The HeadBox guide to booking a venue in London

London – the international capital home to almost 9 million and visited by millions more each year. The city pulses with endless possibilities for hosting events of all kinds. From corporate conferences to intimate private dining, finding the ideal venue sets the stage for any experience.

Understanding the intricacies of venue pricing can seem as complex as navigating the Underground map for the first time. However, like the Tube system, this process is quite straightforward once you get the basics down.

This casual guide explains the venue-booking process (and some related jargon), offering insights into common pricing structures for various venues in London. We look at 6 different types of event venues in London and give you advice on what sort of prices to expect.

Table of Contents

1. Conference venues
2. Meeting rooms
3. Party venues
4. Private dining
5. Studios
6. Bars
7. Frequently asked questions

Conference venues

Common pricing types: Daily Delegate Rate (DDR) or venue hire fee.

• A DDR is a fixed price per person and commonly includes the venue hire, breakout rooms, amenities such as water, tea and coffee, WiFi, and AV (audio/visual) equipment like a TV screen, projector, microphone, etc.

• A venue hire fee is a booking at a base cost. This fee commonly includes venue set up and clean up, AV equipment, and amenities like water, tea, and coffee. Extras such as a meeting & events coordinator or team to assist the organisation, planning, and execution of the event, tech assistance, and catering may incur additional charges.

• Both the DDR rate and the venue hire fee are most commonly offered at a half-day or full-day rate.

Rates for conference venue bookings made through HeadBox:

• Median price per head: £25
• Median budget: £3,500

Meeting rooms

Common pricing types: Daily Delegate Rate (DDR) or meeting room hire fee per hour.

• Both pricing types commonly include the meeting room hire, breakout rooms, amenities such as water, tea, and coffee, WiFi, and AV (audio/visual) equipment like a TV screen, projector, flipchart, etc.

• Extras such as catering may incur additional charges.

• The DDR rate is typically half-day or full-day, and the room hire fee is most commonly per hour but may also be offered at a half-day or full-day rate.

Rates for meeting room bookings made through HeadBox:

• Median price per head: £46
• Median budget: £500

Party venues

Common pricing types: Venue hire fee, package per person, and minimum spend.

• All three pricing types typically include reserved space, basic setup, and staff support.

• Depending on the venue, additional services such as catering and entertainment may be included or available for an extra cost, but many London party venues offer entertainment packages and set menus.

• Minimum spend: London party venues often operate on a minimum-spend basis, where a certain amount must be spent at the bar and/or on food or other services during the event.

Dry hire: While less common for party venues, some may offer dry hire options for those who prefer to bring in their catering.

Deposits: Depending on the venue as well as the number of people for the event, many London party venues will require a deposit to secure the event space.

Rates for party venue hires made through HeadBox:

• Median price per head: £19
• Median budget: £1000

Private dining

Common pricing types: Minimum spend, set menu/package per person.

• Many private dining rooms in London require a minimum spend on food and drink to secure a private or semi-private dining room.

• Many restaurants also provide set menus that are priced per person. Wine pairings and drinks most often incur additional charges.

Rates for private dining hires made through HeadBox:

• Median price per head: £66
• Median budget: £1,500

Studios

Common pricing types: Venue hire fee.

Hiring a studio in London commonly includes the space as well as technical equipment like backgrounds or props in photo studios, and AV equipment in recording studios.

The fee is commonly per hour but may also be offered at a half-day or full-day rate.

Rates for studio hires made through HeadBox:

• Median price per head: £40
• Median budget: £250

Bars

Common pricing types: Minimum spend and venue hire.

• Booking a bar, pub, or cocktail bar in London typically involves semi-private hire of a space within the venue or exclusive hire of the entire venue.

• Many venues operate on a minimum-spend basis and a venue hire fee for an exclusive book-out.

• Many pubs offer private dining rooms and set menus, typically with a minimum bar spend and deposit to secure the booking.

• Many bars, cocktail bars, and pubs offer exclusive hire of the entire venue, this typically requires a deposit, a venue hire fee, and sometimes a minimum bar spend as well.

• Bars are especially susceptible to fluctuating prices. Most bar venues will set a price that ensures any private hire will reimburse lost earnings on walk-ins. Booking a bar in Central London on a Friday night is unlikely to be cheap.

Dry hire: While less common for bars, some venues may offer dry hire options for those who prefer to bring in their own catering while still requiring a minimum bar spend on drinks.