This is a guest post from Tommy Shane, Venue Expert at UK based startup Hire Space. You can follow him @hirespace.
The thermometers are shaking. The factor 50 is pumping. The summer is boiling, brimming and bringing us the sunshine we’ve all waited so patiently for. And, with London’s vast array of outdoor venues – rooftops, beer gardens, al fresco canopies – you’ve got no excuse whatsoever to book anything indoors. Zero. Zilch. Here are the outdoor venues you should be going for this summer.
Grain Store
With all the awards they’ve won for their cocktails, you need to go to the Grain Store to try them, you just have to. Under the expert guidance of chef Bruno Loubet, Grain Store has been raking the awards in – but that’s not even the main draw of this venue. Their expansive, open terrace, which opens out into a soaring courtyard with a series of spurting fountains, is a totally unique feature in London. Dip your toes into this one while it’s still hot.
Summer Tales
This is THE must-book venue of summer 2015. It’s as simple as that. The seasonal sister of Night Tales, this ultra-on-trend, ultra-mysterious, ultra-tasty summer food festival has so much going on. You’ll find cocktail bars, street food stalls and a beautifully designed little village – it’s the perfect place to twist things up and book a corporate party you’ll all love.
Location, price and uniqueness must be the holy trinity of venue-finding. I’m not sure if you can see, but in the background is Hoxton Station. It’s literally a stone’s throw away. When it comes to cost, Hoxton Arches is reasonably priced, which for it’s unique features of railway arches, exposed brickwork, beautiful exhibition space, and the unlikely addition of an outside space to complement it all, makes this a contender for hosting any outdoor events you have planned.
The Driver, for all intents purposes, has grown a beard – or at least that’s what it looks like. Technically, it’s a ‘vertical garden’ designed by award-winning Patrick Blanc. With over 200 types of plants, this is the UK’s first vertical garden, making it look and feel as if the venue is alive. With the addition of a roof terrace, you can breath in the fresh air with a view of London to boot.
Queen’s Gate
Anywhere in the world can boast modern facilities, brand-new builds and on-trend concepts. But only London has the noble, magnificent Georgian, Edwardian and Victorian townhouses. 170 Queen’s Gate, perched in leafy South Kensington, combines an impressive, historical building with a beautiful outdoor garden, creating an outdoor space with a lot of character.
Roof Gardens
Can you guess where this venue is? It may look like a palace more at home in Spain, but it’s in fact slap bang in the middle of Kensington, just a few steps from the tube. It’s one of London’s best kept secrets, and we’re determined to tell it to everyone. You can transport your guests from central London to the southern mediterranean, in a way no other London venue can.
There is the option of surrounding yourself and your guests with views of all the city’s monuments and historical buildings whilst bobbing on the Thames, the very blood line of the capital. Bateaux is a beautiful boat, encased in glass with an expansive deck to stand outside, where you won’t just be drinking some bubbly, you’ll be drinking in the views too.
