Summer venues: rooftops, gardens, terraces

AsHQS Wellington summer approaches and the capital steps outside and into the sun, rooftops, gardens and courtyards across London come to life. Sitting in the warm summer sun with a cocktail in hand is the perfect way to inject a little sunshine into your event. There is no shortage of exquisite outdoor locations in London but to make it even easier to find your ideal al fresco venue here’s our pick of spot on summer venues:

Nothing says ‘summer’ quite like being on the water and HQS Wellington provides the perfect combination of outdoor and indoor space, allowing your event to flow seamlessly regardless of the unpredictable British weather! Wellington is a unique London venue for any functions which benefit from the backdrop of its wonderful collection of marine antiques, including priceless paintings and model ships. It has four hireable events spaces suitable for meetings and dining, including the open-air ‘Quarter Deck’, ideal for summer cocktail parties, receptions and barbecues. From small meetings in a boardroom to a whole ship event, flexibility is a key attraction of this venue. It is licensed for weddings, with a highly personal, professional and innovative conferencing, event and wedding service provided on board by The Cook & Butler.

A venue that combines a flawless reputation for delivering incredible corporate events with the chance for some sunshine is The QEII Centre. The opportunities within this venue are truly vast and the beautiful and astounding interior ensures a slick and professional atmosphere at all times. When the sun does decide to make an appearance The QEII Centre has some lovely outdoor space where drinks and food can be served. The inside space can accommodate up to 1,300 people in the largest room and there is also a wide range of smaller rooms so you can choose the perfect space for your event.

Ideally located opposite Westminster Abbey is the Grade II listed Central Hall Westminster. Well known as a film location and boasting Europe’s largest domed ceiling, the venue is quite a spectacle. With its 22 room portfolio and dedicated team of professionals Central Hall can accommodate a wide range of events. The lesser known area of the building is the beautiful sun terrace where you can watch the sun go down behind London’s iconic skyline.

House of CommonsPerhaps one of London’s most recognised venues is the House of Commons. Unrivalled in its political history it has been a British institution since the 11th Century and is just as impressive today as it has ever been. The House of Commons offers a choice of seven event rooms, with one of the most popular being The Churchill Room (aptly named as many of his paintings hang on the walls) which can seat up to 100 guests for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Most suitable for the warmer months is the stunning Terrace Pavilion, a purpose built marquee perfect for all conditions, complete with panoramic glass doors allowing guests to take full advantage of the spectacular sunshine.11-Cavendish-Orangery-wedding-1200x900

No.11 Cavendish Square is a beautiful Grade II listed building nestled amongst the townhouses of central London. The venue has been sympathetically enhanced allowing it to cater for all types of events whilst still maintaining its original and charming features. The venue boasts a variety of rooms for both larger and more intimate events but perhaps most notably for the upcoming summer months is The Garden Room. Available for exclusive hire for up to 100 guests for a standing reception, it’s not only a beautifully bright space but it can also be hired with the adjoining courtyard allowing your guests to move freely between the two.

St James' CourtA mere stone’s throw from Buckingham Palace is St James Court hotel, a discreet Victorian masterpiece oozing with warmth and sophistication. St James Court offers 17 meeting and conference suites which all come with wireless internet, state of the art technology and video conferencing making it the perfect place to hold a corporate event. The hotel also offers a unique and secluded garden courtyard, complete with stunning flowers and tranquil water features allowing a place to recharge and recoup at any time of the day.

The summer months enable us to step outside, walk around and see a little more of what London has to offer. We hope that something in our top six summer hotspots has caught your eye and that the sun stays out long enough for you to experience them all!

Westminster spotlight: Covent Garden & Temple

LFMSet in the heart of the West End are Covent Garden and Temple, the ultimate destinations for exquisite dining, thirst-quenching cocktails and a buzzing atmosphere. Amongst the array of quaint cafés and eclectic shops are some truly unmissable venues. Here are our top five picks:

London Film Museum is host to a fantastic selection of motion picture memorabilia. Located just off Russell Street the museum is steeped in iconic history and is now home to the James Bond Exhibition. Showcasing the epic 50 year history of the Bond franchise, stepping into the venue is like entering your own 007 experience.

The incredible location is available to hire for a multitude of events, from receptions to special celebrations. The event team has over 25 years’ experience and will manage your event from start to finish and with the essence of Bond all around you, your party will truly have a ‘license to kill’.

Just a short walk from Covent Garden station, and fresh from an extensive refurbishment, is the London Transport Museum. The museum is quintessentially ‘London’ and showcases the institutions that have become the transport life lines throughout the capital. If you’re looking to propel an event to new heights then the museum’s galleries are available for exclusive hire, offering a unique location for your event to really take-off. The galleries can hold up to 500 guests for a drinks reception or 180 for a seated dinner. Juxtaposed against the modern event space is LTMthe venue’s Grade II listed exterior, along with the cast iron pillars of the Victorian Flower Market, making the London Transport Museum a perfect marriage of traditional and contemporary.

A stroll along embankment is The IET London: Savoy Place. After a refurbishment the venue is preparing to reopen its doors this autumn, offering plenty of options for anyone searching for an exciting events venue. Setting itself apart from the competition, the venue offers cutting edge IT, energy efficiency and wireless connectivity throughout making it a premier venue for events and meetings. Not to be overlooked however is the venue’s stunning new rooftop terrace offering panoramic views over the river and beyond.

IET-SavoyAlthough The IET London doesn’t reopen its doors until the autumn, advance bookings can be made on their website.

Meander a little further down the Thames and the HQS Wellington is hard to miss. Combining a maritime atmosphere with a static location opens this venue up to a vast array of event opportunities. Built in 1934 and with six years of wartime service, that saw the rescue over 450 merchant navy men, HQS Wellington comes with an undeniable sense of history and intrigue. The event team offers a selection of packages alongside a bespoke service allowing you to entirely tailor your event. With the Quarter Deck accommodating up to 220 guests or the Committee Room available for a more intimate feel there is something for everyone at HST_M_T_FQS Wellington.

Stepping back onto dry land and past the lions of Trafalgar Square is St Martin-in-the-Fields, a central London location offering historic architecture and cultured surroundings. The venue is one of London’s landmark churches and is enriched by its musical tradition, a unique combination that allows it to stand out from the rest. Dating as far back as the 18th Century, and with historic links to Henry VIII, the venue presents an exhilarating link to the past. Offering competitive events packages and spectacular historic surroundings, St Martin-in-the-Fields is well worth a visit.

Covent Garden is a treasure trove of unique, exciting and superb event venues. Whether you’re hosting a large-scale conference or a small and intimate breakfast meeting there’s bound to be something to suit!

Cavendish rolls out free superfast broadband

Cavendish Conference Centre is now able to offer its delegates free superfast broadband throughout its Oxford Circus site. The centre can offer synchronised upload and download speeds of 50mgb, scalable beyond that on request, with industry leading SLAs. Internally the lines are backed up with two alternative business quality ADSL lines with separate providers for full resilience.

This is an investment into the centre’s facilities, designed to improve the on-site experience for all delegates using the facilities for meetings, training events, conferences and team building. With 8 rooms available in the centre for capacities up to 250, Cavendish has something to suit every professional conference & event organiser.