Summer party venues

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 1920s home of the London Cabaret Club is well set up for large-scale private events. Cars can pull right up to the Grade II-listed building and Holborn tube is close by. The main Ballroom has a built-in stage beneath tall ceilings and art-deco windows, and AV is included (six large screens and projectors). The adjacent Rose Room can stand alone with its own large bar, while the Long Bar is much as it sounds, and a useful breakout space or green room.

This 2018 new opening captures all of the most enduring modern event trends under one rectangular roof. Divided into zones, rather than rooms, Camden House is an airy, daylight-flooded, easy-access blank canvas. Even the venue’s central bar subdivides, giving its largest sub-space a private bar to go with its private entrance. That said, Zone 3’s biggest feature is probably its retractable roof. In all three zones, bi-folding walls and doors soundproof smaller events. For celebrations, the 2:30am licence is worth noting.

Located at Westfield London, this gigantic venue is brought to us by the people behind ping-pong hangouts Bounce. Puttshack is set to focus on another group sport, though: mini golf. This time they’ve added a new element to the crazy golf experience by making it digital: all balls will use Trackaball technology to keep tabs on each player’s putts, while a computer will keep track of the scores. Exclusive use is an option.

Specially built for the London 2012 Olympic Games, this white-water slalom centre is a no-brainer when it comes to orgaising action-packed away days. But the venue is also keen to impress that you can combine paddles with pens by hiring one of its meeting spaces for half of the day. Offering a private terrace and floor-to-ceiling windows with views out over the white-water course, these suites can be combined for theatre-style presentations.

Permanently moored at Temple Pier, The Yacht London is a characterful 1927 steam vessel available for hospitality bookings. A 3am license 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.

Occupying an old art deco theatre in Stratford, this three-storey trampoline park specialises in offbeat teambuilding activities. Breakfast and lunch meetings can be hosted at the Old Town Bistro and post-activity drinks in the SkyBar. Bookers can hire the whole venue or individual floors. If you want to keep the team out after hours head to its sister venue, The Curious Fox, which serves punchy cocktails and has a late license. From April to September, it's also possible to host events in the 360-capacity outdoor bar and street food venue across the road, Pitch Stratford.

This mini-golf specialist has courses in three London parks. Next door to Go Ape, its Battersea branch is well set up for exclusive-use events. Food comes from a wood-fired pizza oven, drinks from a well-stocked long bar, and there are hardwood floors for dancing. A large outdoor area is heated and the 18-hole, all-weather course itself raises some eye-catching challenges for all levels of player. Watch out, in particular, for some turbulent water hazards.

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.

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 Wallace Collection stands tall as both a national museum and one of London’s most prestigious townhouse venues. With its world-class collection of old masters, the Great Gallery makes an indelible impression for dinners and receptions, while the leafy, glazed Courtyard is a lovely setting for drinks, seated dinners or awards ceremonies. For more intimate gatherings, there is a suite of elegant drawing rooms and a selection of smaller dining spaces.

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.

One of the legacy venues from the London 2012 Olympics, Lee Valley Velopark was where Team GB took seven gold medals to dominate the track cycling. Today, that legacy is instilled in its event spaces, which include Track Centre, a memorable spot for exhibitions and conferences, and the Concourse Pods which overlook the track. Elsewhere, bookers can choose from a string of meeting rooms and suites, most of which look out over the outdoor road cycling circuit.

Each of the Tower of London’s function rooms has its own story: the White Tower houses the armour of Henry VIII, while the Medieval Palace makes a great summer party space. The Martin Tower, which used to be home to the Crown Jewels, is available for intimate dinners, and New Armouries: Banqueting Suite is your best bet for conferences. A private view of the Crown Jewels or a Yeoman Warder tour are popular add-ons.

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.

The third of Putt in the Park’s three London venues, this mini-golf course in Acton Park closely follows the group’s successful template. Next to 18 carefully designed holes, there’s a standalone clubhouse serving pizzas from a wood-fired oven and well-turned drinks from a long bar. Hardwood floors make for easy dancing and there’s a heated outdoor area to rest up in. Exclusive-hire packages mean groups get the run of the whole place.

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.

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.

This pop-up party space in Stratford offers street food stalls, an open-air bar and a giant outdoor cinema screen. Launched in 2017 the trendy seasonal space is open April to September and is available for private hire. Teambuilding activities can be arranged at its sister venue, ZAPspace Trampoline Park, which is conveniently next door. The nearby Curious Fox bar is also part of the same company and benefits from a late license.

Within White City’s landmark Westfield shopping centre, Kidzania London is a children’s mini-city that invites adults to play too. Groups can take on over 60 role-play activities such as fighting crime with the police. These can be added onto events in the city’s diverse range of spaces, which are also offered for dry hire. The Main Square works as well for a conference as it does a street-food party, while the Theatre has stalls, circle seating and a full stage.

Sitting on the roof of the National Theatre, The Deck has been recently refurbished in time for 2018 summer events. The new space is wrapped in glazed panels, which means panoramic views of London can be enjoyed both inside and out on the terrace. State-of-the-art AV from the theatre’s Sound and Lighting departments means that conferences, away days and product launches will go without a hitch, while an in-house catering team looks after dinners and receptions.

This listed Victorian building (London’s first purpose-built gymnasium) is D&D London’s best-looking venue. The ground-floor Grand Café is a softly lit art-deco affair, with light marble floors. At either side of the space, staircases lead to a more formal mezzanine restaurant with its own entrance which can be hired exclusively. Smaller groups can hire the semi-private space on the same level. The middle-European influenced food wins plenty of plaudits.

With nearly 3,000sq m of space to play with on a campus of nearly an acre, this industrial-feel venue has nine large, contemporary rooms leading off from a central courtyard and restaurant. All spaces have high ceilings and provide a blank canvas for a range of events, from themed parties to teambuilding. Conferencing clients include Rolls-Royce, Google and Yves Saint Laurent. The space is used for shoots, so lighting, stage and AV are easily arranged.

Stamford Bridge sports a long lineup of contemporary facilities for hosting groups. Look first to the newly refurbished (late 2017) West Stand, with its myriad modern event spaces and teambuilding options. The all-new 1905 Club, which replaces Marco Grill, is already proving popular for meetings and dinners on non-match days. Elsewhere, we’re fans of Under the Bridge, a state-of-the-art music venue used for award ceremonies and dinners.

Moored near Temple tube, HQS Wellington offers a memorable backdrop for events. Her prime Thames location gives visitors excellent views of the South Bank, London Eye and river traffic. Its spaces include the wood-paneled Court Room, accessed via an ornate teak staircase; the Model Room, with its collection of antique miniature ships; and the exterior Quarter Deck, which has 180° views. Catering comes courtesy of The Cook & The Butler.

This cool indoor-outdoor corner of Bankside is a shoe-in for lively summer events, with a choice of 11 catering options from the on-site restaurants based in the site’s characterful railway arches. Live entertainment can be hired in for either the outdoor stage, in front of a covered terrace area, or the permanent indoor venue Omeara. The site has also proven popular with winter events, particularly at the ski lodge, which can be hired exclusively.

A warehouse club that hosts all-night dance parties, Egg London handles less frenetic corporate affairs with aplomb. It’s a versatile venue for launches, networking events and themed parties. Cell 200 is suitably self-contained, while The Terrace dancefloor room has a new sound system, dedicated conference facilities and access to an outdoor space. A basement dancefloor room suits fashion shows, and look out too for the Main Room, set to open in May.

Sir Christopher Wren’s Royal Hospital Chelsea offers a fine range of event spaces. While the Chelsea pensioners still live within, the listed buildings now house some superior indoor function rooms. Little has changed over three centuries: the striking oak-panelled Great Hall remains a stately setting for banquets. With Old Master paintings on the walls and Thames views, the State Apartments and Wren House make elegant spaces for smaller occasions.

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.

Tucked away in a six-acre garden close to the City, the Honourable Artillery Company is a hidden gem. On the north side of its lawns sits 18th-century Armoury House, where the standout space is the oak-panelled Long Room with its minstrels’ gallery. Elsewhere, there’s the more contemporary Prince Consort Rooms, which our own marketing team booked for a recent SquareMeal Tasting event. The garden can be hired for summer events.

In Hackney Wick, a 114-year-old cargo boat has become a one-of-a-kind bar, restaurant and venue. Barge East itself was sailed over from the Netherlands, but everything onboard is locally sourced, from the seasonal small plates to the craft beer and espresso martinis. Small groups can enjoy all of these in the Captain’s Cabin. For bigger groups, exclusive use means you can spread across the cosy lower deck and covered top deck, and even out into an amphitheatre on the bank.

Opened in April 2018, All Star Lanes White City has already starred in A Question of Sport. Designed with art-deco Miami in mind, the venue’s Babylon 305 private room is a lavish setting for events. As well as a couple of lanes and a cocktail bar (with mixologist), it’s got two karaoke booths, a Nintendo Wii and an up-to-the-minute projector and big screen. Canapés can be delivered and, if all of that’s a bit overwhelming, personal party planners are available.

The UK’s tallest sculpture is home to the world’s longest tunnel slide. Book one of the ArcelorMittal Orbit’s two sky-high event spaces, or its canopy-protected outdoor space, and you can add on the ride of a lifetime for each and every guest. With panoramic city views and a late licence, this is a special venue for business breakfasts through to evening drinks receptions and gala dinners – whatever your group’s mode of departure.

Dating from 1670, Skinners’ Hall is home to one of the City’s ‘Great 12’ livery companies, combining stately halls, elegant chambers and homely rooms. Guests enter across a paved courtyard before heading, perhaps, to the Great Hall for a banquet, the Old Court Room for a private dinner or the handsome Court Room for a board meeting. The Roof Garden, with its elegant fountain, suits summer entertaining, while the Outer Hall’s roaring fire makes it a fine choice in winter.

The Devonshire Club is a Mayfair-style members club in EC2. Spread across a Georgian townhouse and 18th-century warehouse, it comprises a boutique hotel, a modern British restaurant and a Garden Room that opens onto a rare outdoor space in the City. For entertaining, there’s also a glamorous Cocktail Bar and the weekend-only Library Bar, which focuses in on cognac and whisky. For the serious stuff, there’s a trio of smart boardrooms.

Italian restaurant group Strada made its name serving fresh pasta and authentically thin and crispy pizzas at a time when they were rarely seen on the British high street. Today, its menus are familiar, but their comforting impact is the same. At the recently refreshed South Bank branch, groups can choose between the main dining room, an outdoor terrace and Foyles, a private area named for the famous bookshop next door.

Once home to the BBC World Service, this Grade II-listed King’s College London property in Aldwych has been refurbished to offer a versatile selection of event facilities. The Auditorium is where large-scale presentations and product launches are best delivered, while its Arcade handles the pre and post drinks. For private dinners, we like the eighth-floor hospitality suite, which has north- and south-facing terraces with views out over the London skyline.

A robata grill is at the heating heart of Roka Canary Wharf. The towering skyline of E14 is the backdrop to an open kitchen serving contemporary Japanese cuisine, including sushi and sashimi, to a fashionable business crowd. The decor is comprised of textures and shades of natural wood. Right next to the signature grill, a chef’s table can seat up to 14. Shielded by weatherproof blinds, and with its own bar, the second-floor terrace looks onto Canada Square and is well set up for events. The venue regularly hosts sushi and whisky masterclasses, and full teambuilding days are easily arranged.

This Paddington all-day bar and restaurant has a hint of the hipster about it: post-industrial decor, quality burgers and craft beers are the three pillars of its offering. It won’t come as a surprise that it makes a good place for lively semi-private or exclusive hire events. For the former, there is the mezzanine, where guests can enjoy set, buffet or tailored menus. This is also the place to host a teambuilding cocktail masterclass. For larger events you can take over the restaurant area or the venue wholesale.

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.

Found at the top of The Shard, 244m above the capital, The View is an event space that justifies superlatives: the Renzo Piano-designed building gives guests 40-mile views in all directions. The View has two viewing platforms: Level 69 and Sky Deck on Level 72, which together can hold up its maximum in summer months, or 100 less for the rest of the year. Breakfast events are popular, as are evening networking and cocktail parties as the sun sets.

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.

The five-strong Thames Luxury Charters fleet celebrates 25 years on the river in 2018. Among its well-maintained vessels are the Elizabethan – a replica of an 1890s, stern-wheeled Mississippi paddle steamer – and the Dixie Queen, which is the biggest floating venue in town. The Edwardian offers guests a more classic British experience, while the three-deck Erasmus is a showcase for chic modernity. All of them can moor at most of the piers in town and just outside, meaning private charters can include time alongside the London Eye, the Tower of London, Maritime Greenwich and more. A long-term partnership with Dish keeps the onboard catering shipshape.

Set in tranquil Kensington Gardens, Kensington Palace became a royal residence in 1689. It was designed by Sir Christopher Wren, who was commissioned by William and Mary to create a retreat from Whitehall, and has hosted the courts of countless kings and queens over the centuries. This heritage is reflected in the grandeur of the event spaces. The bright Orangery combines with a marquee to hold up to 1,000 guests, while the Queen’s Gallery – with its rich 17th-century interiors and secluded Sunken Garden – holds 170 for pre-dinner drinks. There is also modern reception space for up to 300 guests in the clean-lined Hub on the ground floor.