I recently spent the day in London, looking at some different venues in the Kings Cross and Euston area. If you’re looking for something out of the ordinary, this is a selection that might appeal.
BMA House
The location of this venue is 5 minutes’ walk from Euston Station in a secure building where all delegates receive a pass for entry. The Great Hall is a stunning room which used to be the library of the British Medical Association. It is ideal for dinners, large conferences, awards events or gala dinners. The 3rd floor meetings rooms can be hired for exclusive use, this floor has its own registration desk and meetings room are all fit for purpose, 2 of the rooms on this floor have the original ceiling of the Great Hall which is beautiful. The Princes rooms is a great room with chandeliers and very traditional in style would be an ideal room for dinners, the Princes rooms also has its own foyer area which could be used for pre-dinner drinks. The venue does not have parking however Euston station does have car parking which is a short walk away. The John Snow and the Sir James Pageant rooms have secondary natural daylight, the corridor may be a little busy in the morning as staff arrive however during the day this would not be in constant use.
The London Mathematical Society
The venue is located on Russell Square a 7 minute walk from Euston station. The venue would be ideal for clients on a budget. The meetings rooms are located on the lower floor but do have natural daylight. The catering room is limited in space however another room could be depending on the size of the group. For delegate numbers of 18+ a compulsory waiter is required which will be provided by the venue. The venue does not have car parking however car parking can be found at Euston station.
Royal Society of Medicine – One Wimpole Street
The venue was easy to find and located a minute or so from Oxford Street. The venue has 3 auditoriums with high tech audio visual equipment in all and each auditorium has its own registration desk. The seminar Suite can split into 3 rooms, the Training suite is used for medical procedures so this has a different feel to the other meeting rooms. The ENT room is a traditional and relaxed room, which would be great for board meetings or private dinners. The main areas for catering are situated in the same facility, although the Max Rayne is surround by glass, the other two are close to each other and not partitioned so this should be taken into account. Although the lower ground meeting rooms do not have natural daylight the excellent use of light should not deter clients using these rooms.
RIBA – Royal Institute of British Architects – 66 Portland Place
The venue is located on Portland Place and is a stunning building with lots of history, guided tours of the building can be offered during lunch times. The Jarvis Suite comes with the Jarvis auditorium for 400 delegates and is a lovely room with natural daylight. This room can also be hired on its own during the evening and at weekends. The Wren room is situated on the 6th floor and has great views across London with its own small terrace area which would be exclusive use. The smaller meetings rooms on the 5th floor would be ideal for syndicate rooms with 2 larger rooms also situated on this floor. The venue do not have onsite car parking however it is located within walking distance from Regents Park, Great Portland Street and Oxford Circus tube stations. The reception area can be a little noisy when delegates are moving from the Jarvis auditorium to the Jarvis Suite so I would suggest events to start in the morning or after lunch for afternoon meetings.
Academy of Medical Science – 41 Portland Place
This venues was original a terraced house which still has period elegance and offers a unique space for meetings and events. The Ann Rylands room is stylish and opens out on to the terrace which would be ideal for dinners or summer parties. The Council Chambers is a lovely room and comes with the Reception room included. The entire venue can be hired for large or private events. The Council Chamber has pillars in the room however the required layout would be placed with these in mind to ensure no delegates would have a restricted view.
Park Crescent Conference Centre
The venue is located opposite Great Portland Street tube station and around the corner from Regents Park, some of the meeting rooms have great views over the park. The Gulbenkian room has a feature fire place and floor to ceiling windows that overlook Regents Park. The Club room is a room with floor to ceiling windows on 3 of the 4 walls which allows lots of natural daylight. The theatre has its own entrance with registration area which can be branded with the client’s company colours. The theatre can be used for any event as seating is not fixed, the brickwork shown on some of the walls adds a little extra to the space. The venue does not have onsite car parking whoever the distance from Great Portland tube station is about 1 minute walk. The Club room overlooks a busy road and some traffic noise can be heard at peak times.
Wellcome Collection
The venue is easy to find and is located a 4 minute walk from Euston station on Euston Road. It has an auditorium which clients will automatically receive use of the William lounge and 2 syndicate rooms. The syndicates could also be used as offices. The auditorium has 2 entrances into the William Lounge so getting delegates in and out is easy. All room hire charges include an audio visual technician which keeps the costs down. The Burroughs room is located on the lower ground floor with a semi private foyer, this would be an ideal room for presentations. The reception area can be very busy and quite noisy at times as the public café is located next to the reception area which is all open plan. The William Lounge has pillars however would be an ideal catering area for the auditorium, although this room does not have natural daylight the excellent use of light ensures this room is bright and has a relaxed feel.
Wallacespace – Dukes Road
This funky and contemporary in style venue is located on Dukes Road about 10 minute walk from Kings Cross station or 6 minutes from Euston station. This would be an ideal venue for training events or team building. Each floor has a breakout/coffee lounge area which is relaxed and a great space for any informal chats or catch ups. On the 3rd floor is a converted loft with 2 rooms and a small coffee station/area in the middle, this would be ideal for meeting which requires a more private but relaxed area as no other delegates would be venturing up there. The venue has a café located on the lower ground floor which also has a small garden area, delegates can use the café for breakfast which is included in the rates and also for lunch. The venue has a lot of stairs and this should be taken into consideration. The venue does not offer on-site car parking however Euston station is a short walk away.
For more information or to book one of these venues, please call 01780 484050 or email [email protected]