Alternative corporate event venues in London
As one of Europe’s leading business hubs and a city rich in history, arts, and culture, it’s no surprise that London is a top destination for corporate events. In a survey conducted by ExCeL London and published in their 2023 Event With Intent report, 66% of respondents ranked London as one of their top three event destinations. The city is especially popular with Gen Z and international audiences.
With several international airports and excellent rail connections, as well as an impressive range of corporate dining, entertainment, and event experiences, London is a popular choice for corporate events, both for local and international businesses.
From the breathtaking views at Sky Garden to the capital’s world-renowned museums and Lord’s Cricket Ground, London’s classic event spaces have earned their reputation for excellence. ExCeL London remains a versatile conference venue, and London’s esteemed hotels can be relied upon to deliver elegance and sophistication on any occasion.
However, as iconic as these venues are, frequent visitors and local attendees may sometimes seek something a little different. While London’s established venues remain timeless choices, we are always on the lookout for unique venues in London. Here are just a few alternative event venues you may wish to consider for corporate events in London -
Mansion House
Mansion House is a Grade I listed building and the official residence of the Lord Mayor of London. That the house is available as an event venue, has been one of London’s best-kept secrets. We’d have kept it to ourselves too but it’s now beginning to promote itself as a setting for business meetings, conferences and events. Besides, we can’t help but rave about our experience there.
We booked Mansion House for our client’s gala dinner. They enjoyed a sophisticated cocktail reception in the hall and a formal dinner in the ballroom and were taken on a private guided tour, which was particularly special since Mansion House is not usually open to the public. Both the setting and the service were faultless and the delegates (and we) were fascinated by the facts and anecdotes uncovered.
Capacity - Mansion House can accommodate up to 500 guests.
Unique highlight - The caterers for our Mansion House event were amongst the most sustainable we’ve worked with.
Bloomsbury Ballroom - London Cabaret Club
An opulent art deco venue, Bloomsbury Ballroom is home to the London Cabaret Club and, although you can hire the space separately, we opted to contract the London Cabaret Club for an event in 2023.
Both the ballroom and the rose bar are exceptionally stylish spaces that harken back to the glamour of the 1920s and yet feel forever fashionable. Bloomsbury Ballroom is expertly set up for events of many kinds although it is best suited to award ceremonies, product launches, fashion shows or as an evening venue following a meeting of the board or conference. The venue boasts in-house caterers although clients are welcome to bring in their own and they’re also open to either wet or dry hire.
London Cabaret Club’s dazzling performance at our event was absolutely spectacular and we couldn’t recommend them enough for those corporate events that crave authenticity and aspire to be unforgettable. However - we must caveat this by stressing that these shows are not for every audience. They are designed to be daring and somewhat risqué. The club is very willing to tailor their showcase to suit the audience but still, you should consider the backgrounds and culture of your delegates carefully before deciding if there is any risk of causing unintended offence.
For many though, the London Cabaret Club is the perfect way to celebrate in style. It could be the perfect closing act to a three-day international conference or as an alternative venue for London-based businesses to entertain clients.
Capacity - Up to 550 standing, 240 for cabaret.
Highlight - the state-of-the-art AV and lighting.
OXO Tower
You know where in the world you are when dining at the Oxo Tower - those panoramic views of the city skyline are an impactful backdrop to any event. They also serve as an icebreaker for business events as delegates point out the surrounding landmarks. Of course, the Oxo Tower is a London landmark itself. Formally an industrial building constructed in 1929, the building now boasts a gallery on the ground floor and Harvey Nichols' first restaurant located on the top floor.
Our clients enjoyed a wonderful corporate event at the Oxo Tower in 2023 where we were extremely well looked after. Our clients were served beautiful food in a modern setting surrounded by stunning views along the Thames. Highly professional and accommodating, the Oxo Tower restaurant is ideal for a private business lunch, staff party or seminar. However, it’s also a venue worth adding to the schedule if only for drinks in between other activities.
Capacity - Seated groups of up to 160 people or standing capacity of 750.
Highlight - The competitively low minimum spend for exclusive hire makes the Oxo Tower an appealing venue for varied budgets.
Queens, London
Full disclosure - we haven’t hosted an event at Queens, yet. It hasn’t quite been the right venue for our client events. However, we have visited and it’s one of the many, many London venues we have on our radar.
Queens London is a multi-activity venue complete with an ice rink, bowling, curling, augmented reality darts and an underground amusement arcade. This is an event venue to appeal to the competitive side of the guests, which could make it an ideal place for team-building or an employee incentive event.
Exclusive room hire is an option or businesses may hire the whole venue. Food and drinks are available onsite, courtesy of MEATLiquor, and Queen’s in-house event planners are there to ensure your event runs smoothly.
Truthfully, this is not the setting for sophisticated client entertainment or any kind of conference or seminar. However, it could be the perfect place for organisations to have some fun and interact. Potentially, it’s an excellent option for a corporate family day.
Capacity - Up to 1000 for the whole venue hire.
Highlight - Their photo booths provide a means for guests to create event keepsakes.
Frameless
Only opening its doors in Autumn 2022, we hosted an event there in early 2023 and it became one of our most memorable - for all the right reasons.
Situated near Marble Arch, Frameless is an interactive art gallery that uses digital technology to transform classic artwork into a fully immersive multi-sensory experience. Although there has been much buzz around this attraction, many may be unaware that the space can be used as an alternative corporate event venue in London.
“Frameless was such a cool venue, one of the best yet!”
- Saffron, Event Assistant
Unlike most day visitors, our guests didn’t merely roam through the attraction’s four galleries. Our client enjoyed a drinks reception with canapes and then a three-course seated dinner in The World Around Us Gallery where they dined surrounded by the digitally-enhanced works of Cezanne, Monet, Rembrandt and other famous artists. Throughout we played very Bridgerton-style string quartet music, which complimented the artwork beautifully.
Frameless works exclusively with RHC Hospitality, whose food is excellent. They knew how to best use this unique space and assisted us in creating the best set-up to enrich this vivid and mesmerising experience.
Capacity - Approximately 200 for a seated dinner.
Highlight - There was no entertainment needed as the rooms themselves where the entertainment.
Venue Finding For Business Events
Did you know that as well as end-to-end event planning, Dynamic Events also offers an expert-led venue-finding service? Get in touch today to discover unique options for your next corporate event space in London and internationally.