Need a venue for something a little bit alternative?
Look no further. A café might be just what you need. If you don’t want to have
to hire out a large venue or head to the pub again, why not go to the calming surroundings
of your local coffee house? There’s much more to them than meets the eye.
Variety
Not all cafés are made the same. There is
the retro, the modern, the minimalist and the art-deco. Because of this, there
really is a café for every mood, or every event. You might be thinking that a café
is a public place and so having your event there won’t really work when you’re
surrounded by the public. Yet many cafés can actually be completely hired out,
or small sections of them to accommodate your group. This is particularly
popular in the evening time, when most cafés are either much quieter, or shut
completely. With so much variety in the cafés for hire in London, you’ll
definitely be able to find just the spot that you are looking for.
Choosing the Right Café
Every café is different, so it’s important
that you pick the right one for your group. Do you want to hold a team building
event there, or maybe something more casual? The first thing you need to look
at is the actual size of the space. There’s no point in hiring out somewhere
that’s either too big or too small. We’ve already mentioned theme as well. Every
café has a unique ambience, so it’s best to visit them and see if you think it
has the right feel for what you need. Location is also essential however. It
might be the best place that you’ve ever set eyes upon, but if it’s located on
the other side of town, and is difficult to get to, no one if going to want to
attend your event.
What Type of Alternative Events Take Place
in a Café?
Café’s are much more accommodating than you
might think. When you hire out a space, you can generally use it for whatever
you want, and cafés are popular spots for a range of activities where people
want to sit down over a warm drink instead of an alcoholic one. That’s not to
say that alcohol is never allowed. There are many cafés in the city that allow you
to bring your own booze for special events.
Writing Group
A café if the perfect venue to host a
weekly or monthly writing group. Whether you get together to read each other’s
work and discuss it as a group, or to get some solid writing time in, cafés
have been beloved by writers for years. For a special showcase event, you can
hire out the full space so that you can all present your different writing to
an audience.
Afternoon Tea
If you have a hen do or birthday party that
needs something a little bit different, many cafés will offer a truly bespoke
afternoon tea experience. In fact, you can hire out the venue for the full
event, so you can decorate it in whatever way you want, have games, and your
own music playing so it’s completely your space. At that stage, having the
afternoon tea is just a bonus!
Board Game Meet-up
It can be hard to find a space that can
host a large board game meetup, which is why cafés are ideal. Not only can you
hire them out for all of the hours required, you can also put as many tables
together as you’re going to need to get going. Multiple games can happen at one
time in a large café, so whether you want to play D&D or Monopoly there’s
sure to be room for everyone.
Open-Mic Night
Open-mic nights are always popular. Where
anyone can get up and sing a few songs in an effort to make it big, or just to
have some fun. While they are commonly held in pubs, cafés have recently seen a
surge in music nights, or even afternoons. What could be better than sipping
hot chocolate in the winter time and listening to a range of singers and songwriters
trying out their new work? If you are thinking of hosting your own music night,
perhaps it’s a good idea to check out a café as an alternate venue.
Comedy Improv
Similar to the open-mic nights, improv
nights have seen a surge in popularity around cafés. They are small enough that
people don’t feel quite as intimidated and are a safe place where they can get
critique without all of the heckling. The same goes for poetry slams. These
need to happen in a fairly quiet venue, and many bars just don’t have the rooms
available to accommodate this type of performance.
Coffee Tasting
This one is self-explanatory. If you are
looking an exciting afternoon event for team building or a birthday party, then
a specially organised coffee tasting at one of London’s top cafés is a great
alternative idea to try out. These coffee virtuosos really know their stuff, so
even if you’ve never really been able to tell the difference in the beans
before, you’re sure to know it after a session with them.
Speed Dating
Speed dating nights are tons of fun, and
you never know, you might meet the person of your dreams! Instead of hosting it
in a noisy bar where everyone is already a little bit drunk and can’t hear each
other, why not have it in a more sophisticated setting such as a café? This
way, real connections are much more likely to happen.
If you are planning an alternative event, a
café might be just the venue that you’ve been looking for. With so many
different styles out there, there’s definitely going to be one that will suit
your group. The owners are sure to want to help you in any way that they can,
and pretty soon you’ll be wondering why you ever considered another venue at
all.
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