Unusual Christmas Party Venues in London: 8 Venues with a Story
A party on an ice rink, on a moving bus or inside a Tudor hall gives people something to talk about the next morning. This post covers eight unusual party venues in London, each with a history, a setting or an activity that makes the evening different.
Some of these venues list Christmas parties, and others list parties, receptions and dinners in general. You can see more on our unusual venues page.
Before you choose, check five things:
✓ Numbers: how many will stand and how many will sit
✓ Setting or activity: whether your team wants to do something together or to talk over a meal
✓ Food and drink: in-house or approved caterers, and dietary needs
✓ Access: steps, lifts and accessible toilets, because ships, stands and old halls vary
✓ Journey: the nearest station, parking and the way home
1. Skating and curling at QUEENS Skate Dine Bowl
Featured venue
The indoor rink at QUEENS on Queensway opened in 1930. It is the oldest surviving rink in London and it runs all year. The venue also offers curling on real ice, which it says is the only on-ice curling in London, and its newest bowling area, Ruby Lanes, takes its look from The Big Lebowski. QUEENS lists Christmas parties among its best uses and names the ice rink with curling as a winter party combination.
Best for: Christmas parties, team building, corporate socials and informal networking.
At a glance
✓ Rooms: Ice Rink; Curling on Ice; Ruby Lanes with five lanes and a private bar; Back Alley Darts with a private bar; Main Bowling Lanes; Full Venue Hire up to 1,000 guests
✓ AV: TV monitors are listed among the facilities
✓ Catering: The in-house kitchen serves burgers, chicken, wings and fries, with vegan and gluten-free choices and halal chicken. Bars run through the venue, with drinks packages and food pre-orders for events
✓ Access and transport: The venue is 18+ from 8pm, with last under-18 entry at 7pm. The venue says it does not currently have a wheelchair lift. Accessible toilets appear on its floor plan, and carers attend free. Queensway station is right by the venue, and Bayswater is about two minutes away
See the rooms at QUEENS Skate Dine Bowl
2. A moving dinner on Bustronome London
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Bustronome is a bus, and the meal happens while it drives. Guests pass Tower Bridge, Westminster, St Paul’s Cathedral and the Royal Albert Hall. The menus come from creative director Ignazio Nuccio, who brought his Michelin-starred experience on board for seasonal French cooking. The roof is glass and not open-top, so the route works in poor weather.
Best for: team celebrations, birthday dinners, client entertainment and hosted dinners with a view of the city.
At a glance
✓ Rooms: Upper Deck Dining Area seats 38 at tables of two to eight; Full Bus Private Hire gives exclusive use of one bus for 38; Multi-Bus Hire takes 76 across two buses or 114 across three
✓ AV: Speeches work through the on-board microphone
✓ Catering: Lunch, dinner and afternoon tea, all cooked fresh on board, with wine and Champagne pairings. External catering is not permitted. Vegetarian, vegan and halal dishes are on offer, and dietary needs and allergies need 48 hours’ notice. Extra drinks can be bought on board only while the bus is stationary
✓ Access and transport: Departures are from Coach Bay 40B, next to Embankment station on Victoria Embankment. Lunch departs from 12.15pm and dinner from 7.15pm, and guests arrive 15 minutes before. There are seven steps to the upper deck, where all seats are, with crew assistance. There is no dedicated parking
See the rooms at Bustronome London
3. Six centuries of history at Lincoln’s Inn
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With a history going back to 1422, Lincoln’s Inn is the oldest and largest of the four Inns of Court. Its gardens, lawns and courtyards sit on a gated eleven-acre estate behind Holborn’s main streets. The Old Hall keeps its original roof timbers and stained glass. The Old Court Room was once used for legal proceedings and now holds the Inn’s antiquarian books. The Members’ Common Room was built as a mezzanine inside the old Victorian kitchens of the Great Hall. The listing names parties, receptions and corporate entertaining among its uses.
Best for: gala dinners, corporate entertaining, board dinners and receptions.
At a glance
✓ Rooms: Great Hall 280 dinner, 450 standing; Old Hall 120 dinner, 200 standing; The MCR 50 dining, 90 standing; Old Court Room 44 dining, 70 standing
✓ AV: The Ashworth Centre has integrated AV and hybrid-ready facilities
✓ Catering: The in-house team, named Best In-House Caterer at the London Venue & Catering Awards, provides all food, including canapés and bowl food. External caterers are not permitted. A full bar and reception service runs across the event spaces, and dietary needs are met in-house
✓ Access and transport: Holborn Underground is 0.2km from the Inn, with Chancery Lane 0.4km away. Step-free routes cover selected areas and the modern conference spaces have lifts. The buildings are historic, so access varies by room, and the events team offers accessible planning support. Taxi drop-offs get a 15-minute grace period
See the rooms at The Honourable Society of Lincoln’s Inn
4. Galleries after dark at the British Museum
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Evening entertaining at the British Museum takes place in the Great Court, which Norman Foster designed and which opened in 2000, and in selected galleries. The Nereid Gallery is built around the reconstructed Nereid Monument. The Enlightenment Gallery was the King’s Library and still feels like a historic research library. The Museum offers evening entertaining in the Great Court and galleries to Corporate Partners and sponsors, so check eligibility with the Venue Hire team first. The Clore Education Centre is open to general commercial hire.
Best for: gala dinners, charity fundraising and private dinners in the galleries.
At a glance
✓ Rooms: The Great Court 1,000 drinks reception, 400 seated dinner; Nereid Gallery 300 drinks reception, 200 seated dinner; Enlightenment Gallery 250 drinks reception, 180 seated dinner
✓ AV: The Clore Education Centre has production-grade AV, hybrid support and four simultaneous translation booths in the BP Lecture Theatre
✓ Catering: Accredited catering partners only, with canapé receptions, gala dinners and bespoke themed menus. Bar service and dietary needs come through the same partners
✓ Access and transport: The main entrance is step-free, and lifts serve the key event areas. Tottenham Court Road, Holborn and Russell Square stations are about five minutes on foot, with the Elizabeth Line at Tottenham Court Road. There is no general on-site parking
See the rooms at The British Museum
5. A rugby ground party at The Twickenham Stoop
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The Stoop is the home of Harlequins RFC, with event spaces across two stadium stands. Several rooms look over the pitch. The Debenture Lounge is decorated with Harlequins memorabilia, and the 1866 Lounge takes its name from the year the club was founded. The North Village is a pavilion with a roof that opens fully, tilts or closes, and the venue lists it for both Christmas and summer parties. The venue names Christmas parties among its best uses.
Best for: Christmas parties, summer parties, awards dinners and corporate hospitality.
At a glance
✓ Rooms: North Village 400 theatre, 200 dining, 120 cabaret; Debenture Lounge 150 dining, 180 standing; Honours Bar 200 dining, 300 standing; Undercroft 500 dining, 450 dinner dance, 700 standing; Outdoor Event Space with over 3,000 m² of pitch-side concourses
✓ AV: Free WiFi covers the major event spaces, and several rooms have video walls, PA systems, projectors and HDMI connections
✓ Catering: Levy UK + Ireland provides all catering in-house, with plated banquets, buffets, canapés and BBQs. Many spaces have their own bars, and the menus are plant-forward
✓ Access and transport: Disabled access covers the major event spaces, with a lift to the 1866 Lounge. Twickenham station is a 10 to 12 minute walk, with direct trains to Waterloo. About 250 parking spaces, EV charging and Blue Badge parking are on site, and Heathrow is about 15 minutes by car
See the rooms at The Twickenham Stoop
6. A Second World War warship: HMS Belfast
HMS Belfast is moored on the Thames at The Queen’s Walk, with views of Tower Bridge and the Tower of London. Its five spaces host Christmas parties and summer parties, from the 18-person Admiral’s Quarters to the Ship’s Company Dining Hall, which takes 200 for a reception or 144 for dinner. There is a cocktail bar, and guests can add a private tour on board or a private river cruise to Churchill War Rooms. See HMS Belfast on venues.org.uk
7. A club in Farringdon: fabric London
fabric is a music venue on Charterhouse Street with original brickwork and exposed concrete. Its private hire covers Christmas parties alongside brand launches and corporate events. It has three rooms, five serviced bars, a VIP area and a green room, and the whole venue takes 100 to 1,500 guests. See fabric London on venues.org.uk
8. A party boat on the Thames: M.V Pearl of London
Pearl of London is a party boat on three decks that carries up to 360 passengers, and its listed address is Southbank Waterloo. It has an open-air roof terrace for up to 250, a middle-deck saloon seating up to 64 and a basement club with its own dance floor and bar. There are three bars, two DJ booths and eight VIP booths, and the boat is wheelchair accessible with an accessible toilet. See M.V Pearl of London on venues.org.uk
Finding the right unusual venue
Choose the setting first, and then compare each At a glance block with the five checks at the top of this post. The ice rink, the bus and the rugby ground suit teams who want an activity or a view, and the Inn and the Museum suit a formal dinner.
Browse every listing on our unusual venues page and our party venues in London page. You contact venues direct and we charge no commission.
