The Best Private Party Venues in London

Corporate parties have a reputation for either being a lot of fun… Or no fun at all. In order to make the one that you plan something that people will remember for all of the good reasons, you’ll need to keep a cool head and come up with a strategy that works. The more that you know about what the employees want, the better a party it’s going to be.

Start Early

So, you need to start planning your corporate party? Then it’s best to start thinking about it and making plans much earlier than you might expect. Particularly if your party is happening near a holiday season, venues can book up really quickly. If you want the time to make a calm and informed choice, then getting organised early on will help you plan everything just the way you want it, while keeping on top of the rest of your day to day work. Breaking down all of your tasks into prioritised lists will help you to stay on track while you wait for replies from your enquiries.

Put a Team Together

While having a list is a great first step, it’s almost impossible to plan a large corporate party by yourself, so get a good team around you to help out with all of the logistics. Delegating items to certain people and having frequent progress meetings will make sure that you are all on the same page. Having a team means that everyone has a chance to communicate their ideas of how the event should go and with the support of others, you’re much more likely to have the courage to try something new.

Choose Your Theme

Even a corporate party needs to have a theme. This doesn’t mean fancy dress however; your theme can be much more subtle. If you are having an awards ceremony or a talk from senior leaders in the company, your theme could be something as simple as ‘Success.’ Having this in mind will help you to brand the event and organise the dinner and party in a way that complements it. It will help you to come up with the different awards that you want to give out to staff and show them that there is a reason and purpose to the whole event.

Set a Budget

One thing you can’t forget about when planning a corporate party is budget. You might have some grand plans, but depending on how much money you’re being given, these might not come to fruition. Your budget will decide on a lot of factors, and you’ll need to stick to it and come up with cost estimates for each part of the event. If your budget is tighter than you’d like, you might have to look into alternative venues or a different keynote speaker in order to keep to the standard that you wanted. Checking your cashflow at regular intervals is important, as deposits need to be paid to secure services.

View Some Venues

One you have a plan in mind, it’s time to view some potential venues. There’s an abundance of private party venues for hire in London that are perfect for a corporate event, so you’ll be spoilt for choice when it comes to choosing from them. This is why it’s such a good idea to walk around them in person with another member of your team, so you get a feel for their atmosphere and space. If you are having speakers, you’ll need a stage, and a good-sized area if you are also having a sit-down meal. If it’s more of a casual end-of-year party, them you’ll be looking for something that has a cool and relaxed vibe, so that everyone feels free from the stresses of the workplace.

Promote and Invite

Once you have the date, time and venue all sorted out, you’ll need to start promoting your event. The first way that you can do this is to send through a formal invite to everyone in your company, as well as stakeholders and other important people that you want to attend. Follow this up by asking them to register and let you know of any dietary requirements that they may have. If this is a strictly internal party, you won’t be promoting it on social media, but you may want to consider having information about it on your company intranet. The most important thing is that everyone should know about it and be eager to attend.

Have an Agenda

If you are having speakers, an awards ceremony, or anything that requires some logistics to be ironed out, you’re going to need to have an agenda. This will give you a timeline to stick to throughout that will ensure that you’re not getting behind at any point in the evening, dinner won’t wait after all! Giving everyone speaking a certain length of time and getting them to stick to it is the best policy when it comes to planning out your evening in the best way possible.

Take Photographs

What is a corporate party if you don’t have any photographs to remember it buy? Make sure that you have a professional photographer in attendance to capture all of the best moments, particularly of employees with prises and of keynote speakers. Not only will these make for some wonderful mementos, they can also be used for future promotions and branding. If you can update your company blog with a post about your corporate party and how much everyone enjoyed it, along with a few key snaps of the night, then this will allow your customers to see the human side of your business.

Whatever you do, make sure that everyone has a little bit of downtime at the end of the night – it is a party after all! Whether this means heading to the clubs or hiring your own entertainment, no one wants a corporate party that is too corporate. Remember to have some fun!

How much does a cool private party venue cost in London?

Private party venue costs depend on the style of venue, the number of guests, the location and how much private space you require. If you’re looking to save some money, you could consider hiring a private area for part of the night - for dinner, for example - and then head to the public bar for the rest of the evening. Your best bet is always to talk honestly with the venue manager of a space you think could work for your event, let them know what you’d like to do and what your budget is, and they can make recommendations to help organise a memorable party. You can use the advanced search function on Canvas to narrow down the right party venues for you, then use the Wishlist function to make a short list of your favourite spaces.

What kind of venues can I hire for a party?

There are all sorts of venues in London you can hire for a private party. From exclusive and luxurious penthouses to quirky warehouse spaces and cosy bars, you can find the perfect space for your upcoming private party on Canvas. When you’re trying to choose a venue it’s useful to have your guest list and budget in mind. Generally speaking the more information you can share with the venue manager, the more specific they can be with their recommendations for your event. But if that feels overwhelming and you’re just putting the feelers out, having your budget and knowing how many people you’d like to invite are key. Checking venue capacity is especially important when finding Covid-19 secure venues so you and your guests are able to socially distance throughout the event.

What is a private party?

A private party can be any type of gathering that is held in a space that isn’t open to the public. This can be ticketed, have a guest list or just be an honor system, but typically you need an invite to go. Events can range from a low-key birthday party upstairs in a pub, to an elaborate ticketed gala. You don’t need to have a huge budget to host a private party, so if you’re looking to hold a cost-effective event have a think about offering drinks vouchers rather than an open bar, or sharing platters instead of a sit-down meal.

What is the difference between a private and semi-private party?

Semi-private events are typically private areas in a public space. So think of a VIP area or booth at a bar. The benefit of semi-private is that you get to enjoy some of the benefits of a private party - everyone gets a seat, and you can often take advantage of table service - but while still enjoying the atmosphere, music and even entertainment of the wider venue. This is a great option for birthday parties and fun celebrations, but is not generally recommended for corporate events where privacy is key.

Can I bring my own music when I hire the space for a party?

If you’re hosting a private party in a venue, normally the answer is yes! Most spaces are very flexible with their music when it comes to exclusive hire, but if you’re sharing the space with other patrons they might not be able to be as accommodating. If having your own music is important to your event, hiring an exclusive space for a private party is normally a good call. Some venues have specific suppliers they work with which can include DJs, so make sure to check in with the venue manager and discuss the different options available to you before you confirm your booking.