. By day, the ground-floor café, which overlooks a cobbled courtyard, is a good spot for group lunches. Inside, the upstairs restaurant and bar can be hired exclusively, but for intimate dinners book the Mezzanine Room. Further spaces include the art deco Gallery Room and the Beaufort Room with its own bar.

The latest addition to a family-run group of three London restaurants, Barcelona Tapas Lime Street is a colourful basement bar and restaurant close to Leadenhall Market. Like its bigger siblings, this one is available for exclusive hire and suits informal social gatherings. Organisers can play it safe with croquetas and tortilla from the tapas menu or vast pans of paella, or they can branch out into less familiar, more authentic territory (look out for the empedrat salad). Smaller groups can take over the 40-capacity, mosaic-tiled bar area and work their way through at least some of the carefully chosen all-Spanish wine list. 

Venue review of Barcelona Tapas Bar y Restaurante Middlesex Street

Venue review of Barcelona Tapas Bar y Restaurante Lordship Lane

A suitably stylish neighbour to the tailors of Savile Row, Sartoria brings a little Italian flair to this most English of streets, with chef-patron Francesco Mazzei conjuring up modern dishes with a southern-Italian influence. As well as a bar and cicchetti counter, there’s also a pair of private dining rooms and a wine cellar, where sommelier Michael Simms hosts dinners and tastings. The private rooms have wi-fi and projectors for more business-focused events.

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The Savile Row restaurant has reopened its doors after an extensive refurbishment. Ex L’Anima chef Francesco Mazzei has created all-new menus, while a wine cellar is now available for bookings of up to eight diners.

From its prime fourth-floor position, Plateau enjoys views across Docklands’ Canada Square. Its glass frontage and partially glazed ceiling flood the main dining room with light by day, and show off London’s skyline at night. A covered, heated terrace accommodates alfresco events year-round, while indoor event spaces include a private dining room with its own wine wall. The restaurant also offers wine-matching lessons, cocktail masterclasses and whisky tastings.

Laura Ashley’s second hotel sits on Windermere in a property built by Victorian steel magnate Henry Schneider. The Belsfield has spacious state-of-the-art meeting spaces, complemented by Laura Ashley-designed bedrooms. Conference packages are travel inclusive, making the journey from London painless. Work done, delegates can opt for a drink in the Drawing Room and Library, or dinner in the venue’s fine dining restaurant.
Venue review of Laura Ashley The Manor

It’s the views that make this venue special: there isn’t a roof terrace in London with a better vista of St Paul’s – a panorama that also includes the Oxo Tower and London Eye. Inside, the contemporary monochrome decor feels right for business lunches. From the kitchen, guests can enjoy American-style hot dogs and crab cakes, while the bar turns out classic cocktails till late. If the weather changes, heaters and parasols help keep the three outdoor terraces pleasant.

For more than 20 years, Le Pont de la Tour has been serving up its classic French cuisine and front-row Thames views. The interior is inspired by a ship’s dining room, while a covered terrace is perfect for alfresco entertaining. Seafood is a strong point – the fruits de mer platter is a highlight. A wine cellar is used for group tastings hosted by the head sommelier. A glass wall separates it and Salon Privé, an atmospheric private dining space with over 300 bottles on show.

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The Butler’s Wharf restaurant has partnered with Thames Limo to offer groups the chance to add a trip down the Thames to their dinner plans. Up to eight people can be accommodated, with prices starting at £700 per hour.

The refurbished Savoy Place offers increased capacity and cutting-edge tech. We like the idea of the Kelvin Lecture Theatre – with its original mahogany panelling – 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.

Venue review of Maxwell Library @ IET London Savoy Place

Venue review of Roof Terrace & Riverside Room @ IET London Savoy Place 

- It might be best known for its 150-plus arcade games, but Namco Funscape also offers its bowling lanes for private hire. The venue, ideally located on the South Bank within County Hall, is a great spot for Christmas parties, launches and teambuilding events alike. For private parties of up to 500 the Subscape area offers six bowling lanes, a DJ and dancefloor, private bar, access to the American-style pool hall, the Namoke karaoke and unlimited use of the video games. The alley area itself, bathed in ultra-violet light, has non-slip floors, so there’s no need to don a pair of unattractive bowling shoes. There is also the option to purchase tokens for Europe’s fastest bumper cars.

One of the capital’s swisher neighbourhood restaurants, Kensington’s newly relaunched Launceston Place has two contemporary dining rooms complete with big fireplaces and work by emerging artists. The bold, modern menu offers occasion dining alongside hearty dishes, complemented by an attractive wine list. For groups, we like the Chef’s Office experience, which has guests being served by the chefs themselves in the 12-seat private dining room.

This bastion of British produce is popular with City folk who pop over the river for superior steaks and rotisserie-style cooking. Interiors are smart but cosy, and guests can enjoy views over Tower Bridge. Four semi-private dining areas allow groups to take in the atmosphere of the main space. Exclusive events can be held in the bar and grill. In summer, receptions can also spill out onto the riverside terrace. A dedicated events coordinator ensures smooth running.

In the centre of the City, the newly refurbed Anthologist bar is a natural choice for post-work drinks and dinners. But it also doubles as a popular spot for breakfast meetings, conferences and teambuilding activities such as cocktail masterclasses. The 1950s-inspired private dining room has its own kitchen that can be transformed into a bar, while the mezzanine is a great spot for drinks receptions. Menus span mezze boards to steaks and Asian-style salads.

This Grade II-listed Georgian townhouse in Marylebone features interiors designed by neoclassical architects Robert and James Adam, with pretty signature touches such as filigree plasterwork and inset classical paintings. The three Fine Rooms, Hutchison Room and Library make elegant, Regency-style settings for dinners, conferences and receptions. Elsewhere, the more modern Gallery has been designed as an exhibition space and can be hired separately.