The Porter Tun is one of the largest and oldest unobstructed event spaces in London. An exposed King Post timber roof giving a clear span of 60ft above a 778 square metre antique wooden floor makes it a perfect location for conferences, awards dinners, fashion shows and exhibitions. The large raised balcony is ideal for a reception area or presentation platform. It is equipped with state of the art sound system, Wifi, and fully integrated LED lighting system. This room is fully air controlled and has natural daylight. The Malt Room is able to be booked as a green room.
A modern and adaptable venue, perfect for large conferences, office parties, private dinners, product launches and much more. Being able to accommodate a capacity ranging from 360 cabaret to 1,597 theatre style, please contact us to see how indigo at The O2 can assist in bringing your corporate event to life.
When it comes to conferences we're total cinema converts, not least of all because of the seating (you'll never go back to regular old conference chairs). At Hire Space "how to make conferences more engaging" is often a hot topic of discussion. It's safe to say a cinema screen with full surround sound, plus dynamic digital signage, allowing for engaging branding opportunities, are both sure-fire ways of engaging your audience. This is especially true when all of this comes as standard in the venue hire, without having to spend mountains on production costs, which it does at Cineworld.
This is Nobu Hotel's iconic event space, Kaijo. The 178sqm of floor space with exclusive street access and flooded with natural daylight can be arranged into 6 unique room options with the flexible use of removable walls to create a variety of space and room availability for your business event, be it a meeting, conference or networking reception.
Here East is London's newest venue with 33,000 sq ft of unique meeting and events space in the heart of East London's Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. This is a hi-tech space which is purpose-built for creativity and bringing people together to share ideas and be inspired. Ideal for conferences, TED-style talks, employee engagement, team building events and days. The space is flexible and can host a myriad of different layouts thanks to our in-house production team. We can easily accommodate meetings, dinners, awards galas, and consumer engagement events too.
The Jarvis Auditorium comes with the latest audio-visual technology. During the daytime, the Jarvis is let in conjunction with the Florence Hall for catering and exhibition stands. Surrounded by carved limestone walls, floor-to-ceiling windows and its adjacent roof terrace, the Florence Hall creates an inspiring environment for networking. RIBA Venues has created a DDR package as a one-stop-shop for the client with all venue, catering and AV needs for the day taken into consideration.
The Auditorium offers space to seat 500 delegates, making it an excellent choice for your conference, screening, product launch or training event. There is plenty of space for an AV set and the possibility of hiring the motorised ceiling rig which has pre-installed lighting and sound equipment. The space can host 225 cabaret and 262 classroom. In this space we have held the Business Travel Summit (Centaur Media) Scala (Skills Matter) and Work 2.0 (Terrapinn) With the additional adjoining breakout rooms, this space is perfect for a Conference with breakout sessions and catering.
The Main Gallery is perfect for any central London events. From drinks receptions to seated dinners through to networking events looking for a unique setting. The London Film Museum can provide exclusivity of all 4 cellars or individual spaces, providing many options with perfect fluidity between rooms. The Main Gallery features the 'Bond in Motion' exhibition providing a unique event space and an exclusive view of 007's vintage car collection. The museum can also be hired exclusively, providing access for all cellars and mezzanine level.
Organising a conference is a tough task, especially if it's your first time. But fear not, for we're here to help. We’ve compiled our top tips for planning a stress-free conference that will leave your guests impressed, whatever the budget.
The keenest conference bookers will be snapping up some of the best conference venues up to a year in advance, and the best way to avoid disappointment is to always be one step ahead. Lead times vary depending on the size of your event and the selection of venues suitable for large conferences is limited, so leave plenty of time to organise a conference with 200 delegates and above.
Don’t forget that the majority of attendees will be leaving home early and travelling further than their usual commute, so keep things easy for them. Pick a venue with good train, tube and bus links and plenty of parking spaces if you expect people to drive.
You may have an idea of how many guests will turn up, but do you really know how big your venue needs to be? 50 people sitting theatre style needs a very different space to 50 people sitting cabaret style - you don’t want your 10th table out in the corridor. Have an idea of the format of the day, do you need break out space for coffee breaks or workshops; where will you have lunch? These will help you to choose the perfect space for your conference.
In days gone by, a neutral function room would have satisfied all our conferencing needs, but these days you’ve got a plethora of alternative conference venues available that can be perfectly matched to your brand. Oak-panelled libraries, Victorian warehouse lofts, glass penthouses or historic landmarks - make sure your venue is saying the right thing about your conference.
Do your guests know how to get there? Do they know the dress code? Is there any prep they need to do beforehand? Last-minute arranging may be OK for some, but most people need to know these things weeks before an event.
Sometimes a change of scenery can make all the difference, and lots of venues offer extra spaces for break-out sessions or for dining. Perhaps you’ll want to use one room during the day, but with a different set-up. Planning the agenda early on will help you decide.
It may be low on your list, if at all, but first impressions can make or break the first few hours of the day. A slick registration process in an impressive entrance area really puts your best foot forwards. But why stop there? Stalls, promotions, info-stands, entertainment; any space is invaluable if you use it well.
You don’t have to re-write the Olympic opening ceremony, but lighting and special effects can really engage your guests and keep people listening. Mood-lighting, videos, music, props, interpretive dance...when matched with the right audience, this can be the most fun and creative part of planning a conference.
Don’t overlook tech. Always think about things from your guests perspective - do I need a wifi password, can I use the equipment provided without needing assistance, do I know how to fix a problem if it occurs? Test out sound and any presentations before the day to iron out any issues. Many conference venues have an in-house team and a whole host of innovative tech to use, so use their expertise and make the most of your event.
Like it or not, one of the most talked about things on the agenda for a conference will be the food and refreshments, but you really can make a huge difference with catering. Formal meals can be good networking breaks, while a quick finger buffet can keep people going through a creative workshop session. Most importantly make sure it’s tasty (why not ask the venue to let you try some before booking?) and nutritious, you want your delegates on top form during the afternoon.
It’s likely your guests will hope to take away a few new contacts from the day, and this should always be on a conference planner’s to-do list. Table plans, name-badges, ice-breakers and good hosting skills will keep conversations and business cards flowing. We've got some tips for networking like a pro here.
The actual content and structure of the conference will always be very specific to you and your guests, but make sure you’ve got a clear timetable and agenda for everyone, especially the staff working at the venue. They’ll need to know the break times as much as your guests do.
Make sure your speakers are fully prepped too. Share your objectives for the day and give a bit of background on your delegates so that everyone is on the same page and you get the most from the day. Don’t forget to provide all the information your speakers need about how to get to your venue, who they need to meet, timings
Not often forgotten, but easily overlooked as a key part of the overall conference experience. Do your smokers know where to smoke; do your guests have to spend their entire break queuing for coffee or the toilet. Down-time should be there to refresh and recharge, so make it count.
The golden rule about having a tight agenda is to stick to it like glue. For every minute you run over, that’s a minute more your guests’ minds have strayed out of the room and into the bar. If the closing speech is the most important one of the day, make sure people are still with you.
After all that hard work, your guests (and most importantly you) will no doubt be looking for somewhere to wind down and reflect on the big day. Having a good bar/pub nearby is essential, and booking and area/function rooms shows you’ve thought of everything.
The day isn’t over when it ends, and the true results of a conference are in the follow up activities to see how engaged people really were. Always thank people for coming, review what happened, and share the progress that’s been made. Don’t forget to invite them to the next one too. Delegates like to feel special, so why not provide them with some exclusive content from one of your speakers or perhaps recommend some supporting reading that will help them towards their own goals. It’s the little touches that will make your event memorable.
London is a global business hub and has more than its fair share of venues perfect for conferences of all shapes, sizes and budgets. From purpose-built conferences centres and hotels to more unusual venues such as theatres, nightclubs and venues with views, there's a space to suit all companies and brands.
We've collated some of the best and brightest from our diverse selection across the capital. If you see a venue that suits your occasion you can contact them directly through Hire Space to receive a personalised quote from the venue. If you still need a few more options then our Venue Experts are on hand to help.
Use the 'Ask a Venue Expert' feature to let the team know what you're looking for and you'll receive a bespoke proposal with a handpicked selection of venues to perfectly suit your event, and all for free, so you can focus on pulling off your best conference yet.
Hire Space responded immediately with some fantastic, unique options. Couldn't have been easier.
Ruthlessly efficient in delivering exactly what we want... a triumph!
