London venues with outside event space

We are sorry to say that this venue is no longer available for events. For any enquiries, contact the venue.

45 Millbank is a Grade II-listed former officer’s mess in Westminster, where up to 200 guests can enjoy the splendour of three restored Edwardian interiors. With views across the Thames, the Banqueting Hall is an elegant high-ceilinged space that is suited to formal entertaining and can be used with the adjoining Red Room, which shares the same period style. More contemporary is the intimate Green Room. The venue also offers three outdoor areas: the Ornamental Garden, the Henry Moore Courtyard and the 1,000-capacity Rootstein Hopkins Parade Ground (see separate review), which is surrounded on three sides by acclaimed neo-Baroque architecture.

Venue review of Rootstein Hopkins Parade Ground

Weddings at 45 Millbank

Christmas at 45 Millbank

One of the ancient Inns of Court, Middle Temple stands apart for its unspoilt main Hall, featuring 16th-century heraldic panels, stained-glass windows and a splendid hammer-beam roof. The cosier Prince’s Room comes with an original fireplace and oak-clad walls, while the Queen’s Room has generous garden views (its lawns make a fine spot for summer drinks). Board-level meetings work well within the stained-glass confines of the Parliament Chamber.

Venue review of Middle Temple Garden

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.

Refurbished and extended, this Grade II-listed post-war livery hall mixes historic architecture with state-of-the-art facilities. It’s an impressive venue for conferences, receptions and award ceremonies. The Main Hall is a beautifully panelled space; the overlooking Dining Room can be used separately or in conjunction with the hall; and the Court Room is a stylish reception and meeting option. The stylish garden also provides an alfresco entertaining area.

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.

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.

Teambuilding at Warner Bros Studio Tour London The Making of Harry Potter

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.

Venue review of IET Venues

Venue review of IET London Savoy Place

Venue review of Maxwell Library @ IET London Savoy Place

Four Weddings and a Funeral, The Madness of King George and The Avengers all used the beautiful Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich as a backdrop. On the site of the birthplace of Henry VIII and Elizabeth I, the college contains many remarkable areas for entertaining, including the Painted Hall with its stunning baroque ceiling, the atmospheric Undercroft and the Upper Hall, which is a great platform for presentations and speeches. The former Quarters of the Admiral President is an elegant, stand-alone Georgian building with views over the river. Other facilities include a skittles alley, a private pier and spacious grounds that can accommodate large marquees.

Venue review of Weddings at Old Royal Naval College

Venue review of Admiral's House

Venue review of Weddings at Admiral's House

With smart interiors of light wood, exposed brick and glass, the Orangery is the most striking event space at multipurpose venue No.11 Cavendish Square. Full of light by day – thanks to its glass roof – and beautifully lit at night, the space hosts events ranging from lunches and dinners to receptions and networking. Summer events can spill out into the tranquil courtyard garden, which has a living wall and an attractive water feature.

Venue review of No.11 Cavendish Square

Venue review of Summer parties at No.11 Cavendish Square

Venue review of The Green House at No.11 Cavendish Square

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.

This famous City-based museum can handle anything from Christmas dinners to AGMs. Presentations and screenings are best held in the tiered Weston Room, but if you’re planning a soirée, look first to the Entrance Hall. A drinks reception should work nicely around its futuristic bar before guests move through to the large Sackler Hall, with its 360° digital screen. For summer parties, the Terrace Rooms have direct access to the Rotunda Gardens.

Latest news

Organise a spring event in the Entrance Hall and Sackler Hall, and guests will also get the chance to enjoy free access to the temporary display dedicated to the 100th Anniversary of Votes for Women. Minimum numbers apply. 

Venue review of Museum of London Docklands

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.

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.

Venue review on 10-11 Carlton House Terrace

The home of the Royal Society for Public Health was built in 1775 to neoclassical townhouse designs by the celebrated Adam brothers. Today, its rooms are still true to the original blueprint. The ground-floor Sainsbury and Adam rooms comprise the Adam Suite, which looks onto the secluded Courtyard. A level above, the Harben and Heggie rooms are connected by a gold doorway. Take them together as the Harben Suite and you have a grand space for receptions or meetings.

Not to be confused with the home of Surrey County Cricket Club, this hip east London venue welcomes a spectrum of events, from conferences to raves – and brands love it as a spot to launch products. Located in buzzing Bethnal Green, the hangar-style space affords bookers 6,000sq ft to play with, so you’ll comfortably have room for up to 1,000 people for a standing event or 500 seated. Those with a specific decorative theme in mind will particularly enjoy its blank-canvas aesthetic. There’s also the smaller Shutter Space – with room for 80 seated guests – and a terrace, which will hold up to 150 guests for an outdoor cocktail reception.

Christmas at Oval Space

Set within two Victorian railway arches beneath Blackfriars bridge, Sama Bankside is a vibrant new restaurant, bar and events space. Spanning 550sq m and set over two floors, the industrial-looking venue (with plenty of exposed brick and a polished concrete floor) bills itself as ‘a members club without the membership’, but can also host meetings, dinners, product launches and workshops. Our pick of the spaces is the colourful glass-fronted private room.

Tucked away through the back of a large 1930s apartment building on Sloane Avenue, Barts is a one-room speakeasy bar with Prohibition era music on the sound system, eclectic cocktails on the menu and a fancy dress box. Open for exclusive hire, with capacity for 80 guests, tables and sections can be booked in early evening and late-night slots within its regular opening hours. In the summer, the venue’s Cuban garden is a popular spill-out space. Caterer Sushi des Artistes offers light bites and appetisers, and a more substantial spread is easily arranged. Make sure your guests know where they’re headed as, in true speakeasy style, its location is a well-kept secret.

Well patronised by the denizens of Hampstead Heath, this award-winning local deserves its reputation for great food and a warm welcome. Now The Wells has decided to make the most of another of its virtues with the launch of an event planning service for its function space. Across a trio of upstairs rooms in the classic Georgian building, the venue can accommodate a maximum of 24 for dinner, serviced by the much-lauded kitchen. As well as being able to select upmarket comfort food such as confit duck leg and chateaubriand from the pub’s menu, sandwiches and pastries can be ordered from nearby Gail’s Bakery. AV equipment, flipcharts and Wi-Fi can be arranged.

The Wells' Restaurant Review

Up the road from the very home of rugby in Twickenham, there is an old ground waiting to be transformed into a venue for parties, conferences, seminars or teambuilding days. On the outskirts of London, but buffered by 25 acres of more rural land, Richmond Athletic Ground boasts a cantilevered grandstand and a Grade II-listed pavilion, while the old-school changing rooms and rugby-club bars are testimonies to its history. The latter include the Members Bar, which can accommodate 750 if joined by a marquee, and the Sports Bar, which can take 225. The Old Pavilion Board Room is the place for a more intimate meal, seating up to 20.

Christmas at Richmond Athletic Association

Hospitality at Richmond Athletic Association

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.

Found in a former warehouse in Devonshire Square, Cinnamon Kitchen is a landmark for Indian food in London. It offers plenty of space for events, including a covered outside terrace. Its PDR has a window that opens onto the main kitchen, along with AV facilities for meetings. In its bar, Anise, groups can enjoy small-plate dishes and cocktails in open booths. The restaurant team, under Vivek Singh, has won the SquareMeal Canapé Cup many times.

Venue review of Anise

Venue review of Cinnamon Kitchen Battersea

Venue review of Cinnamon Kitchen Oxford

Venue review of Cinnamon Bazaar

Venue review of Cinnamon Club

Information on Cocktail masterclasses at Cinnamon Club

Information on Cookery Masterclasses at Cinnamon Kitchen

The 400-year-old Queen’s House sits pretty in the middle of Greenwich’s National Maritime Museum’s grounds. We love the Great Hall (whose dimensions form a perfect 40ft cube) with its gold-leaf ceiling artwork by Turner Prize-winning Richard Wright. For more intimate events, consider the striking Orangery & South Parlours. After-dinner entertainment might be hosted in the Undercroft, while guests can spill out onto the lawns in good weather.

Venue review of Cutty Sark

Venue review of National Maritime Museum

Venue review of The Royal Observatory

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.

Venue review of Hampton Court Palace

Venue review of Kensington Palace

Venue review of Kew Palace

Venue review of The Tower of London

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.

New for 2018, this pop-up ‘urban beach’ will be brought to Brick Lane by Awesome Events for June and July, hosting festival-feel summer parties. Barefoot guests will feel the sand between their toes while tucking into superior street food and craft beers from a variety of themed stands. The silent disco and beach games should keep everyone entertained, while VIP beach huts will please the big wigs. Its top Surf’s Up package also includes fun fair stalls and fire performers.

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.

Information on Party Ingredients

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.

Venue review of Rotunda Restaurant

Tucked away in a garden square off London Wall, the red-brick Barber-Surgeons’ Hall occupies one of the City’s prettiest locations. Its centrepiece is the wood-panelled Great Hall, a bright space with elaborate ceilings and huge windows. The Reception Room, Court Room and Charter Rooms are just as well turned out and show off artefacts from the livery company’s long history. A terrace overlooks peaceful grounds and a medicinal garden.

Information on Party Ingredients

No.11 Cavendish Square occupies an elegant Grade II-listed Georgian townhouse with four floors of event space. The ground-floor Green House offers a verdant spot with a central champagne bar and AV kit for meetings. The venue’s standout space, though, is the light and modern Orangery, which is flanked by a tranquil courtyard garden. The hi-tech Burdett Theatre is the spot for important presentations.

Venue review of Summer parties at No.11 Cavendish Square

Venue review of The Green House at No.11 Cavendish Square

Venue review of The Orangery & Courtyard at No.11 Cavendish Square

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.

Fans of Love Actually may recognise this riverside venue from the 2013 rom-com, but when it isn’t appearing in blockbuster films, Westminster Boating Base acts as a memorable events venue. Set in Pimlico Gardens, the riverside space comes with unobstructed views of the Thames through its floor-to-ceiling windows. Standout rooms include the Pavilion, which extends over the river, and the Edgson Room which comes with a full-length covered balcony. Organisers also have free rein when it comes to theming.

The event spaces at the boutique Bingham make the most of the hotel’s delightful location on the banks of the Thames. From the trio of interconnecting Garden Rooms, a glazed corridor leads through to a terrace with landscaped gardens and the river just beyond. Accessed via a private entrance, the spaces can be joined or separated by soundproof doors, accommodating board meetings just as readily as conferences and weddings (the Bingham has a civil licence). The rooms are bright and elegant with a private bar, large windows and French doors that lead onto the terrace, which is covered and heated in winter. Top-of-the-range technology includes plasma screens and intelligent lighting systems. Food is another highlight – the restaurant has a whole host of awards to its name – including energy-boosting lunches to keep delegates focused. A collection of 15 stylish bedrooms caters for overnighters.

Christmas at Bingham

Weddings at Bingham

Designed by Soho House Group, The Apartment at The Hoxton hotel is an event space with the look and feel of a flat – complete with Pantry Kitchen, Library, Living Room, Study, Dining Room and Play Room. By day, its multi-use rooms can all host meetings, supported by free wi-fi, huge Samsung screens and break-out space in the kitchen area, where delegates are invited to ‘raid the larder’. At night, organisers can either book individual spaces or take the whole place exclusively and, while the homely interiors create a relaxed backdrop for all sorts of events (private dining with food from next-door Hoxton Grill is a strong suit) the most obvious theme here is the good old-fashioned house party. Summer events can spill out into the 80-capacity garden.

Weddings at Soho House Group venues

Built in the 14th century to keep the Welsh out of England, Berkeley Castle now opens its doors to all. Still lived in by its eponymous family, it was recently used by the BBC as a location for Wolf Hall, and makes a monumental setting for weddings and other private events. Chandeliers and illustrated stained-glass windows give the Great Hall the majesty its name demands. The Long and Small Drawing Rooms have statement mirrors and gilt furniture. The building itself is surrounded by eight acres of land, including bloom-filled Elizabethan terraces that are quite the spot for summertime drinks receptions.

Bloomsbury’s Grade II-listed De Morgan House is home to the London Mathematical Society. This year saw the addition of the Cartwright Boardroom and the Rayleigh Room. The former overlooks Russell Square, while both benefit from period features and state-of-the-art AV. Other rooms work well for away days, press conferences, and receptions. The latest AV kit and wi-fi can be found throughout, and food is by green-leaning Eden Caterers. Not-for-profit organisations can get a 20% discount on room hire.

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.

Those looking for a venue with an air of well-heeled Britishness might look to this hotel and members club in SW1. Behind its handsome Victorian façade lie a handful of well-appointed spaces, all with modern decorative touches. Intimate private dinners in its penthouse suite are popular, particularly as guests can make use of its sizeable terrace both before and after dining. The headline Mayfair Suite is the spot for small conferences or standing receptions.

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.

One of the big openings of 2017, this South Bank venue at the top of the Sea Containers building turned heads with its 2,300sq m of event space and killer river views. The Cucumber restaurant is the standout space, but the private dining room – with its balcony and sight line to St Paul’s Cathedral – is particularly popular. Those cityscape views get even better on the roof terrace. Catering is by Green & Fortune: expect seasonal and locally sourced food.

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.

Latest news

Book a daytime event on a DDR, and the afternoon tea and coffee service will be upgraded to include Easter cupcakes. Valid from 15 March to 13 April 2018.

Venue review of Museum of London

Kensington Gardens is home to two of our favourite modern art galleries: the Serpentine Gallery and the more recent Serpentine Sackler Gallery. Together, the spaces combine the sense of occasion of a listed building with the coolness of a contemporary art space. The former will host private dinners, while both make formidable spaces for drinks receptions. Come summer, the temporary pavilion is a striking one-off space for standing soirées.

One of Drake & Morgan’s earliest sites, three-floor Holborn bar The Fable is inspired by the world of fairy tales and Aesop’s fables – decorative touches such as vintage typewriters and old books set the scene. Aesop’s Table can host smaller groups for board meetings and private dinners: menus focus on locally sourced British dishes. Cocktails can be recreated by corporate groups at one of the bar’s mixology masterclasses. Exclusive use is an option.

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.

Latest news

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 

Home to the Rector of Imperial College London, this Grade II-listed Victorian townhouse in Kensington’s museum quarter serves up elegant backdrops for a range of events, from conferences, photo shoots and receptions to dinners. Flexible facilities can hold up to 90 guests but small groups won’t rattle around either. The Council Room, with its sparkling chandelier, restored period furnishings and historic paintings, provides a grand setting for conferences but is also popular for weddings. Smaller meetings can be held in the Drawing Room, while the cosy Solar Room has views of the courtyard garden, itself a lovely spot for summer parties

Venue review of Imperial College London

Information on Christmas at Imperial College London

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.

In the middle of the Thames, between Surbiton, Kingston and Hampton Court, the island of Raven’s Ait offers the convenience of a London location with the tranquillity of the countryside. Weddings, Christmas parties and other special occasions can all be catered for, and there’s a launch to bring you and your party to this private island. There are meeting spaces for groups ranging from 20 to 400. With the Thames at the end of the garden, you can break out into activities like boat racing at any stage. When it’s time to eat, bookers can take advantage of the 320-capacity Marquee, or the three smaller spaces for groups of 12 to 150.

This multi-faceted venue occupies a Grade II-listed East India Company warehouse, housing four distinct bars and restaurants. The New Street Grill is split into two main areas and its plush interiors extend to the private dining room. The Fish Market is less formal: a seaside-inspired space with a terrace. Events can also be held in the venue’s handsome New Street Wine and its Old Bengal Bar, which has a walled courtyard and big focus on cocktails.

Latest news

As part of D&D London’s #BlossomCity initiative this summer, Old Bengal Bar is launching a Jungle Book Terrace. Expect themed cocktails and jungle decor.

Perched on the roof of No 1 Poultry, Coq d’Argent boasts impressive views towards St Paul’s and the Bank of England. Guests step out of the lift into the venue’s standout space: a rooftop garden designed by Arabella Lennox-Boyd. This is a splendid spot for a champagne picnic when the sun is shining. A bar and terrace can be hired for drinks, dinner and canapé parties, while the inside space can be booked exclusively for breakfast meetings and other business events.