15 Cool Bars for Hire in London
12 April 2021Updated 19 January 2024Popular culture and prevailing stereotypes would have you believe that English bars are dusty, smelly old places selling warm and bitter beer.
Those places certainly exist – and they’re actually quite charming in their own way – but we’re here to present to you a different story about the bars in London.
Whether it’s for a casual get together on a school night, or a full-on weekend blowout, there’s something for everyone.
You’re about to be given a thorough list of some of the coolest bars to hire in London. So let’s dive right in!
1) Hip and Vibrant Bar for Celebrations
Any Londoner and any guide about London will tell you, you ought to visit Camden. And this hip and vibrant bar is a very good excuse to head over there.
Its bright interior is like an urban tribute to our world’s tropical climates. It’s got a lounge area, a dance floor, a giant disco ball, and they specialise in cocktails!
Capacity wise, you can host an event for up to 200 guests. A wide range of amenities including a high-end sound system, a fully-equipped DJ booth and WiFi are all at your disposal.
2) Trendy Rooftop with Views of London
Next up on our private bars for hire in London is this trendy rooftop venue.
It carries itself like a homely conservatory in the sky, which is kind of what it is! Enjoy the flowers and plants up above you as well as all the natural sunlight the sun has to offer.
One of its top selling points is its views over London. It has outfits to match the seasons too! Like winter lights at Christmas for example. Amenities wise, you’ve got catering, parking, WiFi, and wheelchair access.
3) Trendy Lively Venue with a Private Terrace
Make yourself the toast of Camden in this trendy and lively venue. It’s got a private terrace, local art, a dance floor, and a DJ booth.
The interior design is a series of wild-card fixtures that come together to make something quite special. Things like the exposed brick walls, neon lights, long velvet couches, a longer brass bar, and cool wooden furniture.
The location is perfect for large reception events, private dinners or product launches. Moreover, this space comes equipped with AV material including a projector and music system as well as a whiteboard, flipcharts and air-conditioning.
Capacity wise, this venue can host up to 600 people for cocktails and 120 people for private dining.
4) Genuine Event Space with a Contemporary Decor
Travel back in time to this old fashioned English tavern turned parlour. It’s the best of Victorian design at your service!
Who couldn’t adore those British racing green tiles? And what about the unvarnished wood that is both beautiful and vintage? The perfect setting for their brilliant selection of craft beers.
And what’s better, it’s right next to Maida Vale underground station. It can host anywhere between 30 to 150 people. It, of course, has a fully functioning bar, with some very strong catering selections.
5) Fancy Night Venue in Kensington
If the classic working-class fare isn’t your scene, then how about this fancy evening venue in Kensington? It’s a private club motif steeped in extravagance.
Private velvet booths, symmetrical mosaic style tiles, neon signs, marble tables, the elegance of the dim lighting, it’s oh so fancy!
You and up to 350 guests can drink dine, and party at this venue, with added aplomb.
6) Trendy Event Space with Old-School Design
Trade your fancy champagne reception for this cool and laidback basement. It’s a great place for an intimate drinking session with your colleagues.
This trendy and old-school space is in the Clerkenwell area of London. You’ll love the cool exposed brick walls, vintage tables and chairs, and pinball machines.
It goes without saying that you’ll have a fully stocked bar, and the AV equipment for a DJ session or even a film screening. So whether it’s 80 guests for a standing event or 60 for a seated event, have a ball amongst the steel pillars and let loose!
7) Retro Space with a ‘70s Style
Indulge your nostalgia with this retro space with a ‘70s style. You’ll love the shag pile carpets, vintage wallpaper, the bright red bar, and their many board games.
You and your guests will have the chance to enjoy a Piso Punch or a relaxing Piña Colada. Moreover, there are also catering services available to accompany your drink with cheesy garlic bread or some Popcorn Shrimp.
So the capacity, it’s perfect for groups of up to 75 people. However, if you need some extra space, you can additionally rent the basement and bring over up to 150 guests.
8) Hip and Trendy Space with an Urban Look
Hip and Trendy Space with an Urban Look via Eventflare
This bar for hire in London is a hipsters dream. What looks like a cafe on the surface is a fully-fledged bar at heart.
It’s a hip and trendy space that will recall your days as a student, making you feel like a beat poet. It’s unpolished, has unmatching furniture, an array of plants, subtle neon lights, and is in the heart of London as well!
In terms of technology, you can utilize a suite of AV materials including a projector and a sound system.
Capacity-wise, this space can host up to 100 people for cocktails and 50 for private dining. However, you can also hire the basement space to host events of up to 150 people.
9) Hip and Upbeat Venue for Celebrations
This hip and upbeat venue goes above the call of duty when it comes to style. Wow your guests with these uncompromising and futuristic designs.
Their different rooms invoke different themes, such as tropical islands, and East Asian city streets. Fall in love with the pinks, the neon lights, the floral life of both its indoor and terraced area.
And what’s more, it’s in Hackney, East London. The East of London is one of the leading areas in the world for cuisine, music, and an enterprising spirit. Be a part of it at this hip and upbeat venue.
The capacity of the terrace is a thunderous 400, while the club can host an even greater 500 people. So why not turn a simple after-work into the biggest party in the city?
10) Jungle-Themed Rooftop Terrace
Prehistoric Britain – say about 210 million years ago – actually enjoyed a tropical climate. It’s turned more to the grey in modern times, as we’re all well aware of. Just as well for this jungle-themed rooftop terrace then.
The decor is bright and highly refined. Plus, it has a retractable roof for when the weather is on form!
What’s more, with live music, local craft beer, and a globally inspired cocktail menu, this terrace offers something exotic at every turn. And finally, capacity-wise, it can accommodate up to 440 guests.
11) Upscale Urban Bar for all Manner of Events
Up next is this upscale urban bar sporting magnificent British racing green. It’s a splendid blend of wood and metal fixtures with plenty of plants, and various levels.
You’ll adore the floor-to-ceiling windows, the in-house distillery, and gorgeous velvet booths. They even have an in-house bakery too.
The entire venue has a capacity of 440 people with an additional outdoor terrace as the cherry on the cake. If you’d prefer something more intimate, however, you can rent a part of the venue for up to 50 guests.
12) Industrial Vibe Event Venue in Brixton
Now we’ve got a bar for hire in London that is vintage industrial at its peak. This whole versatile venue is available to book for up to 350 guests.
The street level is available to hire for 200 guests and the cocktail lounge for 150 guests, depending on your party size.
The venue features an open kitchen and three bars over the two floors, as well as mobile bar units and drinks trolleys; to create the most flexible options for corporate events.
This fancy event location also provides a stage for music performance, a private booth and a gin distillery. So everything you need will be covered! Moreover, each area is super flexible for every occasion (standing, sitting, dancing, drinking and lounging).
13) Vintage Warehouse Venue for Corporate Events
London is a city that was dominated by warehouses in its recent history. It’s no surprise that you have bars for hire London that have been repurposed from warehouses.
Take this vintage warehouse for corporate events for example. You’ll find it in West India Quay. The cast-iron columns remain, as well as the brick walls and the wooden roof beams. Everything else has the deft touch of the chic modern school.
Under its intimately low ceiling, you can host private dinners, receptions, and after-work parties. Moreover, the location will provide all technical equipment and varied catering options.
The capacity of this location is up to 200 people for standing events and 100 people for private dining.
14) Cosy and Intimate Boat Venue for Celebrations
Cosy and Intimate Boat Venue for Celebrations via Eventflare
Now it’s time for one of the more unique bars for hire in London. This Dutch grain barge is indeed a very cosy and intimate boat venue.
We’re obsessed with the vintage lighting, lavish furniture and the contemporary artwork that is laden throughout.
Its deck gives you spectacular views of London’s most iconic buildings and of course the River Thames.
Furthermore, this space can accommodate a maximum of 50 people. Amenity-wise, you will have access to a high-speed WiFi connection, a PA system, a high tech sound system, customizable lighting, projectors and a smoke machine.
15) Fun and Cosy Space for Events
The last of our cool bars for hire in London is this fun and cosy space for events. What makes it fun though you ask? It’s sheer vibrancy. There’s a fearless use of colour, and a quirky adoption of furniture, like a gym horse for example.
The location couldn’t be more central either, being right by London Bridge. Getting home, or to the next bar, will be very convenient indeed!
It has a dining capacity of 150 people and offers dishes with local and fresh ingredients. So whether it’s a lunch or a sophisticated dinner, it’s really up to you!
Wrapping up
The London bar scene is alive and well, as it always has been, and always will be. We hope you enjoyed reading this as much as we did putting it together. At this point, we just wish Friday would come again soon!
If you’re in the grove and want to keep exploring what we’ve got to offer, check out more of our London after workrooms here.
If you want to take things to a higher level, why not add some amateur and drunken singing to proceedings? Nothing beats a good night in a karaoke bar, if you’re inclined to agree, you might want to check out our guide to the coolest karaoke bars in London.
Featured image: Jungle Themed Rooftop Terrace via Eventflare
- 1) Hip and Vibrant Bar for Celebrations
- 2) Trendy Rooftop with Views of London
- 3) Trendy Lively Venue with a Private Terrace
- 4) Genuine Event Space with a Contemporary Decor
- 5) Fancy Night Venue in Kensington
- 6) Trendy Event Space with Old-School Design
- 7) Retro Space with a ‘70s Style
- 8) Hip and Trendy Space with an Urban Look
- 9) Hip and Upbeat Venue for Celebrations
- 10) Jungle-Themed Rooftop Terrace
- 11) Upscale Urban Bar for all Manner of Events
- 12) Industrial Vibe Event Venue in Brixton
- 13) Vintage Warehouse Venue for Corporate Events
- 14) Cosy and Intimate Boat Venue for Celebrations
- 15) Fun and Cosy Space for Events
- Wrapping up
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