Party Venues in South East London: 7 Venues to Hire
A good party venue fits your guest list, gives you a bar and a dancefloor or a dinner table, and lets everyone get home easily. South East London has a wide spread of options. There are hotels and a livery hall on the Thames at London Bridge, Waterloo and Vauxhall, a warship, a riverside tavern in Greenwich and function rooms in Catford. This list sets out seven venues, with room capacities as each venue lists them on venues.org.uk, so you can shortlist quickly. To see every venue in the area, browse venues in South East London.
Before you book, check four things. Each Featured venue answers them in an “At a glance” block.
✓ Capacity for your guest numbers, seated and standing
✓ Catering: in-house or external, and how dietary needs are handled
✓ Bar and entertainment for the evening
✓ The nearest station, for the journey home
Quick picks
- Glaziers Hall, London Bridge: best for a Thames-view reception followed by a dinner and dance
- Park Plaza London Westminster Bridge, South Bank: best for large parties with a ballroom, restaurants and bars in one building
- Park Plaza London Riverbank, Vauxhall: best for a river-view reception on the 12th floor
- Trafalgar Tavern, Greenwich: best for a banquet by the Thames
- St Dunstan’s Jubilee Pavilion, Catford: best for a party of up to 100 with free parking
- Riva Lounge, Catford: best for a DJ and dancefloor party of up to 200
- HMS Belfast, Tooley Street: best for a dinner or reception on a warship
The venues
1. Glaziers Hall, London Bridge
Featured venue
Glaziers Hall is a Grade II listed Georgian livery hall on the south bank of the Thames, built in 1808, with seven event spaces across three floors. It lists parties, awards dinners and gala events among its uses. The suggested flow for an evening is a drinks reception in the River Room, which looks over the Thames towards St Paul’s Cathedral, followed by dinner and dancing in the Banqueting Suite. The London Bridge Arches, beneath the stonework of the original London Bridge, can run as a separate private event with their own entrance.
Best for: a Thames-view reception followed by a dinner and dance
At a glance
✓ Rooms: River Room 180 standing, 100 dining; Banqueting Suite 160 cabaret, 126 classroom, 300 theatre; London Bridge Arches 120 standing, 100 dining; Court Room 180 standing, 100 dining; Bridge Room 70 standing, 60 dining; Library 70 standing, 30 dining. Exclusive hire of all seven spaces takes up to 450 guests
✓ AV: Integrated AV, fibre broadband, HD projection and PA systems throughout the venue
✓ Catering: Life’s Kitchen is the resident caterer, with canapés, bowl food, buffets and three-course dinners. External caterers are permitted with the required documentation. A licensed bar operates on site, including a wine cellar in the London Bridge Arches. Vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free catering is available
✓ Access and transport: London Bridge station is about two minutes on foot, with National Rail, Jubilee and Northern lines. Cannon Street, Bank and Blackfriars are about five minutes away. Level street access, accessible toilets on the ground floor, hearing loops in the Banqueting Suite, Court Room and River Room, and a full AccessAble guide. Five parking spaces beside the main entrance can be pre-booked
See the rooms at Glaziers Hall
2. Park Plaza London Westminster Bridge, South Bank
Featured venue
Park Plaza London Westminster Bridge is a large hotel on the South Bank, opposite the Houses of Parliament, with 1,023 guest rooms and a pillar-free ballroom that can be used whole or divided into four sections. The ballroom has its own private bar. Primo Bar, a cocktail bar on the lobby level with live music from Monday to Saturday, is available for private hire. The venue lists private dining, corporate dinners and after-parties among its best uses.
Best for: large parties that want the ballroom, restaurants, bars and bedrooms in one building
At a glance
✓ Rooms: Westminster Ballroom 1,500 theatre, 720 cabaret; Ballroom Rooms 1+2 320 cabaret; Primo Bar 200; Brasserie Joël 180; Brasserie Joël Salon Privé 25
✓ AV: Free high-speed WiFi throughout the meeting and event spaces, with audio, visual and technical equipment from the on-site AV company, AVC
✓ Catering: Brasserie Joël, Ichi Sushi & Sashimi Bar, Primo Bar and illy Caffè are on site. Event catering covers private dining, set menus, buffets, canapés and bowl food
✓ Access and transport: London Waterloo is nearby, with Westminster and Lambeth North tube stations also close. There are dedicated coach drop-off and pick-up areas, multiple lifts and a published accessibility guide
See the rooms at Park Plaza London Westminster Bridge
3. Park Plaza London Riverbank, Vauxhall
Featured venue
Park Plaza London Riverbank is a hotel on Albert Embankment with 645 bedrooms and 24 meeting rooms. Its River View Lounge on the 12th floor has floor-to-ceiling windows, a private balcony and views towards Westminster and Battersea Power Station, and it is available for exclusive hire. The Ballroom on the lower level takes larger parties and has a pre-function area with bar support next to it.
Best for: a river-view private reception or a larger dinner and dance in a hotel
At a glance
✓ Rooms: River View Lounge 60 theatre, and listed for weddings at 80 seated and 150 standing; Ballroom 660 reception, 540 dinner, 490 dinner dance, 432 cabaret; Ballroom Pre-Function Area 250 standing; Park Restaurant 60 theatre
✓ AV: High-quality audiovisual equipment and free WiFi in the meeting and event spaces
✓ Catering: In-house catering with canapé menus, buffets and private dining.
✓ Access and transport: Vauxhall and London Waterloo stations are within walking distance, with Vauxhall and Waterloo underground stations also close. There is a separate conference entrance, lift access for conference guests on all floors and a dedicated coach drop-off area
See the rooms at Park Plaza London Riverbank
4. Trafalgar Tavern, Greenwich
The Trafalgar Tavern on Park Row in Greenwich has the Nelson Banqueting Rooms, with chandeliers, wooden floors and floor-to-ceiling windows over the Thames. Next door is the Admirals Gallery bar, and the two rooms can be hired together with the Ante Room for up to 200 guests. Menus include sit-down three-course meals and hot and cold buffets. See the Trafalgar Tavern on venues.org.uk.
5. St Dunstan’s Jubilee Pavilion, Catford
The Jubilee Function Suite stands in 24 acres of green space on Canadian Avenue, Catford, and is hired for parties, wedding receptions and corporate events for up to 100 guests. There is a staffed bar, an optional dance floor and room for a live band or disco, and the licence runs until 1am. The venue has a full catering kitchen that guests can hire for their own caterer, and about 80 free parking bays on site. See St Dunstan’s Jubilee Pavilion on venues.org.uk.
6. Riva Lounge, Catford
Riva Lounge on Bromley Road is an exclusive-hire party venue for up to 200 guests, built around a bar, a dancefloor and a DJ booth. It lists birthdays, engagements, corporate functions and private celebrations, and it has professional sound and lighting, SIA door staff and air conditioning. Standard packages cover up to six hours of live event time, and the venue advertises a 4am licence. See Riva Lounge on venues.org.uk.
7. HMS Belfast, Tooley Street
HMS Belfast is a Second World War warship moored on the Thames at The Queen’s Walk, with views of Tower Bridge and the Tower of London. It has five spaces, from the Ship’s Company Dining Hall (200 reception, 144 dinner) to the Admiral’s Quarters (20 dinner). Restaurant Associates provides the catering, there is a cocktail bar, and guests can take a private tour on board. See HMS Belfast on venues.org.uk.
Choosing the right venue
Start with your headcount and the kind of evening you want. A reception that moves into a dinner and dance suits Glaziers Hall or the Park Plaza hotels, and a DJ night suits Riva Lounge. A smaller party with parking suits the Jubilee Pavilion. For more options, browse venues in South East London and party venues in London.
