One of the main benefits of hiring a conference venue in London is the huge range of venue options you will have available to you. This means that you can plan a conference that meets your vision and requirements, whether you’re hosting a small or large gathering in the capital.
The Types of Conference venues available to hire in London
- Large conference rooms
- Landmark building
- Creative spaces
- Exhibition centres
- Auditoriums
- Meeting spaces
- Theatres
- Seminar rooms
- Halls
Many London conference venues come complete with everything you need to ensure that your event is not only memorable but that it goes without a hitch. Many conference venues in London come complete with the following facilities and equipment:
- Large stages
- Screens and projectors
- Comfortable seating
- Television screens
- Stationary equipment
Some even have technical support available to hire on site.
Why should you plan a conference in London?
London is renowned for being a leading global business hub and is home to some of the most iconic landmarks in the world. Boasting an eclectic nightlife and entertainment scene, countless buildings of historical significance, world famous hotels and theatres, as well as purpose-built conference centres, there are plenty of reasons why the capital should be your first port of call if you’re planning a conference in the UK.
Our top conference venues in London include:
East London – English National Ballet
Angel Islington – The Duke of Cambridge
St Johns Wood – Abbey Road Studios
Elephant and Castle – Ministry Venues
London Bridge – Omerara Live
Of course, there are lots of other conference spaces in the capital to explore.
Your check list for planning the ultimate conference in London
If you’re planning a conference in London and need a helping hand, you’ve certainly landed in the right place! We’ve created a conference planning checklist that is sure to put you on the right stead to delivering the ultimate conference, whatever your requirements.
Nail that budget – Before you even think about searching for the perfect conference venue in London, it’s important that you nail down your budget and understand your limits. After all, there’s no point setting your heart on a venue and planning around it, if it’s simply not within your budget, right? When you start to consider your guest list, budget, and location, remember that venues can vary in price tremendously.
Location, location, location – When choosing a conference venue, location is everything! After all, it’s important that the venue is accessible, can accommodate accessibility requirements, and has excellent transport links and parking.
Does the venue have the facilities you require? – Every conference is entirely different, therefore it’s important to check that the venue you are considering has the facilities and amenities you need to ensure your conference is a roaring success. Does it have the technological equipment you need? Is there Wi-fi? Does it have the space you need to host your vision?
If you’re planning on serving food, you should also check if there are kitchen facilities, and remember, if you need to switch up or decorate a room in a certain way, you should always check whether the venue is happy for you to do this.
Is the venue accessible vis public transport? – Whether your guests are travelling to your chosen conference venue from in and around London, or from further afield, it’s important that it is easily accessible. Check out the transport links in the area and make sure there is suitable bus, rail, and air access.
Check cancellation policies – Although the chances are slim, you might find yourself in a situation where you or the venue need to cancel. If this is the case, you will need to refer to the venue’s cancellation policy. Make sure you check this in the early stages to ensure that it meets your expectations.
The best areas in London to hire a conference venue
Conference venues in Shoreditch
Shoreditch is bursting with opportunities for a whole host of conference and entertainment options – both day and night! Quirky, buzzing with activity and considered one of the coolest parts of the capital, Shoreditch is also a core part of London’s thriving business landscape and is a great destination for business, especially within the creative sector.
Conference venues in Kings Cross
Known as one of London’s busiest transport hubs and business landscapes, Kings Cross is an excellent location to host a conference. And with lots of flexible options available, you’re sure to find the perfect size space for small and large scale conferences throughout the area.
Conference venues in The City
The City of London the capital’s most historic financial district and is also known as the iconic Square Mile. Home to a fantastic choice of go-to conference venues with the latest, state of the art facilities, the City of London is sure to accommodate all your corporate conference needs – big or small.
Conference venues in South London
South of the river is home to plenty of accessible conference venues that offer the latest facilities to host both small and large scale conferences. Home to lots of iconic buildings, world class clubs, restaurants and galleries, you certainly won’t be short of things to see and do. Some of the most popular areas in South London to host an event includes Greenwich, Crystal Palace, Brixton and Peckham.
How to plan a conference in London
Whether you’re an experienced conference producer or a bit of a novice, it’s a good idea to start with our planning checklist to ensure you’ve got the foundations of your event in place before the invitations get sent out.
Step 1: Set a purpose
Why are you planning a conference? Maybe it’s an established annual event, or it’s filling a new niche in the calendar. Either way, it’s good to have an overarching purpose for your conference that you can remind yourself of when decision making gets tough.
It could be to present exciting scientific findings or create a space whether vendors and suppliers can network. It’s especially useful to have this purpose in mind when choosing a keynote speaker, which is often the highlight of the conference for delegates. Is there another conference that fulfils a similar purpose to yours, and how can you make your conference unique, memorable and useful?
Step 2: Plan a budget
Planning a budget can seem daunting but it’s vital to know what spending money you’ll have available to you before you start making big decisions. It’s generally possible (and virtually unavoidable) to change the budget once you’ve started, but it’s important to know a ballpark figure. This will help you make decisions from the get-go and keep delegate expectations in the right place.
Step 3: Pick an estimate date and location
Peak time for conferences tends to be between the end of August and mid-November. It avoids the summer - when everyone is on holiday - and the festive period - when everyone is drunk/hungover. You could consider planning your conference between January and May though and making the most of quieter calendars and potentially off-peak venue prices. Conference planning often starts about 10-12 months before the event, so bear in mind how much lead time you’ll need.
Step 4: Choose a venue
So you’ve decided on the purpose, budget and location of your conference - now you need to pick a venue. When you were settling the financial plans you should have outlined an estimate cost for your venue hire, as well as the number of delegates you’d be expecting to come. Once you’ve started looking for your conference space you’ll need all of this information to hand to make sure the venues will be suitable for your needs. It’s also a good idea to have a think of any technical requirements you might need, and whether you’d rather the venue provided them or if you’re happy to bring them in yourself.
What conference essentials do you need to consider?
Elaborate bells and whistles are all well and good, but unless you cover the basics, your conference is likely to go down like a lead balloon.
Check out our tried and tested conference essentials that are guaranteed to leave your delegates happy.
High speed wi-fi
This is especially important if your London conference is in the tech industry; expectations will be high! Unless you’ve got firm assurances from your venue that their wi-fi can handle a lot of intense traffic, it might be worth bringing in extra resources to make sure all your delegates can access and use the wi-fi reliably. This can be an unexpected expense, but it’s well worth it. Having access to wi-fi should also encourage your delegates to be active on their social media accounts while at the conference without having to rely on their own data.
Free hot drinks
It’s not always feasible to make the budget stretch to feeding all your delegates for free - unless you’re organising a smaller event, or your ticket prices will incorporate the cost of the meals - but it always goes down well if you can provide free hot drinks. Depending on your event this could be as simple as hiring a number of large urns, or it could mean bringing in baristas. Why not use the opportunity for a marketing boost by adding your hashtag or social accounts to the coffee cups for additional exposure. Don’t forget to provide free water, too.
Lunch
Even if you’re not providing food for free, it’s a good idea for your delegates to at least be able to access it within the venue. If your guests have to leave for their lunch, it’s much more likely that they won’t bother coming back. Consider inviting local food vendors to set up inside, and as they’ve got a “captive market” they may be able to cut you a good deal for a reduced menu. Whatever you do regarding food, remember to include options for vegans and vegetarians as well as those with gluten or dairy intolerances.
Eco-friendly
It’s good practice to try and make your event as sustainable as possible. Have a think about your disposable cups and plates; bamboo cutlery makes a great alternative to plastic and is generally considered to be a good biodegradable option. Just remember that even if you have recyclable materials, your delegates will still need somewhere to recycle them. Why not provide facilities for your guests to separate their food and recycling waste to maximise the benefit.
