Top Tips
It’s that time of year again! We’re rounding up some of our favourite venues. We are really lucky to have so many incredible venues listed on VenueScanner. From pubs to restaurants to meeting rooms and conference centres and pretty much everything in between, we have them. This year the team voted on their favourite venues for a number of categories. Here are the winners:
Most Enquired Venue:
RSA House
RSA House is a super cool venue and has been around since 1774. Since then some of the greatest thinkers and social activists have walked the halls including Charles Dickens, Dame Judy Dench, and Professor Stephen Hawking. They have a passion to unite people and ideas and even donate 100% of venue hire profits straight back into funding programs for the Outer of Work, Sustainability and Education and Learning. There’s no wonder this is the most enquired venue!
Location: The Strand, London
Capacity: Up to 30-220 people
Events: Conferences, dinners, Christmas parties, receptions, small meetings, product launches, filming, fashion shows, screenings, weddings, and more.
Price: Vary depending on space
Most Booked Venue:
House of Transformation
Located in East London, the House of Transformation is a unique space that is designed for workshops and collaborative meetings. They’re really big on sustainability and everything in the venue is either made of recycled materials or was found in the area. The venue is filled with tons of beautiful plants and gorgeous natural light. We’re not surprised this is the most booked venue!
Location: Haggerston, London
Capacity: Up to 40 people
Events: Team building, training sessions, photo shoots, dinners, workshops, personal development courses.
Price: From £80 per hour/ £650 per day
Fastest Responders:
Cardiff Golf Club
We really appreciate it when venues take the time to respond to their enquiries. And when they do it quickly, it’s even better! Cardiff Golf Club is a gorgeous venue overlooking a golf course. They have a meeting room and reception space with a large balcony.
Location: Cardiff, Wales
Capacity: Up to 120 people
Events: Weddings, meetings, conferences, private dining.
Price: From £100 per day
Prettiest Venue:
The Arber Garden
There’s no denying that The Arber Garden is absolutely beautiful, which is why it’s been voted the prettiest venue. They have several gorgeous spaces that are perfect for just about any event. There’s a garden, dining room, and it even connects to the stunning Fitzrovia Chapel. You can choose from customisable set event menus, seasonal canapés and crafted cocktails.
Location: Fitzrovia, London
Capacity: 20-300 people
Events: Weddings, office parties, private dining.
Price: On asking
Best Party Venue
Proud Embankment
If you’re looking for an epic party venue then you need to check out Proud. They have a couple of locations but we really love their Embankment one. This is the venue for a spectacular, large scale, high tech and VIP events. It has recently undergone a renovation and is absolutely incredible. There’s a double height atrium, oak parquet flooring, and super luxe gold details throughout.
Location: Embankment, London
Capacity: Up to 750 people
Events: Champagne receptions, award ceremonies, product launches, weddings, galas, VIP dinners, and more.
Price: On asking
Best Food
FARE
One of the greatest perks at VenueScanner is that we get to check out quite a few of the venues listed on the site. We get to enjoy food and drinks and different experiences. And the best food we’ve had this year is definitely at FARE. They serve up modern-European small plates and tasty oven-fired pizza. It’s mouthwateringly delicious and we would go back over and over again. They’re split across two floors in an old turn of the century textile factory. FARE offers catering of all types from coffee and tea service with pastries to canapés and bowl food and even 4-course sharing or set menus.
Location: Clerkenwell, London
Capacity: Up to 95 people
Events: Private dining, Christmas parties, office parties, networking.
Price: From £1500 min spend
Best Cocktails
The Cocktail Club
With several locations around the UK, the Cocktail Club is our pick for best cocktails. We’re even having our Christmas party in their Shoreditch location! They offer some pretty epic cocktail masterclasses as an add on to private hire. Their talented bartenders will teach you how to muddle, mix, and shake cocktails. Enjoy their trademark cocktails like a Reggae Rum Punch or their bartender’s choice like a Southside Royal.
Location: Various locations across the UK
Capacity: Ranges depending on location
Events: Christmas parties, hen do, stag do, birthday parties, office parties, networking.
Price: Varies depending on location
Best Conference Venue
Leonardo Royal London Tower Bridge
One of the most energy-efficient hotels in London, Leonardo Royal London Tower Bridge has been designed using the best green building materials available. It has spectacular views of Tower Bridge and is in an excellent location for conferences. With a number of conference spaces as well as smaller meeting rooms that can be used as breakout spaces, this venue is an excellent choice for a large conference. They even have 317 modern bedrooms that can be used for your delegates.
Location: London Bridge, London
Capacity: Up to 850 people
Events: Conferences, meetings, Christmas parties.
Price: Varies depending on space
Best Activity Bar
Swingers, The Crazy Golf Club (West End)
We love an activity bar and we’ve gone to quite a few over the last year. But there’s just nothing like a game of crazy golf and Swingers does it best. They have three different nine-hole courses, a number of stunning cocktail bars, delicious street food from Patty and Bun, Breddo’s Tacos, Pizza Pilgrims, and Crosstown Donuts. They also have a variety of private hire spaces, making this a great location for a meeting or conference followed by some fun and games with the whole team!
Location: Oxford Circus, London
Capacity: Up to 600 people
Events: Christmas parties, team away days, meetings, birthday parties.
Price: Varies depending on space
Best Team Away Day Venue
Capital Karts
If you’re interested in an exhilarating team away day then Capital Karts is the only option. Located in the centre of Canary Wharf, this go-kart course has 800m of track, next generation electric karts, and an exclusive bar and lounge area. It’ll be a super fun day out for the entire team.
Location: Canary Wharf, London
Capacity: Up to 200 people
Events: Team away days, networking, client entertainment, celebrations.
Price: From £33 per guest
Best Retreat Venue
Cave Hotels
Cave Hotel and Golf Course is an eclectic and unique hotel in Kent. It’s surrounded by countryside and makes an excellent location for a retreat. They have projector screens, buffets, access to the golf course, overnight stays, and more. With 41 rooms and a penthouse there’s enough room for your team to have an amazing retreat!
Location: Boughton-under-Blean, Kent
Capacity: Up to 200 people
Event: Retreats, weddings, private dining, meetings, parties.
Price: Varies depending on space
Best Rooftop
Pantechnicon
Home to Nordic and Japanese creativity and craftsmanship, Pantechnicon is a super unique venue. They’re located in a grade-II listed building in Belgravia and have so many incredible spaces across their four floors. One of which is their rooftop which is absolutely stunning. It’s covered in beautiful greenery and is wonderful no matter what time of the year due to their retractable roof. Enjoy south-facing panoramic views of Belgravia and natural light in this gorgeous venue.
Location: Belgravia, London
Capacity: Up to 160 people
Events: Weddings, Christmas parties, summer parties, private dining.
Price: £800-£15000 min spend (tables vs. exclusive hire)
Best Meeting Room
Second Home
We love Second Home because of how eclectic they are. With various locations around London, you’ll find a really cool meeting room that works for you. With bright, bold colours, curving internal spaces, lots of plants, and naturally inspired design, it’s one seriously cool spot.
Location: Various locations around London
Capacity: Varies depending on location and space
Events: Meetings, workshops, conferences, drinks receptions, product launches.
Price: Varies depending on location
Most Sustainable Venue
Barge East
One of the coolest venues we have on platform is Barge East. It’s also one of the most sustainable. From the 120 year old barge that uses ingredients grown in its own garden in their seasonal menus to the suppliers they use, Barge East is constantly making decisions to create an even more sustainable environment. They have a low waste and biodynamic policy and their boat side garden allows them to harvest produce smartly and intentionally (over 37 different types of plants). The whole thing is built from a variety of up-cycled and repurposed materials. They even compost their waste on-site. Barge East has reduced their use of plastic significantly and are even cling film free!
Location: Hackney Wick, London
Capacity: Up to 250 people
Events: Summer parties, Christmas parties, private dining, birthday parties.
Price: £200 – £2750 min spend
Best View
LSQ Rooftop
For some of the best views in the city, you’ve got to head to LSQ Rooftop. No matter if it’s day or night, the views here are unparalleled. You’ll see some of the best landmarks in the city including the London Eye, the Shard, and more. Come for the party, stay for the panoramic views!
Location: Chinatown, London
Capacity: Up to 100 people
Events: Private birthdays, weddings, corporate events.
Price: £6000 – £12000 min spend
Most Unique Venue
The Boathouse London (Paddington West)
VenueScanner is full of unique venues but one of the most unique is The Boathouse London. They have a couple of locations, however our favourite is Paddington West. This is a beautiful canal boat that’s moored in Paddington on London’s first floating pocket park. It has a rooftop that can be used for private hire and even has accommodation for up to four people overnight.
Location: Paddington, London
Capacity: Up to 20 people
Events: Supperclubs, yoga brunches, special occasions, product launches, lunches.
Price: From £150 per hour or £795 per day
Best Regional Venue
Silchester Farm
Silchester Farm is a great venue that’s perfect for corporate away days and retreats. It’s a family-run farm and it’s a truly impressive location. They have a number of spaces available for hire. We really love this venue and it’s simply beautiful.
Location: Hampshire, UK
Capacity: Up to 140 people
Events: Corporate away days, weddings, retreats, team building days, filming.
Price: From £45 per guest
Best Hidden Gem
Bellefields Brixton
This family run restaurant and bar is a true hidden gem in London. Located in the heart of Brixton, they have a menu inspired by the seas of the Mediterranean. The space is beautiful and features a restaurant, bar, courtyard, dance floor, and semi private members club.
Location: Brixton, London
Capacity: Up to 250 people
Events: Christmas parties, New Years parties, corporate away days, private dining, drinks receptions.
Price: From £5000 min spend
Best Christmas Party Venue
Little Scarlet Door
The Little Scarlet Door is part of the Little Door Co. and we simply love this group. Their soho location is an amazing venue for a Christmas party and they really pull out all of the stops with festive decorations, food, and cocktails.
Location: Soho, London
Capacity: Up to 230 people
Events: Christmas parties, pop-ups, product launches, private dining, drinks receptions, filming.
Price: From £4000 min spend
Best Photos
Electric Shuffle London Bridge
Nestled in the arches of London Bridge is Electric Shuffle. This venue is gorgeous and you can totally tell by the amazing photography they have on their listing. They host a number of events including corporate parties where people can come together for fun games, delicious food, and tasty cocktails.
Location: London Bridge, London
Capacity: Up to 350 people
Events: Team away day, networking, Christmas parties, summer parties, drinks receptions.
Price: Prices vary depending on space
Best Listing
Night Tales
We love a venue that puts all the right information in their listing and Night Tales does just this. You know exactly what you’re getting when you head to their page. Night Tales has the largest covered terrace in Hackney Central and two railway arches. It’s an epic venue!
Location: Hackney, London
Capacity: Up to 700 people
Events: Drink receptions, Summer & Christmas parties, Corporate celebrations, Networking events, Brand activations, product launches, Talks & presentations, Live music, Creative, Film & photo shoots.
Price: From £5000 min spend
Concierge Team’s Favourite Venue
Clays
Our corporate concierge team works with a lot of venues throughout the year. This year they were really excited to be working with Clays. Clays is a virtual clay pigeon shooting activity bar and it’s so much fun. Their team is excellent and will ensure that you have an amazing event!
Location: The City, London
Capacity: Up to 360 people
Events: Christmas parties, summer parties, drinks receptions, team away days, networking.
Price: From £5000 min spend
Best Venue Group
Young’s
We’re really lucky to work with a lot of amazing restaurant and hospitality groups. One of those is Young’s pubs. We have a ton of their venues on platform. One of our favourites is Smiths of Smithfield. It’s an all day dining experience in the city set across four floors.
Location: The City, London
Capacity: Up to 80 people
Events: Business meetings, corporate parties, weddings, private dining.
Price: Prices vary depending on space
Best Venue Team
Lumiere
The entire team at Lumiere is incredible. It’s always a joy to interact with them and learn more about the things they’re doing internally. Lumiere is a really special company that has a huge focus on sustainability and diversity and they are constantly improving and giving back to their community. They have a number of venues available for hire including the Underwood Lofts.
Location: Old Street, London
Capacity: Up to 200 people
Events: Corporate conferences, meetings, product launches, and more.
Price: From £3660 per day
Best Host
Bailey Whitnell – Swingers, The Crazy Golf Club
We just want to give Bailey Whitnell from Swingers a special thank you for being such a great host. It’s a pleasure to work with her and see how much she loves using VenueScanner. Thank you!
