The best venues to hire in London

We know that finding a venue the old-fashioned way (where you trawl the internet, contact 10 venues or set your heart on one, only to find that they're out of your price range and not even available on your dates) is a pain, and there are a few pitfalls between you and booking your perfect venue in London. Getting the venue-finding process down to a professional art is what we’ve made our mission ever since we took on the events industry. Here's what we recommend to quickly and easily hire a space in London.

Have a few dates in mind

It’s well-known that many London venues will already be very busy on popular dates. The chances of getting the most in-demand spaces on a Saturday night are about as high as walking into a busy London restaurant and asking for a table for 30. Not great. Being flexible with your dates will ensure the London venue has the most leeway in finding you a time slot. If you can, hold your event on a weekday; these are always less competitive, and the venue may even give you a discount to ensure your business.

Find out who’s going

The guest list is of utmost importance in planning a London event. Getting the figure set down is key for both you and the venue. The venue will be able to work out how much space you need, and you can start figuring out how far your budget will go. Establishing the cost per head is a great way of visualising the individual experience of each of your lucky London guests. Plus, you can work out who you don't want to attend – it’s your event, after all.

Get set up

This is crucial for seating events. There are lots of different styles, from cabaret to theatre, with each being suited to a certain event type. Getting the seating perfectly aligned with the kind of event ensures no one will be facing the wrong way when the presentation starts.

Make sure everyone can attend

A truly great event planner thinks about how every single guest will get to the venue. Not everyone drives, so consider the public transport links (and the possibility of a train strike) alongside things like parking and safe bike lockups. You should also think hard about the accessibility of the venue itself. Some disabled guests will require alternate access to some venue spaces, and you want it to be as comfortable for them as possible. Empathetic event planning is something we love at HeadBox, and it’s something your guests will love, too.

Themes, moods, and the rest

This is the fun bit. There is such an amazing wealth of event spaces in London that you can pretty much fulfil any theme or mood. From dimly lit bars to breathtaking historical venues, the sheer variety of spaces makes anything possible. Themes are a great way to make things memorable, too.

Match the mood with the location

Certain London boroughs are known for certain types of venues. Chances are, if you’re looking for a hip bar, Shoreditch might be your shout. For historic venues, Westminster is good. That said, we bet we can find you the right space, no matter the place in London. Just try us.

Think about the extras

So, a space is a good start, but you may want to go beyond. Think about things like audio-visual facilities, natural light, breakout rooms, and catering. Having these requirements in mind will help you quickly root out ill-fitting London venues, and there won’t be any last-minute surprises when you realise your Mayfair rooftop party is taking place in a Camden basement.

Get a sneak peek

Site visits are the industry term for taking a look at the space before the event. It’s a great way to visualise what your London event will be like for your guests. Whilst an in-person site visit is great, it can be difficult to schedule, especially if you and the venue are busy. We offer virtual site visits, using the latest technology with certain venues – and it won’t cost you a thing!

What’s the cost of hosting an event in London?

The hard truth is that it’s difficult to put one single number on a London event. All the nuances and permutations of your individual needs will affect the overall cost. That said, there are a few golden rules for pricing a London private hire:

Looking for an affordable venue?

Cheap venues in London are not exactly forthcoming in one of the world’s most expensive cities. There are, however, a few pointers. Hiring a space in a pub, bar or community hall is normally a good way to keep costs down. The spaces in these venues tend to be more affordable than your Grade II listed buildings or penthouse party pads.

Blank canvas

'Blank canvas' is a term we use to refer to an event space that just gives you the space. This means no extras like catering, entertainment or serving staff. It’s just the space and what you make of it (hence the term blank canvas). It’s a great way to keep costs down and maintain control over the kind of event you’re throwing in London.

Knowing London is the key to working out price points. Our figures show that the further away from the centre you are, the cheaper the hire fee will be. A hall in Bow will be a lot cheaper than a hall in Westminster. Bear in mind, though, that the further out you go, the bigger the chance you run of the event being more inaccessible. It’s all about the balance.