Category: Top Tips

Meeting Room Hire in London’s Most Iconic Borough

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As a collection of leading, multi-purpose venues in central London, our members have a wealth of experience in creating unforgettable experiences for meetings and events. In this blog, we’ll share some of their expert advice to help you discover the very best meeting rooms in London.

Why Finding the Right Meeting Room is Critical

With an abundance of meeting rooms in London to choose from, finding and booking the right one can take a great deal of time, research and careful consideration. It’s a critical stage in your event planning process as the physical and aesthetic environment the meeting room provides can either enhance or detract from the tone of your event.
 
Whether you organise intimate board meetings, large-scale conferences, product launches or interactive workshops, there are several different factors to bear in mind when selecting a meeting room. The following considerations will help you find the event space best suited to your goals and the delegate experience you’re striving to create, which will ultimately impact your event’s success.
 
  • Location: is your preferred venue accessible and easy to reach for your invited guests, including people with physical disabilities or mobility issues? Look out for proximity to transport connections, as well as availability of nearby parking or convenient drop-off points. Within our portfolio, there are over 50 venues with meeting rooms in London, all conveniently situated within the City of Westminster with multiple nearby transport links.
  • Capacity: as well as choosing meeting rooms based on your delegate headcount, finding spaces that can be easily configured to suit the best seating format and layout is important. Will seating be theatre-style, classroom or boardroom? Will there be additional set-ups required within the room, such as catering and networking break areas, or branding zones for sponsors? Comfort is key for all participants, so this should be prioritised when making your selection.
  • Amenities and equipment: delegates have increasingly high expectations for the provision of fast and secure connectivity, as well as advanced technical equipment at events. When looking for a hi-tech meeting room, check if the amenities include hybrid event tech, video conferencing facilities, interactive display boards, seamless AV solutions and robust Wi-Fi.
Meeting rooms in 20 Cavendish Square
Meeting rooms at 20 Cavendish Square
  • Ambience: creating the right environment will boost productivity, encourage engagement, support collaboration and heighten the overall event experience. Everything from interior lighting levels and natural daylight to temperature control and views from your meeting room will have an impact.

Tips for Booking Meeting Rooms in London

With all the different factors to explore before making a final decision, it’s advisable to start the process as early as possible, especially if you have a fixed date in mind. If you’re short on time, using AI-powered tools and venue booking platforms will speed up the selection process, by researching, benchmarking and shortlisting options based on your brief and budget.

Once you’ve identified a selection of the most suitable venues based on your specific requirements, asking the following questions will help inform your final decision and aid your event planning:

London Meeting Rooms in 110 Rochester Row
Meeting Rooms at 110 Rochester Row
  • Costings: are venue hire, catering, AV and other ancillary event services charged for separately? Or are day delegate rates (DDRs) available and if so, what do these include? Is a deposit required? What are the terms for cancellation or date change flexibility?
  • AV: if this is offered In-house, what is the full specification of equipment available?
  • Catering: does the venue have an onsite caterer, or a list of external approved suppliers to choose from? Is it possible to bring in your own catering or preferred supplier if they aren’t on a recommended list?
  • Accessibility: your delegates may have a broad range of needs based on physical, Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC), sensory and cognitive requirements. While it’s important to ensure your preferred venue is fully wheelchair accessible, other key questions to ask include: is braille signage available? Can lighting easily be adjusted for people with sensory sensitivities? Is any assistive technology provided? If not, will the AV system and Wi-Fi support the use of personal electronic aids?
  • Health and Safety: what protocols are in place at the venue? This could include evacuation procedures, on-site First Aid provisions, health and hygiene guidelines, and what risk assessments, method statements, permits or other documentation is required? Is Security included in the hire fee?
  • Breakouts: are adjoining spaces available or are there other rooms located nearby that can be used for breakout activities such as catering, networking or working groups?
Elegant meeting rooms at One Birdcage Walk
Meeting rooms at One Birdcage Walk
  • Rate negotiation: if your preferred venue doesn’t match your allocated budget, it’s worth enquiring about discounted rates for off-peak days or lower season times of the year. If you’re looking to secure a venue for multiple dates, why not ask about a preferential block booking rate? For charity or public sector organisations, concession discounts are often available. And some venues may even be open to contra deals, depending on who your attendee audience is and what sponsorship opportunities are on offer.

How to find a meeting room with Westminster Venue Collection

If you’re looking for meeting rooms in London, Westminster Venue Collection provides a one-stop venue-finding service. Our membership includes over 50 of the most prestigious and sought-after venues and meeting spaces, offering extensive choice, state-of-the-art facilities and show-stopping views of the capital’s most iconic landmarks.

Traditional meeting rooms at One Great George Street
Meeting rooms at One Great George Street

Find venues in Westminster for your next event

Enquiring with Westminster Venue Collection couldn’t be easier thanks to our free, personalised service. Using the search facility on our website, you can save time by creating a shortlist and submitting one event enquiry to multiple venues simultaneously.

Alternatively, send your brief to [email protected] and we’ll match you to the best suited venues with availability for your preferred dates.

 

Top Christmas party venues and themes for a memorable celebration in Westminster

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The office Christmas party is a time to wrap up the year and say thank you to your staff and colleagues for all their hard work. It’s a time for your team to celebrate the festive season without the stress and hassle of hosting or family politics, so it’s important an organiser gets it right – and this starts with finding the perfect Christmas party venues.

Here at Westminster Venue Collection (WVC) we look after a group of exclusive spaces which comprise some of the finest the capital has to offer. Museums, galleries, historic buildings, luxury hotels, townhouses… our portfolio of Christmas event venues in London is varied and extensive. We’re confident that however you choose to celebrate this year, you’ll find the ideal space by searching our selective database.

During this feature, we’re going to take you through some of the different types of venues we have on our books, plus we’ll be offering you some advice on hosting the perfect festive gathering and sharing with you a handful of ideas on theming and décor.

 

Why choose Westminster for your Christmas party?

Christmas party planning always begins with the question of, where? We believe Westminster is the best place in the capital to hold events. The borough is a city within a city and draws in millions of visitors every year who come in their droves for the history, the sightseeing and the attractions. There’s a surprising amount of parks and outdoor spaces within the area (116 to be precise) – St James’ Park and Regents’ Park for example – which are stunning all year round, but when covered in snow are transformed into some of the most beautiful and atmospheric places in London.

Westminster is also brilliantly connected for local, national and international travel. All WVC venues are a short walk from at least one tube station and have quick and easy links to National Rail lines and London City Airport. The borough is also home to a huge array of hotel options with something for every budget from genuinely affordable choices through to world-class, luxury accommodation.

 

Top Christmas party venues in Westminster

Historic Christmas party venues

London is one of the most historically rich cities in the world and its buildings hold the stories of its past. These spaces provide a poignant, beautiful backdrop for traditional Christmas parties, they each have their own, distinct charm and elegance that they bring to the events they hold. Many of our buildings aren’t open to the general public, so inviting your valued members of staff into one of our exclusive traditional Christmas venues is the beginning of a truly memorable classic Christmas party.

Modern Christmas party venues

If you think your colleagues would prefer a more contemporary event space, our collection also contains some stunning, modern venues. Our modern venues in Westminster include spaces with floor-to-ceiling windows and unrivalled views over the River Thames. Clever lighting and contemporary cuisine with a Christmas twist makes sure none of the magic is lost and that your party is as festive as can be.

Unconventional and unique venues in Westminster

If you’ve been organising the Christmas party for your team for a while now, you might have decided that this year you want to opt for something a little bit different. Choosing an unconventional Christmas venue, like an art gallery or a rooftop bar, is a foolproof way to make an immediate impression on your guests. It’s also guaranteed to give your guests an interesting talking point and a reason to tell their friends about their special night.

Fun and different Christmas party themes

You might be under the impression that Christmas is premiss enough for a party, but a separate theme can elevate your event to the next level. Many of our venues’ Christmas packages include full theming which includes decorations, music and entertainment. In the past, we’ve seen some amazing event theming including Winter Wonderland, Narnia and Dickensian Christmas. By choosing a specific theme for your party you’ll be able to make sure you’re creating the perfect atmosphere, tailor-made for your guestlist.

 

Tips for planning the perfect Christmas party in Westminster

Christmas party planning can be stressful, but our tips are designed to help you enjoy a smooth run up to your event…

Our first, top tip, is to start planning as early as you can. There will only be a handful of dates that will suit you, so you’ll need to get your enquiries in at least six months in advance as the best venues will book up early. If you know where you want to book, don’t hesitate to get in touch to get yourself pencilled in. If you’re still undecided, WVC can help the process. By filling in an enquiry form on our website, we can help you narrow down your Westminster venue booking options. We’ll only put you in touch with venues that can meet your requirements which will save you a lot of time and effort for you to enjoy a stress-free event planning experience.

Secondly, we’d suggest running through your budget with your chosen venue. You can then decide where you want to spend and where you want to save. We’d also advise you to keep a little bit of money back for any last-minute extras or upgrades you might want to make further down the line.

Thirdly, a timeline of when decisions need to be made and suppliers need to be booked will give you a clear time frame of actionable tasks. This will ensure nothing slips through the net and there are no nasty surprises.

Use our venue-finding service to source the perfect Christmas party venues in London 

If you think Westminster is the right venue for this year’s Christmas party, then you can simply email your requirements to [email protected]. Or, if you’d like to browse our collection of exclusive venues, take a look on our website. You could also fill out our enquiry form and we’ll get back to you with all our members who can best fulfil your requirements.

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The best summer party venues in Westminster, London

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Although we Brits love to complain about the weather, no one can deny that when the sun comes out there’s no finer place to be on earth.

Hosting a summer party in the UK is one of the few times organisers get to make the most of our short-lived, warmer months, so choosing the perfect summer party venue is a decision not to be taken lightly. Here at the Westminster Venue Collection, we think our little corner of the capital is the best choice for any planner wanting to host an exceptional, memorable event to celebrate your colleagues and thank them for their hard work.

We wanted to take a moment to tell you about all the fabulous things you can find in Westminster, including rooftop gardens, green spaces, sun terraces, river views and much, much more. We also wanted to share some of our top tips for hosting brilliant summer events by looking into theming, catering, entertainment and other summer party event planning tips.

 

Why Westminster is ideal for your summer party

London is, arguably, the best city in the world. (We might be a bit bias, but it’s not an uncommon opinion). And Westminster, home of the Government and the King is undeniably one of the most famous and desirable locations within the capital. Millions of tourists flock to see Buckingham Palace, Big Ben and Westminster Abbey every year, so it’s fair to say that Westminster knows how to pull in the crowds! Your guests might not be flying in from all over the world, but hosting a summer party for your colleagues in a place with international appeal means that your guests won’t be short of sightseeing opportunities either side of your event.

It’s not just historic landmarks that make Westminster a fabulous place for meeting up. The area, like most of London, is culturally diverse with a vibrant atmosphere. The shops, bars, restaurants and entertainment venues are varied and world-class which means your summer party guests will have lots of excuses to make your party the centre of a larger trip, should they desire.

It’s also worth noting that as well as all the great things on our doorstep, Westminster benefits from excellent transport links. As you’d expect, we’re connected to the London Underground, National Rail and City Airport is a short train ride away. We’ve also got a plethora of hotels within the borough, stretching from affordable options to some of the most exclusive accommodation in the country.

 

Best outdoor summer party venues in London

Outdoor venues

As we’ve mentioned before, the window of opportunity to enjoy the outdoors in Britain is a narrow one, so it’s no surprise that organisers like to make hay while the sun shines. Hiring an outdoor venue in Westminster for your London summer party – whether that’s a lush green lawn, an urban rooftop terrace or a pretty courtyard – means your guests will enjoy the chance to relax in the fresh air and to soak up the sun. What better way to let your hair down than by sipping a Pimms and a smoked salmon canape in a quintessential British summer garden party?

Indoor venues with outdoor access

Some of our corporate summer party venues in London offer planners the best of both worlds for a summer event, with an inside space that has access to an outdoor area. Terraces and balconies off the main party space give guests the option to enjoy the delights of a British summer with the back-up of an indoor area should the temperature drop or the heavens open. We believe Westminster is particularly well positioned to offer some of the best views London has to offer, so whatever vista your venue has, you’re likely to be able to see some beautiful buildings, the River Thames or one of the Royal Parks.

Unique and unconventional venues

As a historic city, Westminster boasts some incredibly interesting and quirky venues. Museums, galleries, historic landmarks… our portfolio includes unique spaces with fascinating stories to tell. Some of our venues aren’t open to the public which means your summer party is offering exclusive access to a building or space otherwise out of reach.

Within our portfolio of exclusive, Westminster event venues, we have a plethora of unique summer party venues. You’ll find a range of spaces within these buildings, inside and outside ones. To save you trawling through all of the options, the best way to find exactly what you’re looking for is to fill out our venue search form which will generate a short list of venues that can cater to your specific needs.

 

Tips for successful summer party event planning in Westminster

Early booking and scheduling

Most summer party venues in London will book up early, sometimes as much as a year in advance, so it’s well worth getting ahead of the games and pencilling dates with your short-list as soon as you can. We’d advise checking your calendar for any big sporting events or public holidays which might clash with your preferred date and you might consider making sure your key players can make your date.

Summer Party Theme and decor

It’s not always necessary to have a full-on theme for your summer event, but incorporating some special touches into your décor or catering can go a long way to adding a little something extra to your party. Taking an idea like tropical, beach, garden party or neon and threading all of the elements of your day together with this in mind helps with the overall impact of your event, ensuring your guests have a truly memorable, special day. Other themes we’ve seen work well at summer events include Luau, carnival and festival.

Entertainment and activities

Summer party entertainment is an important part of event planning and there are lots of options to consider. For music you could go for a string quartet, jazz band or acapella group – we’d always suggest splashing out on live music for a summer party if the budget will stretch. It really does add a whole other level to the day.

It’s also a great idea to organise games your guests can get involved with. Lawn games like croquet, a ring toss or some fairground attractions are good ways to help break the ice between party goers, inject a bit of fun into proceedings and encourage some good-natured competition at your event. Entertainers including roaming magicians and stilt walkers work well at summer parties as they don’t monopolise the crowd’s attention but create a dynamic talking point.

 

Finding summer party venues in Westminster

If you think you might find your ideal summer party venue in the Westminster Venue Collection portfolio, get in touch with us via [email protected]. Or you can begin your search on our website which will give you a shortlist of spaces that can fulfil your brief.

 

Follow Westminster Venue Collection for more event venue inspiration, event planning tips and exciting event invites.

The Inner Temple: Creating the Ultimate Office Christmas Party

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The Christmas season is a time for merriment, joy and gathering. One of the highlights of the festive period is undoubtedly the office Christmas party.

At The Inner Temple, Christmas is one of our favourite times of year as festive parties work perfectly within the traditional and historic setting of the venue.

Planning a memorable Christmas Party may seem daunting but with careful organisation, you can create an unforgettable experience. Here are some ideas to create the ultimate Christmas party:

1. Find the perfect venue

To find the right venue, there are a host of great event agencies who can help you or go on event websites to look at different venue options. We recommend filtering down the venues by location and the capacity you need, and then seeing which of
those venues suits you in terms of atmosphere. Enquire for quotes and with the ones where the options and costings suit what your company is looking for, you can book in site visits. There is nothing like seeing the venue in person for a real sense of the space. Make sure you enquire well in advance as peak dates get booked up quickly!

2. Set the theme

A well-defined theme sets the stage for a great Christmas party. Consider whether you want a cosy gathering, for instance an Alpine ski lodge with soft lighting, bar stools, faux fur blankets on the chairs and ferns adorning the tables. Or if you want a traditional party, choose a venue with classic features and traditional theming such as Christmas trees, beautiful ornaments, twinkling lights, garlands, and poinsettia. Once you have decided on a theme, transform your space into a festive wonderland. Work with your venue to see what theming they provide, and then add to that.

Inner Temple Christmas Party Themes

3. Plan engaging activities and entertainment

To ensure your Christmas party is entertaining and engaging, incorporate activities throughout the evening. For a small party consider hosting a secret Santa gift exchange so everyone ends the evening with a present to take away. Or organise fun games such as a Christmas themed scavenger hunt: split everyone into teams and leave clues around the venue that ultimately ends in finding a Christmas themed trophy or prize. For a more interactive experience, set up a DIY craft station where guests can create personalised wreaths or Christmas decorations.

4. Curate a festive menu

Delight your guests with a mouthwatering menu that captures the essence of the holiday season. Incorporate traditional dishes like roasted turkey or glazed ham, accompanied by flavourful sides such as pigs in blankets, roast potatoes, roasted vegetables, and accompanying condiments such as cranberry sauce. Don’t forget to inform your venue of any dietary requirements and have vegetarian and vegan options available. Enhance the culinary experience by serving drinks like mulled wine, spiced cider, or a festive cocktail. You could also see if the venue can offer dessert stations for the evening rather than a plated dessert, to allow more time for dancing, along with a wider range of sweet choices for guests to choose from. A well-thought-out menu will not only satisfy your guests’ taste buds but also adds to the overall festive ambience.

Inner Temple Christmas Party Menu

Planning the ultimate office Christmas party requires attention to detail, creativity, and a dash of festive magic.

The Inner Temple is the perfect location if you are looking a traditional Christmas setting. The Inner Temple, we still have some remaining dates left for Christmas so enquire today for availability. Cheers to a holiday season filled with unforgettable celebrations!