finding event venues

by Frederik Nielsen on May 19, 2019 Leave a Comment

26 Unique Event Spaces (That Will Leave a Lasting Impression)

There are many pieces to the puzzle of organising a great event. Finding unique event spaces is one of them. We’ve compiled a list of alternative venues (mostly in London) that we’d like to share with you for inspiration.

Although most venues on our list do their own thing during business hours, they all have the option for you to hire them for a private event. Without further ado, here are 26 unique event spaces that will leave a lasting impression on your guests.

1. ABQ London

Fans of the Breaking Bad series will love ABQ, which is a bar inside of an RV. Guests are guided by staff in chemical suits and gas masks to “cook” their own meth-inspired cocktails.

2. Caboose

Right next to The Old Truman Brewery in Shoreditch is a derailed train carriage. Inside of that derailed train carriage is an American street food restaurant serving Southern classics.

3. Altitude 360°

Unique Event Spaces: Altitude 360. — Altitude 360

London can be a beautiful city, depending on how many cranes decorate the skyline at any given time. Give your guests a 360-degree view of the central London skyline with Altitude 360.

4. The Black Cab Coffee Co

Unique Event Spaces: The Black Cab Coffee Co. — The Black Cab Coffee Co

If you thought black cabs were only good for getting you to the nearest coffee shop, think again. The Black Cab Coffee Co has converted a black cab into—you guessed it—a coffee shop. And yes: They can be hired for events, too.

5. Below Zero Ice Bar

Unique Event Spaces: Below Zero Ice Bar. — Below Zero Ice Bar

The Ice Bar is literally one of the coolest venues in London. Everything is made out of ice, including the walls, stools, bar, artwork, and the glasses you drink your cocktails out of.

6. The Bloody Oyster

Unique Event Spaces: The Bloody Oyster. — Image Credit: Secret London.

The Bloody Oyster sounds like…something you wouldn’t want to get involved with. But in reality, it’s an exciting double-decker bus converted into an oyster and Bloody Mary cocktail bar.

7. London Transport Museum

Unique Event Spaces: London Transport Museum. — London Transport Museum

It’s not just for show. The London Transport Museum is also a great venue you can hire, full of iconic red London double deckers, trams, and some of the first tube carriages.

8. The Attendant

Unique Event Spaces: The Attendant. — The Attendant

How would you like to party in a public toilet? What could possibly be more appetising than eating out of converted urinals? The Attendant is definitely a very unique event space.

9. Basement Galley

Unique Event Spaces: Basement Gallery. — Basement Gallery.

You’ve probably never seen anyone on the Tube chow down on a Michelin-star meal. But that’s exactly what you can get at the Basement Gallery, which is fine dining inside of a tube carriage.

10. The Postal Museum

Unique Event Spaces: The Postal Museum. — The Postal Museum

Not to be outdone by the London Transport Museum, the Postal Museum also offers a great event space in the subterranean environment of century-old Mail Rail tunnels.

11. Swingers Crazy Golf Club

Unique Event Spaces: Swingers Crazy Golf Club. — Swingers Crazy Golf Club

How about some food and golfing? How about both inside of a converted WW2 bunker? It might sound crazy, and that’s exactly what Swingers have gone for with their Crazy Golf Club.

12. The Treehouse

The Treehouse is a very wooden venue. The walls are covered in wooden cladding, the space is filled with woodland animals, and the entire bar is located in what looks like…a loft.

13. Jazz Live at The Crypt

Unique Event Spaces: The Crypt. — The Crypt

Most horror films are scary because of the intense music that is being played. But what if the soundtrack was smooth jazz? That’s exactly what you can experience in The Crypt.

14. The Ivory Vaults

The Ivory Vaults is not only home to some of the most interesting theatre plays in London. It’s also a very unique event space that will wow your guests with its underground setting.

15. Brigit’s Bakery

Unique Event Spaces: Brigit's Bakery. — Brigit’s Bakery

Afternoon tea is a staple in Britain, but how about travelling afternoon tea? Brigit’s Bakery serves cupcakes, macaroons, and tea inside of what is a bus and a boat at the same time.

16. Cereal Killer

Unique Event Spaces: Cereal Killer. — Cereal Killer.

For the ultimate hipster experience, look no further than the Cereal Killer cafe in Shoreditch. Not only can you get every cereal in the world, but they also have cocktail bars and private rooms.

17. The Floating Boater

Unique Event Spaces: The Floating Boater. — The Floating Boater

London’s canals are beautiful in the summer months, so there’s plenty of scope for a sailing soiree with The Floating Boater. Hire the Prince Regent canal boat for your floating event.

18. Kanaloa

Kanaloa is perhaps the most tropical venue in London. There is a rainforest retreat, tropical leaves on the walls, and staff in hula skirts serving cocktail out of pineapples and canons.

19. The Mayor of Scaredy Cat Town

Unique Event Spaces: The Mayor of Scaredy Cat Town. — The Mayor of Scaredy Cat Town

If you go to the Breakfast Club bar and ask to see “The Mayor,” you’ll discover that one of the fridge doors leads down to a hidden basement speakeasy and a very unique event venue.

20. The Silent Disco Boat

Unique Event Spaces: The Silent Disco Boat. — The Silent Disco Boat

Love disco but hate other people’s taste in music? Then silent disco might be what you need. The Silent Disco Boat combines the intimacy of silent disco with a floating party experience into one of the more unique event spaces.

21. PuttShack

Unique Event Spaces: PuttSchack. — PuttShack

It does everything it says on the tin: PuttShack is a place for food and mini golf. It’s not any old mini golf, however. It comes with the latest technology which makes it an innovative experience.

22. Moonshine Saloon

Unique Event Spaces: Moonshine Saloon. — Immerse yourself in cocktails at the Moonshine Saloon

The Moonshine Saloon brands itself as the largest immersive cocktail experience in London. All packed inside of a traditional Western-style saloon where you can hide from the sheriff.

23. The Dickens Inn

Unique Event Spaces: Dickens Inn. — Dickens Inn

Fans of Charles Dickens will love this unique event venue. Everything inside is styled according to the Dickensian universe, packed into a stylish pub by the Thames riverside.

24. Alcotraz

Unique Event Spaces: Alcotraz. — For some prison cocktails, head to Alcotraz

Alcotraz is based on the infamous US prison and cult film. Your guests will dressed up in orange jumpsuits, placed in real prison cells, and then served drinks in metal mugs.

25. Looking Glass Cocktail Club

Unique Event Spaces: Looking Glass Cocktail Club. — Looking Glass Cocktail Club

The Looking Glass is more than just a cocktail club. It’s one of the many speakeasies in Shoreditch, where you step through the looking glass and enter a parallel universe.

26. Bunker 51

Unique Event Spaces: Bunker 51. — Bunker 51

Want an event with a bit more danger and action? Then check out Bunker 51. It’s a Cold War nuclear bunker remade to host events of all kinds, including laser tag and paintball.

Found something unique?

You can’t possibly walk away from this list without at least one new favourite venue to organise an event in. Come on, a bus? A bunker? A crypt? What about the public loo?

If you’ve spotted any unique event spaces that we’ve missed, please do let us know in the comments and we’ll add it to the list.

Happy planning!

by Frederik Nielsen on April 3, 2019 Leave a Comment

12 Types of Venues for Events (And How to Understand Venue Cost)

If you’ve read our guide on how to find a venue, you’re probably wondering how much money you should part with.

Venue hire pricing varies as much as the different types of events held in them. So to understand how the venues are priced, let’s look at what venues there are in the first place.

The 12 most common types of event venues

An event venue can be any place your event is held. (It doesn’t even have to have walls or a ceiling.) That said, there are certain types of venues that are ideal for events.

Read on to discover which one is best for your next event.

1. Bars, pubs, and clubs

If you’re organising a party or live show, there are few better-suited venues to hold it in than bars and clubs. That said, you can also get a good deal if you hire them during the day.

Best suited for: parties, live music, comedy nights, and tasting events.

2. Restaurants

You can book a private dining room or, if your event is big enough, book out the entire restaurant.

Best suited for: dinner parties, birthdays, wedding receptions, business meetings, and tasting events.

3. Hotels

Many hotels come equipped with restaurants, bars, ballrooms, conference rooms, and other event spaces, making them the ideal choice for many different types of events.

Types of venues for events: Hotels. — Hotels can handle a range of different events.

Best suited for: parties, dinner parties, tasting events, business meetings, conferences, presentations, networking events, and wedding receptions.

4. Conference centres

Although many conferences are held at hotels, purpose-built conference centres are also a popular choice. They have all the AV equipment you need and often provide catering as well.

Best suited for: conferences (duh), business meetings, presentations, and networking events.

5. Business centres

There is a certain degree of overlap between business and conference centres. Typically, business centres tend to be more concentrated around day-to-day activities such as meetings and co-working.

Best suited for: business meetings, networking events, and presentations.

6. Community centres

Local governments and organisations (such as churches) have space available for private hire. The venues might not always be impressive, but it’s possible to get yourself a really good deal.

Best suited for: meetings and community events.

7. Sports clubs

Local sports clubs, like golf, football, and rugby, might have extra space that they’re willing to hire out to private events in order to generate additional income for their members.

Best suited for: sports-related events.

8. Art galleries

Art galleries are largely empty spaces so there’s room for the art installations. This also leaves room to host events of all kinds, and you might be able to negotiate a decent price.

Best suited for: workshops, artist meetups, and networking events.

9. Academic venues

Like sports clubs, academic institutions are eager to make some extra cash. You’ll find that many schools and universities are happy to rent out part of their premises for private events.

Types of venues for events: Universities. — Academic venues can be a smart choice for events.

Best suited for: writing workshops, networking events, and presentations.

10. Stately homes

If you’re looking for a fancy venue that isn’t accessible to everyone, then search for some stately homes to host your next event in. They look amazing…but also come with a price tag.

Best suited for: wedding receptions, dinner parties, and corporate retreats.

11. Stadiums and arenas

If you’re organising a giant concert with thousands of attendees, then stadiums and arenas are your best bet. However, you’ll also find that they offer smaller spaces for smaller events.

Best suited for: sports events, concerts, comedy shows, theatre productions, and presentations.

12. Parks and fields

The great outdoors can be used for many different types of events—and there is plenty of space to host them on. Get in touch with your local council to see which parks or fields you can use.

Best suited for: markets, fairs, festivals, concerts, comedy shows, and theatre productions.

Venue pricing

Once you’ve settled on the venue for your event, it’s time to look at the different pricing structures. Not all venues will charge you a flat rate for hiring their space.

Below you will find some of the most common pricing structures.

1. Hire fee

A hire fee is a flat rate that you pay based on how long you need the venue for. You will typically be able to hire the venue for a few hours, half a day, or a whole day.

You can get away with anything from £10 per hour in cheap venues…all the way up to thousands of pounds per day on the more prestigious end of the scale.

Hire fees can be dry (see #2 below) or include catering and technical equipment. It all depends on your deal with the venue.

2. Dry hire

Dry hire is the same as hire fee (see #1 above), except that it’s been made explicit that nothing else is included but the space. In many cases, that means there isn’t even decoration.

It’s a good solution if you want to organise food, drinks, decoration, and technical equipment yourself. However, you should do the math to see if you can actually save money that way.

3. Package per person

Package per person is a pricing structure that does what it says on the tin: you pay a certain amount for each person that attends.

That means the price is typically inclusive of food and drinks the guests will consume. Package per person prices are usually in the area of £30–100 per guest.

Types of venues for events: Venue pricing structure. — Decide on the best venue pricing structure for your event.

4. Day delegate rate

Hotels and conference centres that focus on business events will offer day delegate rates. These are pretty much in the same price range as package per person deals (see #3 above).

Day delegate rates differ in the sense that they are often inclusive of AV equipment as well as any extras the attendees might need such as pens and notepads.

5. Minimum spend

Many hotels, restaurants, bars, and clubs will offer you a minimum spend deal. That means you pay nothing up front to hire the space but have to ensure your guests spend a certain amount.

If your guests are expecting to buy their own drinks and food, this might be a good solution for you. Just make sure the menu items aren’t ridiculously overpriced.

The downside of this pricing structure is that you have to cover the difference if the minimum spend isn’t met. Minimum spends can vary from £200 on a weekday to thousands on weekends.

6. Minimum number of guests

Some venues will offer you a minimum number of guests as a variation on the minimum spend pricing structure. This is potentially an even better deal than the minimum spend option.

Here, you only have to secure a certain number of attendees. The venue calculates that each guest will spend enough to cover their overheads and make them a profit.

As with the minimum spend option, however, you might have to pay a penalty if you fail to bring in the minimum number of guests to the venue.

Tip: Read this in-depth guide to venue pricing to get a better understanding of how much to set aside in your event budget.

Let the venue hunt begin…

Now that you know what kind of venues are available for your event and the pricing structures they offer, you’re in a much better position to find and negotiate a good deal.

If you have any first-hand experience with venue hiring that we haven’t covered in this article, feel free to drop us a line in the comments below!

by Ben Jacklin on February 16, 2019 Leave a Comment

Find the Right Venue for Your Event: Tips to Find the Perfect Space

Finding the right venue is rarely straightforward. Every event has its own requirements.

Selecting a venue that’s big enough (and is available) can be a challenge. Consider some of the questions you need to ask yourself as an event organiser and you will see how tough the process can be.

Does the venue have the right tech setup? Is it easy to access? Is it staffed? Do I need to bring any equipment? It is easy to send yourself into panic stations with everything you need to think about. Our tips are designed to make your life easier.

There are two aspects to consider:

What the process of finding a venue looks like.
How to evaluate venues for suitability.

The process of finding an event venue

What steps should you take to find the right venue? Where does the process start and end? Let’s take a look.

1. Start early

This cannot be stressed enough. A popular event venue can be booked up for months or even years in advance. On top of this, booking speakers, vendors, or performers is easier when you start early.

The more notice you have, the higher the chance of getting the right venue…and the less stressful the process will be.

2. Work to a set of criteria

Imagine going to a car dealership without considering what sort of MPG (Miles Per Gallon) or even how many seats you need. It would be foolish. You should be as prepared as possible.

That goes for venue search, too. You’ll need to create a list of criteria. This should cover everything from capacity to health and safety, distance from public transport and staffing.

To continue the metaphor, make sure you don’t leave the dealer with a sports car when you actually needed a functional family car.

Tip: For a good list of things to think about, take a look at “13 Important Things to Consider When Choosing Your Event Venue“

3. Set a budget

Having a budget is sensible advice in anything you do in business or life. This is part of your criteria, but deserves its own section. Not only should you budget for the venue hire itself but also for any security considerations, staffing, and licensing.

Find the right event venue by first setting a budget — You should always think about your budget when finding an event venue.

Tip: Here’s a great tool to help you create a budget for your next event (including the venue).

4. Shortlist and reach out

It can be very tempting to just find a venue which seems appropriate and go for it. It will mean fewer hours of discussions and evaluating, but it can also mean getting a raw deal and not noticing.

Finding just one venue is tough, but the task at hand is actually to find multiple events and whittle them down to the best one.

Once you’ve chosen a few spaces which fit your criteria, reach out to them for discussions.

They should want your business. For this reason, the venue may be willing to help with staffing and promotion. Discussions are also an opportunity to check things like equipment and what else they can offer.

A venue that understands your needs and is able to help with the extras will save a lot of stress.

Tip: Check out this article for tips on negotiating with venues.

5. Visit

It is something of a golden rule: Don’t book a venue without visiting it first. A visit can easily swing your decision one way or the other. Turn up and find there is no parking or access, rude staff, and broken equipment? It’s best to stay away.

Visits can be time consuming, but they have the added benefit of showing you whether or not the venue feels right for your event. Your gut feeling is important.

Tools for researching venues (and how to use them)

There are many tools that can help you find venues. Some are more obvious than others. The tools below should form at least part of your venue-sourcing arsenal.

1. Tagvenue

Tagvenue is an excellent tool for all sorts of events. They have a UK and Australian database and allow you to search over 5,000 venues.

Their search tool lets you enter the event type, number of guests, and desired location and it will bring you back suitable results. For instance, if you’re planning a live music concert for 200 guests in Manchester, enter these criteria for a ready-made shortlist.

Tagvenue.com venue search — Tagvenue.com is both simple and packed with detail

You’ll also be able to filter the results you get. Relate these filters to your list of criteria. You can search by specific A/V equipment, alcohol licenses, security, and more.

Alternatively, Venue Scanner is another site with very similar functionality. If you are struggling to find results in your area, try their database, too.

2. Event listing websites

Event listing sites are places you can find lots of existing events. There is nothing wrong with getting inspiration from events similar to yours.

To reverse engineer listings, browse similar events in the relevant area. (All event listing sites let you filter results.)

The List event listings — The List is a great place to find event listings and where they are being held

You will quickly spot which venues are being used for similar events. Then you can create a list of venues to research.

This technique does require you to do a fair amount of legwork. But it does guarantee you are finding event venues that are active and in use in your industry.

Tip: There are hundreds of event listing sites out there. For 10 of the best ones in the UK, check out this guide.

3. Search engines

The advice here isn’t limited to Google, but let’s face it: Google is what you thought of.

Event planners have a love/hate relationship with Google. This is totally understandable.

It is still the best method of searching for just about anything. Venues are no different. You can get a ton of results with just a few keyword searches, but this can create more work.

A search for “music venue Birmingham” or “conference venue Southampton” will bring back many pages of matches to sift through.

Unfortunately, the venues that show up in your results will not have been filtered. You will have to do some digging to establish whether they are suitable.

Google also doesn’t guarantee that a venue that shows up on your search is active. You might be frustrated to find a venue that’s been closed for months.

Tip: To up your Google game, check out these “Google Search Hacks That’ll Make Your Life Easier“

Further considerations

Now you know the process of shortlisting venues and where to look for potential event spaces. Here are a few other considerations.

1. Target audience

A venue might appear perfect on paper but not have the right feel for your target audience. Putting on a metal gig? Don’t book it in a classical music venue. Booking an event for corporate high-flyers? Go upmarket. Consider what your target market expects.

2. Fill the room

If you’re expecting 100 attendees and find a 500-person capacity venue within budget, consider a smaller venue. It may seem counterintuitive (and having some wiggle room is fine), but a huge venue will make it seem like you have fewer guests rattling around in your event.

3. Amenities, vendors, and other services

Do you need food served at your event? Will you need tables and chairs or is it a standing event? Can security be provided by the venue? Establish what is on offer early to avoid a headache at a later date.

Tip: Add to event is an excellent website for finding vendors if you need to supply your own.

Get venue hunting today

Armed with these tips, you can create a strong list of options and start to put feelers out. Being smart about it and establishing your needs early will save a lot of time and stress.

Once you find the right venue, go through these event planning tips to make sure you organise a roaring success. Happy venue hunting!

by Daniel Gniazdo on February 15, 2019 Leave a Comment

8 Reasons Academic Venues Are the Intelligent Choice for Events

Corporate venue hire is big business. You’ll find no shortage of choice at the luxury end of the market. Glitzy facilities at top hotels and purpose-built, state-of-the-art conference centres are competing for corporate customers whose networking meetings, training days, or hospitality are positioned to be a stylish brand endorsement.

With so much to choose from, who would think to hire event space at a school, college, university, or learned society?

Until recently, these types of venues were seen as more glum than glam; firmly positioned at the utilitarian, unexciting end of the spectrum. Available out of term time only, academic venues were known for providing practical, no-frills venue hire space for large groups and basic study bedroom-style accommodation.

Luckily, this old-school approach to venue hire has given way to a new, intelligent thinking. It’s based on the realisation that there’s serious money to be made. By maximising the potential of often beautiful historic buildings and investing in new, cutting-edge conference facilities, many colleges and universities now offer business lounges, hi-tech meeting rooms, and hotel-style accommodation that are keenly priced and highly sought after.

Educational venues are now reaping the results of their efforts to develop corporate venue hire facilities within their establishments. If you are considering booking a venue at a school, university, or learned society for your next event, here are 8 reasons to go ahead.

1. Great value for money

Unsurprisingly, value for money is one of the key decision-making factors for booking a venue. For the academic institutions, corporate venue hire is a valuable yet incremental revenue stream. Because the cost of conference room facilities is partly covered by services already employed for students, private hire costs can be kept competitive.

2. Flexible meeting room space

Educational establishments are keenly aware of the need to have flexible teaching spaces. They’re accustomed to configuring rooms and halls into a variety of different meeting room layouts and furniture arrangements. For business clients looking to hire versatile event space, this can be a big advantage.

3. Large-scale event space

Academic institutions are purpose-built to cater for large numbers of students. They include dedicated spaces for learning, meeting, and socialising. From large-scale lecture theatres and grand refectories to smaller classrooms, bars, and cafés, there’s plenty of space available for corporate networking events. (Plus plenty more for additional breakout space.)

4. Year-round availability

While schools, colleges, and universities continue to be governed chiefly by term time commitments, the availability of corporate hire venues among educational establishments has improved markedly over the last few years. Many institutions now have dedicated facilities that are available all year round, in addition to meeting space outside term time.

5. AV/IT facilities

Unlike many commercial venues, academic conference venues tend to come with audio-visual and IT facilities already built into the room and included in the room hire fee (along with free WiFi). With many establishments having heavily invested into the latest technology in an effort to compete with traditional event venues, prices are keen and an on-site technician may also be available.

6. Attentive customer service

Compared to many commercial venues, the educational sector offers attractive employee benefits. This results in higher levels of staff motivation and lower staff turnover. When it comes to customer service, corporate clients can benefit from continuity of service, greater attention to detail, and more personal engagement from staff.

7. Choice of venues

With such a wide range of attractive academic venues now on offer to corporate clients, it’s easy to find the perfect space for every occasion. From sports halls to great halls, small classrooms to grand lecture theatres, indoor exhibition space to outdoor facilities, you’re bound to be find the ideal venue for your event requirements.

8. Individual architecture

Whether you choose a contemporary arts centre or a historic university college, no two event spaces will be the same. Expect to find bags of character and personality, exciting architecture and inspiring surroundings, great vistas, and more. Compared to a modern conference centre or standard hotel function room, an academic venue will have an ambience like no other.

Author: Dakota Murphey provides content for a small selection of event industry sites including Billetto.