We'll take you down, deep down, to where all the fun happens. Hold your next big event in London's darkest little basements, vaults, cellars, caves and arches. After all, isn't it about throwing an under the radar, offbeat event when it comes to London corporate capers? Laura Richards picks out five underground venues there's just no getting over.
Pulse & Bankside Vaults
Not only is South Bank's rocking Pulse & Bankside Vaults available for events around the clock - we're talking 24 hours, party people - but the dramatic underground event space spans across five railway arches. Plan a presentation, product launch or showcase up on the stage, or party on down with colleagues. Pulse & Bankside Vaults can host sit-down banquets, entertainment on projection screens or even more entertainment at one of its bars. You can even ramp the corporate gig up a gear, thanks to a state of the art sound system and lighting effects to challenge any set-up in the capital - above or below ground!
Hoxton Basement
Two basement rooms, one banging private event space - delve deep underneath Hoxton Street for one hell of a hip party. Discover walls and ceilings washed in white, contrasting on-trend concrete floors and a chic oak sliding door between two rooms. Hoxton Basement is quite simply ideal for launches, exhibitions and parties for the coolest of clients. Or if you fancy putting the bass into basement, there's a Funktion One sound system to wow your intimate crowd.
The Vaults
What would you do with 30,000 square feet of space? Plan an event above and beyond your wildest dreams and very much below the ground at The Vaults, a cavernous recess under the arches of Waterloo Station. Each of the eight arches can be hired out individually for smaller sized events that can feasibly range from art installations, receptions, galas, feasts and performances thanks to a bulging tech spec, eery low-hanging ceilings and blank canvas Victorian brickwork, atmospherically dripping with damp. Yep, this venue sure is unique.
Village Underground
Just because Village Underground is one of London's better known underground venues doesn't mean it's any less hip. Indeed, the cool credentials of this below-ground warehouse speak for themselves: a mounted tube carriage marks its Shoreditch location, inside is all tall Victorian vaulted ceilings and there's room enough for 720 standing. No wonder it's home to so many classy gig and club nights. Make it home to your conference, gala or product launch too and guarantee you're the talk of the office... for all the right reasons.
Ivory Vaults
If you're going to take that corporate event below ground, why not take it back in time too at Ivory Vaults, a swinging medieval-themed cellar below Tower Hill's Grade II-listed Ivory House. Banquet like they did back in the day or keep it simple with a presentation, conference or dinner dance. Then again, why would you want to keep it simple when a historic ambience echoes through the cold, low vaults and a team of medieval strollers, jesters and members of the court can be laid on for your entertainment.
If you're going underground, Hire Space has plenty more scope - we are the champions of underground London venues, both literally and metaphorically. Have a chat with one of our team and we'll unearth some beauties for whatever shape or size of event - medieval, on-trend or otherwise!