Looking for an unusual London event venue? Isn’t everyone? As #EventProfs, it can be difficult to come up with something new and unknown, but the great news is that the capital is bursting with brand new additions and hidden gems that are hidden from view.
Team Noodle make RFID name badges for events and can supply registration staff to help welcome your guests, so we’ve seen our fair share of unusual event venues over the years. We thought it was high time we put together a list of some of our favourites:
Venue: Bedouin Tent
Location: Bishopsgate
Nearest Tube: Liverpool Street
What’s the deal: This 16-sided Bedouin Tent is just moments from the heart of the city but has a peaceful atmosphere, making a little oasis for smaller groups. It was made in Saudi Arabia from woven goat hair and it’s positioned in a beautiful garden area so there is also access to outdoor space too.
Capacity: 25 people
Perfect for: Meetings or workshops. Participants need to remove shoes before entering and seating is circular bench seating, so relaxed or informal groups looking for a bit of calm in the city would work perfectly.
Venue: Printworks
Location: Surrey Quays
Nearest Tube: Canada Water
What’s the deal: This is one of London’s newest large-scale music venues and it’s a bit of a gem. With nearly 120,000 sq ft of space and a 2 am licence, it’s a great place for parties and late night gatherings.
Capacity: 6,000
Perfect for: Conferences and exhibitions of experiential events. There is plenty of space here and it’s also a blank canvas, so you can bring your own creativity and unleash your design genius.
Venue: Dennis Severs’ House
Location: Spitalfields
Nearest Tube: Liverpool Street
What’s the deal: Step back in time in this preserved museum that gives a glimpse into East London homes from the 18th century. Every detail is meticulously looked after so that guests feel they are walking through a time capsule. Discover the cellar, visit the eating-parlour and wander through the lodging rooms at the top of the house.
Capacity: 20-30 people
Perfect for: A fantastic venue for small parties or photography shoots. You can also book organised tours and experiences for small groups.
Venue: Gods Own Junkyard
Location: Walthamstow Village
Nearest Tube: Walthamstow Central
What’s the deal: An old warehouse full of neon signs and kitsch memorabilia. The warehouse is situated on an old industrial estate and surrounded by local breweries who serve pints of beer direct from the factory floor. It’s a cool local hangout and an Instagram-lovers paradise. On weekends, visitors can grab a cocktail and a cake from the café inside the warehouse.
Capacity: 60+ people
Perfect for: Cocktail parties and receptions. The backgrounds are stunning and you’re sure to get loads of social media interactions and guest photographs.
Venue: ABQ London
Location: 455 Hackney Road
Nearest Tube: Bethnal Green
What’s the deal: This is London’s first ‘immersive molecular cocktail bar’, inspired by television series Breaking Bad. Set in a 70s style camper van, guests are encouraged to dress in head to toe yellow plastic suits and get involved as their cocktails are ‘cooked’ using high tech science.
Capacity: 10-15 people
Perfect for: Intimate events with a fun factor. The RV does 2-hour packages that include 3 molecular cocktails each.
Venue: The Postal Museum
Location: Farringdon
Nearest Tube: Russell Square / Farringdon/ Chancery Lane
What’s the deal: A subterranean blank canvas that is intriguing and playful. The best feature of the venue is its access to Mail Rail – a 15-minute train ride through hidden tunnels underneath London. If you hire the Mail Rail Depot, you can opt for an enhanced experience in which guests are able to take a ride. The main depot itself has beautiful vaulted arches and exposed brick, making it an atmospheric backdrop.
Capacity: 275 people
Perfect for: Exhibitions, award ceremonies or experiential events
Venue: Brixton Windmill
Location: Brixton
Nearest Tube: Brixton/ Clapham North
What’s the deal: Owned by Lambeth Council, this 200-year-old windmill is open to the public just a few days of the month during summer. The real attraction is the outdoor space surrounding the windmill which comes to life in summer as an oasis away from the crowds of South London.
Capacity: The inside space is limited but there is plenty of room in the surrounding grounds for outdoor events for 200+.
Perfect for: Summer cocktail parties and events. Sip on a refreshing drink and take a tour of the historic building for a glimpse of old London.
Venue: The Old Operating Theatre
Location: Southwark
Nearest Tube: London Bridge
What’s the deal: Located in the attic of a church, visitors must climb 52 steps up the bell tower to access the Operating Theatre, a museum of an old medical demonstration theatre that dates back to the 18th and 19th centuries. It’s a ghoulish relic of the past where guests can sit in a hemicycle to watch presentations or entertainment. As well as the museum, there is also a large hall that works for receptions and canapés and a small reception area.
Capacity: 60 people
Perfect for: Talks and seminars that are accompanied by an aspect of networking or a canapé reception.
Venue: Chiselhurst Caves
Location: Chiselhurst, Kent
Nearest Transport: Chiselhurst Railway Station
What’s the deal: Ok, so it’s not in London, but it is only 30 minutes from London Bridge on the train and it’s worth the journey for something a bit different. The caves are a natural rock formation and include uneven floor and spooky chambers. You will need to contact the organisers to make special arrangements if you want to book a private function in the caves.
Capacity: 50+
Perfect for: Drinks parties and canapés or an atmospheric dinner. Guests must be ready to get in touch with nature but some modifications can be made to make the space as comfortable as possible.
Want to take your event to the next level? Why not add RFID name badges to so that you can speed up registration times, keep track of what people get up to during the event and gather great data that will help you demonstrate ROI? Want to know more? Contact one of our sales consultants for a good old natter (usually about event tech, but we also enjoy talking about apps, beaches and favourite biscuits to dunk in tea too).