Cinemas and screening rooms

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.

One of the biggest openings in Shoreditch for a while, The Curtain comes with a private members club, four restaurants and a rooftop pool. True to its hipster environs, the post-industrial space features exposed brick walls, wooden floors and factory windows. We’re particularly impressed with the diversity of its spaces, which include a ballroom, screening room and live performance room. There’s also knockout Southern soul food from ground-floor restaurant Red Rooster.

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.

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. 

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.

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.

With artefacts and artwork from its illustrious history, the UK Chamber of Shipping’s modern home has plenty of character and individuality. Located on Bankside, this multi-room venue is full of natural light and suits business events of most types. Removable walls make rooms 1, 2 and 3 flexible for meetings, and they can host 100 guests if taken as a single entity. The UK Chamber itself is the largest function room, and its bright, airy space works well for networking and receptions. The Boardroom has floor-to-ceiling windows and plenty of room for meetings. Food is provided by a local supplier on request.

Described by Damien Hirst as the ‘cultural heartbeat of London’, the Institute of Contemporary Arts is a modern creative hub close to Trafalgar Square. The Regency-style Nash and Brandon Rooms are elegant spaces for product launches, receptions and dinners, giving prime views of Big Ben and The Mall. Elsewhere, conference needs are met in either of its two top-spec cinemas. For a blank-canvas space, check out the venue’s theatre.

If your group numbers 70 people or less then this Curzon cinema in the Victoria business district has plenty of options for screenings, presentations, networking and conferences. Most of its spaces have plush Pullman-style seating, while Screen 2 has a 3D projector. There’s also a mezzanine reception area and a further private room for meetings, breakout sessions, drinks receptions and standalone parties. The lounge bar has a late licence.

Curzon Mayfair is regularly used for film premieres, but it’s far more than a hub for screenings: this 1930s Grade II-listed cinema also lends itself to galas, Q&A sessions, conferences and presentations. No question, this is a classy cinema: the largest of its screening rooms has two royal boxes for eight VIPs, and there is a stylish bar for refreshments. Curfew is at midnight, but the cinema’s central Mayfair location offers a wealth of nearby bars and restaurants.

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.

This popular attraction has been hosting events on Baker Street since 1884 – it once had Queen Victoria over for tea. Today, guests are treated to a red carpet arrival before heading into one of the venue’s three immersive areas to mingle among more than 300 wax figures of monarchs and celebrities. Our pick for parties is the World Stage Ballroom, with its large stage and screen, which is presided over by Barack Obama, Adele and Boris Johnson.

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.

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.

Following a refurbishment at the end of 2012, Soho House Group’s historic Electric Cinema on Portobello Road is back to its handsome best and open for exclusive hire on weekdays. Interiors at the landmark 102-year-old picture palace feature chandeliers, red leather armchairs, studded footstools and cashmere blankets, as well as a private bar. Food service is available before and after screenings (check out the cool retro sweet shop). Sound and projection facilities are now bang up to date, with HD and 3D capability for screenings, and computerised lighting and wireless mics for conferences, product launches and presentations. The DDR is reasonable too: £60 per head for groups of 40+.

The size and character of this Greenwich venue, along with its fascinating range of artefacts, make it ideal for large, upmarket events. The Upper Deck, a dramatic gallery in the glass-roofed Neptune Court, is made for gala dinners and awards ceremonies. Elsewhere, the Sammy Ofer Wing works well for standing receptions, allowing guests to enjoy the surrounding exhibition areas. The AV-ready Leopold Muller Lecture Theatre is the spot for conferences.

This popular central London venue occupies a distinctive mid-century modernist building, with event spaces that range from small, hi-tech meeting rooms to the striking 1950s Congress Hall. The latter offers a sprung-wood floor and glass ceiling, which fills the room with natural light. Besides conferences and exhibitions, it’s a good fit for product launches, awards dinners and fashion shows. Excellent AV facilities include HD 3D projection.

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.

Set in prestigious Portland Place in Marylebone, conveniently near Oxford Circus, The Academy of Medical Sciences occupies a picture-perfect Georgian townhouse built in 1773. Its conference and meeting facilities are spread across three floors that still look fresh following a £5m revamp in 2010. Function rooms include a purpose-built 70-capacity conference suite and a collection of smaller spaces that can be combined to host receptions for 225. Interiors are elegant and bright throughout, while a terrace is available for summer drinks receptions and break-outs. Catering, based on menus that mix traditional and contemporary dishes, is in the safe hands of Harbour and Jones.

Just off the Strand, the stylish Georgian home of the Royal Society of Arts is a highly versatile venue. Its Great Room – think domed-glass ceiling and period paintings – has movable seating that enables it to host events ranging from conferences to gala dinners. The striking and spacious Vaults can also be used for drinks receptions, meetings and dinners. In total, the venue has 11 spaces to choose from, and all come with the latest AV kit. It's also worth noting that the venue has a new coffee shop, Rawthmells that's ideal for casual business meetings.

The Invision Suites are a self-contained collection of hi-tech meeting rooms within the Congress Centre. All benefit from natural light, and the main conference room features a built-in projection and touch-panel control system to operate the AV, lighting and blackout blinds. Two of the rooms (Invision 1 & 2) combine to form a larger space, while a dedicated reception area and breakout rooms mean multistage events are painless.

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.

Part of a stylish new development in east London’s Goodmans Fields, Curzon’s four-screen art house venue offers a varied programme, from Hollywood productions to independent world cinema – all of which can be arranged for private group screenings. Each screening room has reclining seats, and three have their own bar. Screens 1 and 2 are also set up with the necessary tech for conferences, as well as a sizeable foyer area which can be used as breakout space.

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.

Clean lines and a muted palette define The Bulgari’s contemporary approach to luxury. Event bookers should look first to the subterranean Ballroom. Here, two solid-silver chandeliers dominate a room that imparts Italian flair to anything from conferences through to charity balls. Elsewhere, the cinema offers 4K-quality projection and tiered seating. Private dining is hosted by Alain Ducasse’s Rivea London, the hotel’s French and Italian restaurant.

Part of the London Executive Offices portfolio, 85 Gresham Street is a hi-spec office building within walking distance of Bank and Moorgate stations. Aside from its long-term office lets, there is a range of meeting rooms and event spaces on offer. On the lower ground floor, you’ll find a boardroom and four meeting rooms, which can be opened up for larger receptions. DDRs begin at £65pp; half-day packages start from £45pp. Both rates include room rental, water, three rounds of coffee, tea and biscuits, and a buffet lunch. There’s also a bar which is available for cocktail events for up to 40 guests.

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.

Part of the Brunswick Centre, Curzon Bloomsbury is influenced by the materials and style of post-war modernism, as well as films by Tarkovsky and Greenaway. The minimalist cinema’s four screening rooms are each equipped with Sony 4K projectors, while the Renoir screen features a Dolby Atmos sound system – only the second venue in London to do so. This makes the cinema a popular choice for film screenings, galas and high-end presentations.

The events appeal of the Science Museum is obvious. Where else can you dine next to the Apollo 10 command module or mingle under the first plane to cross the Atlantic? Daytime conferences are well catered for in the Imax Theatre. For evening events, we like the Exploring Space gallery with its rockets, satellites and landers. Recent additions include Mathematics: The Winton Gallery and Wonderlab: The Equinor Gallery – both bookable for events and private views.

This Grade II*-listed building features a formidable portfolio of event spaces. Its 24 meeting rooms all benefit from natural light and range in style from traditional to contemporary. The auditorium benefits from the latest 3D projection technology, while the two State Rooms on the fifth floor give access to the Rooftop Terrace, with views across London. With Searcys leading the catering, you can expect high-quality food and service.

With a screen that’s taller than four double-decker buses, the Science Museum’s in-house Imax Theatre is a high-impact venue for conferences, screenings and awards ceremonies. Tiered seating gives each guest an unobstructed view of the screen, while the state-of-the-art surround sound and lighting system will ensure your message is delivered loud and clear. Guests can also combine a screening with a reception or dinner in one of the museum’s galleries.

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.

Between Grosvenor Square and New Bond Street – opposite Claridge’s no less – 53 Davies Street is a Grade I-listed building with all of the wood panelling and original 18th century features you’d expect in such an exclusive enclave. Among the serviced offices inside, there are three well-presented meeting rooms which can host between four and 16 delegates boardroom style, a customer lounge and video-conferencing facilities. There’s also a private garden with space for alfresco meetings on the patio. DDRs are from £65pp; half-day packages start at £45pp. Both include room rental, three rounds of coffee, tea and biscuits, and a buffet lunch.

This centre for creative education on the Greenwich Peninsula is well set up for events thanks to a wide range of spaces. The largest is the Walker Space, best for conferences, receptions and banquets. The flexible Big Space suits more exclusive occasions, while Level 6 can be used exclusively, or split into seven smaller spaces. Other rooms set up with hi-spec AV can handle board meetings. In-house catering is available and mobile bar facilities can also be arranged.

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.

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.

This landmark cultural centre comprises the Royal Festival Hall, Queen Elizabeth Hall and Hayward Gallery. While the latter two are being refurbished (they are set to reopen early this year), the Festival Hall is open for business and makes an impressive space for big conferences and product launches. St Paul’s Roof Pavilion on the sixth floor is good for smaller groups, while the Weston Roof Pavilion suits relaxed business gatherings with striking views.

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.

In tranquil Dean’s Yard, next to Westminster Abbey, this Grade II-listed building was a stand-in base for the House of Lords during WWII. Today, it offers a wide range of event spaces, blending original character (oak panelling, raw stone, feature windows) with advanced technology – its upgraded Assembly Hall features a 4K projection system. That sense of occasion required for awards ceremonies and gala dinners is found here in abundance.

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.

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.

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.