Summer party venues

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.