Venue Hire London

You need to hire a venue. You have an event coming up, and it’s your job to make sure that every aspect of it goes to plan. We all know that a venue can make or break any event, whether it’s a corporate meeting or a birthday party. The search is always on for the top unique venue in London that will give your guests an experience that they’ll never forget. Yet finding the right venue for you comes with its own set of questions that need to be answered. To help you, we’ve laid everything out that you’re going to need to consider when finding the perfect London venue for your event.

Budget 

London prices can vary dramatically when it comes to venues, so knowing how much you have to spend will help you to narrow down your choices. Depending on your budget, you could be looking at some stately homes for hire or an historical venue to really wow your guests. You might even start looking at the range of ballroom venues for hire in London. 

On the other hand, if your finances have been a bit stretched this year, there are loads of alternative options that still provide the promise of an amazing event. Many London pubs are not only quirky and unique, they also operate on a minimum spend basis. This means that so long as your guests spend a certain amount at the bar, then the venue hire won’t cost you a penny. As well as this, hotels can offer conference rooms at great prices for corporate events, so it’s worthwhile shopping around to find the best deals. Once you have a figure in mind that you can spend, you’ll be able to start your search.

Theme 

The type of event you are hosting will of course have an impact on the type of venue hire that you are looking for. If you are planning an exhibition, you’ll be looking for a venue that has enough room for all the sellers, such as a bespoke exhibition space or conference hall. If you are planning a hen party, you might be looking more at a member’s club or even searching for a space where you can host a specific activity to do like a cookery class or wine tasting. The style of the event will determine the type of ambience that you are looking for in your venue hire. Whether it’s chic, sophisticated, rustic, or relaxed, knowing the theme of the event and the feeling that you want your guests to have when they arrive will help you find the perfect venue.

Location 

With so many fantastic areas of London to hire venues, it can be difficult to narrow it down! The most straightforward way to do this is to consider where all your guests are travelling from. The less they have to travel to get there, the better, so try and keep within a certain distance away. You’ll also have to look at transport links to and from the venue as well, particularly if you are looking into venue hire for a large group. Different areas of London will also be more or less expensive, so if you need to save some pennies, it might be best to look outside of Soho, although there are always bargains to be had! 

Searching for venue hire in London top tips?

While you might have a general idea of the price, style and location you are looking for in a venue, there are a few more things that you will need to consider before making any final decisions.

Book Early 

London is a busy place, and as venues become well known, they are snapped up really quickly. You’ll need to start looking well in advance for your event, particularly in busy seasons. For example, if you are looking for a garden venue or summer party venue in the summer, these are going to book up really quickly, as it’s their busiest season. If you have left things a little to the last minute, you can always look into some more unusual venues such as blank canvas or creative spaces. It might not be what you were looking for initially, but these venues have their own unique style that can really make an event pop.

View the Potentials 

While you’re searching to hire a venue, don’t forget about the importance of viewing them in person. That way you can see what the size of space means in real terms, and you can decide if the ambience is right for you and your group. You can also meet the manager in person and ask them any questions you might have. Viewing a number of venues for hire before deciding will make all the difference.

Parking and Amenities 

We’ve already mentioned transportation as an important aspect when booking a venue for hire in London, but you will also need to consider what the parking arrangements available for guests who are driving. There’s nothing worse than driving around trying to find a venue so this is something that you’ll need to communicate in advance. You’ll also need to look at the different amenities available in the venue. Is there disabled access available as well? It’s these things that can really make or break the venue hire decision. 

Hiring a venue in London can be daunting, but with the great list that Canvas Events provides, all the stress can now be a thing of the past. Having a plan with all of your ideas for the perfect venue hire written down will help you to find the perfect one for whatever event you are hosting – every single time. Event hire doesn’t have to be difficult, just follow our top tips and you’ll be able to find great spaces for any occasion.

How much is venue hire in London?

London is a fantastic city for venue hire and event for one brilliant reason: there are so many to choose from. Whatever type of event you’d like to organise, there will be a perfect venue for you and your budget. The main factors that will impact the price of your venue is the location, how many people are coming, and the facilities you need the venue to provide. If you need to save some money, it’s worth thinking about which of these factors are the least important for your event. For example, if you’re hosting a conference in London, you’ll need a venue that can provide all your amenities and has the capacity for a lot of people, so maybe you’d look for a venue in Zone 2 to make it less expensive. With a press night, having a central location is crucial, so you could potentially save money on the services the venue will provide. All of our venues are very knowledgeable when it comes to events, so it’s always worth getting in touch with them directly through Canvas if you are looking for more information.

Is choosing a dry hire venue in London cheaper?

If you’re working with a limited budget for your event, choosing a dire hire venue can often save you some money. A “dry hire” is when you just pay for the use of the space, and provide the catering, drinks and entertainment yourself. It’s a great option if you know in advance that you’d like to organise your own refreshments – but depending on the caterers you choose, going “dry hire” isn’t always cheaper once you add up all the separate costs. You can also consider finding a venue with a minimum spend rather than a hire fee. That means you get a free venue, as long as you spend over a minimum amount in food and drinks. Some affordable venues for hire can offer dry hire, wet hire and minimum spend, so you have the option to calculate which would be least expensive for your event.

How can I find a last-minute London venue for hire?

Do you need to find a venue “today near me”? You’re in the right place! All you need to know is where you’d like to host your event and the type of event you’re having, and we’ll show you all the venues that will be right for you. If you’re in a rush, we recommend calling the venues to get an answer as quickly as possible – all the spaces we work with list a phone number that goes directly to the event organiser, so they’ll be able to let you know whether they have availability. We’ve got lots of amazing spaces and you’ll probably be spoilt for choice, so use the Wishlist function to make a shortlist of all your favourite venues. You can even send them a bulk request so you don’t have to type the same email twenty times.

Where are the best accessible venues for hire in London?

When you’re organising an accessible event, you want to make sure the space you choose has as many accessibility features as possible. Think about the guests you might be welcoming, and whether they may be using a wheelchair, a service dog or a hearing loop. All of these facilities will help you include as many people as possible in your event. It’s important that not only the venue is disability-friendly, but it’s great if it’s located near an accessible Tube or bus station as well. Hiring a venue with accommodation can help those who are travelling from outside of the city, and quick transport to major railway stations and airports is a great bonus. When you’re searching for an accessible venue for hire on Canvas, make sure to select “Venue Specs” and you can filter venues by their facilities.

Do I need a late license for venue hire in London?

Sometimes everyone wants to let their hair down and have a great night out past midnight, so why wouldn’t you want to be the host! However, late licenses and closing times in London can make that a bit complicated. The good news is that if you’re searching for a venue on Canvas, you don’t need to worry about organising the licenses yourself. Once you’ve chosen your London location and event type, just hit “Licenses” on the search page and select “Open past 12am” or “Late license” for a list of all the spaces that would love to host your late night party.