Large Conference Venues in London

Why is London a great city to host large conferences?

Now we may be biased, but we think London is the best city in the world for events. For one, London boasts incredible access points from all over the world, whether that’s airports or train stations, making it easy for attendees to get to from all over the UK and Europe. Secondly, due to the sheer size of the city, there is a huge range of conference venues available in London, from all different sizes, types, aesthetics and price points, meaning that you can easily find one to suit your specific needs and budget.

As well as these practical points, London is simply a fantastic city to be in. Whether you’re chilling on Southbank, partying in Brixton or strolling Hampstead Heath, there is a huge range of activities, restaurants, bars, hotels and landmarks here, sprinkled with the gorgeous London aesthetic and offering plenty to keep your guests occupied while they’re here.

What is a large conference venue and why are they popular?

The term large is fairly subjective, but for us, a large event venue would be one that can accommodate upwards of around 500 attendees. A large conference venue is popular for events because they offer a lot of space so not only can event organisers welcome a large number of people, they can also usually have a dedicated space for exhibition/catering, run a lot of content sessions, and perhaps even have the space to run other sessions such as workshops. This is perfect for clients that want to attract a big audience and create a memorable, important experience for their attendees and brand.

There are many large conference venues in London, so finding the best venues to suit your needs should not be difficult. However, there are some things you need to keep in mind when searching for a large venue in the perfect location. First and foremost, you need to consider the cost of the event space. Large venues in the centre can be quite expensive, so you need to make sure that it fits within your budget. Secondly, you need to think about the location. London is a large city with many different areas, so you need to make sure that the venue is located in an area that is convenient for your attendees to get to/from.

Lastly, your event team needs to consider what facilities and services the conference centre offers. Some large conference centres offer dedicated meetings spaces, catering, audio-visual equipment, and other services that can be very helpful for events. Make sure to research all of the available options before making a decision. If you keep all of these factors in mind, then you should have no problem finding the right venue and location your event in London. For more help, get in touch with our event experts and we’ll be happy to help out.

How much does it cost to hire a large conference in London?

The cost of hiring a large conference venue in London will depend on many factors. As well as the usual considerations such as catering options, branding, free wifi, AV, time of year, location, etc, you’ll need to factor in a significantly higher venue hire cost than you’re used to, if you usually plan much smaller events. For example, a 1000 pax conference at a Central London venue on an on-demand day of the year could set you back upwards of around £10,000, depending on the venue of course.

When it comes to conferences, many venues charge on a DDR basis - Day Delegate Rate. This means you pay per head for each attendee and everything is covered, from venue hire to catering. This can be a cheaper way to do things, although can be tricky if your conference is set to welcome thousands of attendees. Other venues will just charge for venue hire and then extras on top. Make sure you do your research and compare different costs to work out the best deal for you.

It’s also a good idea to think about whether you want a dry hire venue or a wet hire venue, as one may work out cheaper. Check out our guide to dry hire vs wet hire, which may help you when weighing up your options. For more of an idea on venue pricing, contact us and we will be happy to assist!

What are the best large conference venues in London?

There are a number of large conference venues in London that would be perfect for your next conference. Here are just a few of the options available to you:

Central Hall Westminster

Situated in the heart of Westminster, this stunning venue boasts a Great Hall seating up to 2,160 people. Perfect for a London conference with a warm atmosphere in a spectacular setting.

Kia Oval

Ok sports fans, this is for you! The Kia Oval, whilst being a world-famous cricketing location, is also a fantastic venue for large conferences for up to 700 attendees. Plus, the in-house catering is top notch.

Conway Hall

This Grade 2 listed building is an impressive venue for a large conference for around 400 delegates. Fully accessible, with state of the art AV and theatre lighting, this venue in Holborn is a great option.

East Wintergarden

Heading east to Canary Wharf, the stunning glass structure that is East Wintergarden is a magnificent backdrop for your conference of 1000 people. The whole vibe of the venue is modern and stylish, and was designed by world-renowned architect Cesar Pelli.

London Stadium

This newly-renovated venue was the home of the London Olympics and is an iconic setting for your conference sessions. Welcome up to 1000 delegates in the same space Mo Farah once walked through!

Alexandra Palace

No list of large conference venues in London would be complete without the magnificent Ally Pally. This iconic venue’s largest hall is an elaborate display of Victorian elegance and provides a unique setting for up to 7000 delegates theatre style. That’s a big conference!

Top tips for planning a large conference in London

Organising large conferences can feel scary, but the key is being organised! From branding to AV, there is a lot to think about. Here are a few tips on planning large conferences to get you started.

Find the right location

Venue location is key – you’ll want to be close to good transport links and accommodation for your delegates. There are so many different prime locations in London that work really well for large events with flexible spaces, so don’t be shy to explore a new area you haven’t been to before! Make sure the venue is fully accessible too - go on a site visit to check you’re being as inclusive as possible.

Know exactly what budget you have (and don’t have!)

Organising a large event is expensive, it’s just the name of the game. But if your client is expecting a 10,000 person conference on a shoestring budget, that’s just not going to happen. Have regular meetings with them and be honest with your client about your estimated costings and instruct them to be realistic with the budget. It’s better to get sign off on a bigger budget initially than have to keep going back apologising that you’ve gone over! Often, people who don’t organise events have no idea about costings for things like venue hire, catering or branding, so lend them your expertise and draft up an estimate of what you think the whole thing will cost.

Make sure the venue can accommodate everything you need

From catering to AV, there are a lot of moving parts involved with a large conference. Be in constant communication with the preferred venue and ensure they can deliver everything you need before you sign the contract! Ask all the questions you need and don’t be afraid to be annoying, it’s in your best interest to nail down the details early on to avoid stress later down the line!

Do plenty of tech rehearsals

A large event usually equals big conference sessions with important speakers, perhaps even being streamed around the world. This puts a lot of pressure on the tech team at the venue and you need to make sure they’re prepared. Do plenty of run throughs, especially if your event is hybrid - good sound systems are crucial. A tech issue is inevitable but with rehearsals, you will minimise any major disasters.

Make sure you have enough food

This sounds pretty simple, but if you run out of food, delegates won’t be happy and they will remember your event for all the wrong reasons! It’s tricky, but try and cater for more attendees than you’re expecting so that you don’t have a shortage. Anything surplus you could donate to the homeless or a local charity. Cater to a wide range of dietary restrictions and preferences, and work with your caterer to create a bespoke menu that works for your event.

Think about logistics

When planning a large conference, it’s important to think about the logistics of the event. This includes things like access times, shipping, and transportation, all the way down to staff travel and accommodation.

Make sure you have enough staff

You’ll need a lot of manpower to get things off the ground, but in addition to event planners, you’ll also need people to help on the day withthings like wayfinding, security, and people to man the doors like workshops rooms and the cloakroom. Use volunteers, students and freelancers to help keep things running smoothly.

How to find the perfect large conference venue in central London with Hire Space

Finding the perfect event venues in a prime location, especially for a large-scale event like a conference, can be extremely overwhelming. Don’t settle for anything less than average or for a venue that seems to be too good to be true - it usually is! Let us take the stress, hassle and time-draining task away and use our free tool to search over 6000 venues with your preferred details. We’ll match you up with several of our best conference venues that will work best for your event!

For more extensive guidance and assistance throughout the event planning process, book a free consultation with our experts about our full service events management tool, Hire Space 360.