Vue West End and Lincoln’s Inn join Westminster Venue Collection

Westminster Venue Collection is delighted to welcome two new members to its marketing consortium – Vue West End and Lincoln’s Inn.

Vue West End, in the heart of London’s bustling Leicester Square, has hosted premieres of some of the country’s cinematic favourites over the years. Aside from its obvious first-class capabilities as a nine-screen cinema, Vue’s exceptional facilities lend themselves to hosting conferences, presentations, meetings and private screenings.

With screens seating between 79-270 guests, Vue can offer outstanding flexibility for private and corporate events, hiring out individual or multiple screens, or even the entire site for sole use. Vue’s leading technology allows for seamless presentations in high definition, with the ability to link screens to multiple sites around the country. Event planners can also recreate their own red-carpet experience for guests in the prestige of Leicester Square with private catering available for up to 300 people in the bar area at the venue.

James King, conference sales manager at Vue West End, said: “Vue is excited to get started working with Westminster Venue Collection and the other members involved in the group. With an ever-growing marketplace, it’s a great opportunity to promote Vue to a wide variety of event bookers, as well as providing an alternative product to those searching in the Westminster area. We look forward to welcoming a new pool of event professionals through our doors for site visits and events in the future.”

Epitomising British elegance, Lincoln’s Inn sits in a tranquil eleven-acre estate on the edge of Holborn, boasting distinctive ‘old Legal London’ architecture and a remarkable array of historic halls alongside contemporary meeting facilities. From innovative fine-dining experiences to wedding receptions, small syndicate workshops and major conferences, the events team are well-versed in hosting an occasion to wow the masses.

With around 800 years of history and a characterful composition of Grade I and II listed buildings, the venue’s brand-new conference centre is a charming contrast to Lincoln’s Inn renowned regal tone. The eminent nineteenth century Great Hall recently reopened for events following a series of renovation works to rejuvenate the architectural beauty of the Tudor Revival style, hosting up to 250 guests for dinner or 400 for a reception. The perfectly preserved Old Hall also has an appealing grandeur, hosting up to 200 guests.

Kirsten Kruls, events and marketing manager at Lincoln’s Inn, said: “We’re thrilled to be joining Westminster Venue Collection alongside such a range of the most prestigious venues in London. Following a three-year refurbishment closure and the upcoming launch of our brand-new conference space, the Ashworth Centre, the collection will offer brilliant exposure for our historic venue within the borough and industry. We look forward to sharing best practice, collaborating with like-minded event venues and taking part in the collection’s unmissable annual showcase.”

Rachel Azzopardi, chair of Westminster Venue Collection, said: “We are delighted to have these two fabulous new venues on-board. Two very strong additions to the collection, they’re both a great example of the vast spectrum of venues that Westminster has to offer, demonstrating both modernity and the classical, with the highest standards intact. This brings our total number to 35 members, from unique private members’ clubs and luxury hotels to celebrated attractions and historic institutes.”

Westminster Venues with glorious gardens

During one weekend in June, London’s hidden green spaces give rare access to the public and host a range of activities for the Open Garden Squares Weekend.

The initiative, held on 8-9 June, is designed to highlight some of the capital’s best gardens and green spaces and raise vital funds for the London Parks and Gardens Trust so it can continue its work to protect them.

To coincide with the event, Westminster Venue Collection puts the spotlight on its venues with glorious gardens to help you pick the perfect spot for your next event, whether it’s a summer soiree, an alfresco dining affair or post-event drinks.

The National Gallery Garden
Spaces don’t come more hidden than The National Gallery Garden. The gallery’s newest ‘secret garden’ space is a secluded sunken courtyard surrounded by fragrant jasmine bushes and accessed by a hidden door on neighbouring Trafalgar Square with capacity for up to 60 guests. The gallery – home to world-famous nature-themed paintings like Van Gogh’s Sunflowers and Monet’s The Water Lily Pond, has also created the Jubilee Walk – a covered outdoor space surrounded by limestone and glass features which can host up to 420 guests at a drinks reception and 315 guests at a sit-down dinner.

College Garden at Westminster Abbey
History buffs and horticultural enthusiasts will delight in hosting an event in Westminster Abbey’s College Garden. The private, 900-year-old walled garden is thought to be the oldest garden in England and offers views of the Abbey and Victoria Tower, part of the Palace of Westminster. In June and July, a stylish glass marquee with a decked porch area is erected, making College Garden an idyllic venue for a relaxed reception, formal gala dinner or corporate conference and lunch.

The York Lawns, Regent’s Conferences and Events
Event planners have four acres of garden space in which to host an event for up to 1,200 people at Regent’s venue within one of London’s most famous outdoor spaces. Set within private grounds in Regent’s Park, The York Lawns feature landscaped lawns, trees, mature shrubs and seasonal blooms. During the summer months, the space boasts a hard-floored marquee which can accommodate 450 guests.

The Courtyard at Dartmouth House
The courtyard garden at Georgian townhouse Dartmouth House will make guests feel like they’ve stepped onto the terrace of an elegant French chateau. The stunning oasis in the heart of Mayfair, which can host up to 150 guests, features manicured potted plants, a fountain, and wrought iron tables and chairs to create the atmosphere of a garden at a French stately home.

116 Pall Mall
Tall trees and lush greenery envelope The Garden and Terrace at the prestigious 116 Pall Mall. This tranquil, hidden gem can be easily accessed from the Carlton Room and will whisk guests away from the hustle and bustle of central London when they enter it. Perfect for summer parties, drinks receptions, film shoots, pop-up events, launches, parties and networking events.

A Royal visit to Bush House

Her Majesty The Queen and The Duchess of Cambridge recently visited King’s College London to officially re-open Bush House.

On 29 March, the royal party arrived to meet with staff and academics and to have a tour of the recently renovated Bush House (previously the home of the BBC World Service), which now features an auditorium, various tiered lecture theatres, meeting rooms and the stunning eighth floor event space with rooftop terraces. The Queen and the Duchess both remarked on the “impressive” view across London.

The visit ended in the new auditorium where the Queen, who is patron of the university, unveiled a plaque to formally open Bush House.

For more information on hosting your event at Bush House, contact [email protected] or call 0207 848 1700.

Church House Westminster hosts Frexit party celebration

A full house of 650 guests travelled to Church House Westminster from France on 29 March in support of Britain’s exit from the EU.

Yes, that’s right, Frexit! The day Britain was set to leave the EU saw 650 guests attending a party to celebrate independence and international relationships. The fact that Brexit didn’t take place on the planned date did nothing to dampen the enthusiasm of the energetic, partisan audience.

French guests were given headphones to receive live translations of speeches delivered in English, all of which helped create a loud, colourful, good-natured atmosphere within the venue’s largest room, The Assembly Hall.

The next challenge was to feed 650 very hungry French nationals within the allotted 45-minute break. In keeping with the theme of the evening, a bowl food menu was created including classics like bangers and mash, and fish and chips alongside French wine to celebrate the best of both countries.

Re-fuelled and raring to go, the speeches continued through to midnight when the evening was concluded with a rousing rendition of God Save the Queen and “La Marseillaise”. As guests departed the Assembly Hall, they were handed a glass of Brexit-branded Champagne, imported especially to toast the event that never happened!

New outdoor space at the National Gallery

The National Gallery presents a brand-new space for 2019, the National Gallery Garden.

Responding to an increased demand for outdoor entertaining options in Central London, the garden offers a peaceful escape from neighbouring Trafalgar Square. Accessed by a secret door, this hidden courtyard is surrounded by fragrant jasmine bushes and is ideal for private drinks receptions for up to 60 guests.

For larger parties of up to 250 people, the Portico Terrace and Foyer boasts unrivalled views overlooking the iconic Trafalgar Square. This is one of the Gallery’s most impressive outdoor event spaces. Ideal for a summer drinks receptions and alfresco dinner parties with an exquisite black and white mosaic floor, this venue never fails to make an impression.

High occupancy for autumn conferences at The Royal Society

The Royal Society is already reporting 80% occupancy for meetings and conferences in October and November this year.

With a limited number of remaining dates for this period, event planners must act fast to secure one of 12 iconic rooms in this central London location, just off Pall Mall.

From elegant and opulent meeting rooms to modern spaces boasting natural daylight and modern AV equipment, its unsurprising that the venue is in high demand both this season and the next.

To ensure you can get availability for your autumn event, make sure you contact the conferencing team as soon as possible to discuss your event and check availability. Please call 0207 451 2612 or email [email protected].

IET London: Savoy Place all set for major exhibition shows

IET London: Savoy Place will be exhibiting at IMEX Frankfurt and The Meetings Show in 2019.

At IMEX Frankfurt, 21-23 May, the team from Savoy Place will be located on the England Pavilion stand F340. Delivering three presentations throughout the exhibition, attendees can discover the tech hacks all event organisers should know about, from top tips on what microphones make all the difference, to the questions they should be asking about Wi-Fi, and many more ways they can use the venue’s tech to brand their next event.

The expert staff, who together host 10,000 events a year, will also showcase the venue’s state of the art technology, AV capabilities and stunning roof terrace (with panoramic views over the River Thames), at The Meetings Show, Olympia London, 26-27 June.

Buyers interested in finding out more can contact Tom Bennett on 07738 713864, [email protected].