Meet in London 2011

From the beautiful to the bizarre, Alexandra Conroy and Jenny Southan go in search of event venues with a twist in a range of locations across the capital.

SUPPERCLUB

This uber-trendy mini chain, which kicked off in Amsterdam in 1999 and can now also be found in San Francisco, Istanbul and LA, offers “a free state of sensual experiences… where unexpected combinations lead to unexpected liberations”. Yes, this might sound pretentious, but the venue offers genuinely good cuisine and exciting options for day or night-time events. The London branch opened in December 2009 in a hush-hush location in Notting Hill, beneath a railway bridge. It’s essentially a restaurant/nightclub/bar, but one with several intriguing differences – you have to book in advance and arrive by 8pm, diners recline on white beds, and food is served in all manner of bizarre ways, from salads in silver dog bowls to strawberry purée in syringes. But what makes Supperclub really stand out is its minimalist, space-age interiors, erotic projections, staff in leftfield attire, funky music and entertainment you have to see to believe. Acts might include operatic drag queens, burlesque strippers or masochistic clowns with a penchant for stapling things to their body. For events, you could book out a wall of beds for an office get-together and revel in the full Supperclub experience – the themes of which regularly change, so you never know what you are going to get – or hire the entire place for a daytime exhibition. The ground-floor Le Bar Rouge hosts 150 standing, while the main event space, La Salle Neige, can accommodate 390 standing (including the mezzanine level) or 165 for a “lie-down” dinner. There is an array of lighting and furnishing combinations, as well as a smoking terrace for 30 people. 12 Acklam Road; tel +44 (0)20 8964 6600; supperclub.com

ALBANNACH TAVERN

This contemporary Scottish restaurant and whisky bar is looked down upon by Nelson aloft his column in Trafalgar Square, so enjoys a great central location. Open since 2005 and refurbished in 2009, the Albannach dishes up classics such as haggis or neeps and tatties in a relaxed setting beneath white antler chandeliers. But the real highlight is its impressive collection of single malts – bespoke tasting masterclasses (pitched for the novice to the most experienced connoisseur) for a minimum of ten participants can be arranged, and provide a unique talking point for a corporate get-together or teambuilding event. The combined ground-floor and mezzanine restaurant areas can be hired for private functions, seating up to 100 guests on glossy white chairs and black leather banquettes. Groups can also take over the bar, which has a capacity of 180 reception-style, or a private dining room (for 20 seated), equipped with a 52-inch plasma screen TV for teleconferencing, a state-of-the-art Harmon Kardon sound system, and wifi. If you are looking to organise a product launch or networking event, retreat downstairs to the funky, cavernous A Lounge, where up to 170 movers and shakers can sip cocktails in a stylish setting featuring mustard-coloured ottomans, a gold leather-fronted bar, chocolate walls and a life-size glowing stag. The rest of this level is taken up by the Vaults – there are five arches in total, and each is furnished with velvet seating for 20 to 30 people. It’s the perfect spot for a late-night dram. 66 Trafalgar Square; tel +44 (0)20 7930 0066; albannach.co.uk

VANILLA

Located just north of Soho, in the upmarket Fitzrovia district, this cutting-edge restaurant-cum-cocktail bar has hosted everyone from News International and Credit Suisse to Sony and Calvin Klein for private functions. Upon descending the stairs, the signature scent of vanilla first captures the senses, followed by the shine of the silver and white wall designs that entice guests into the sophisticated open white space below. With a standing capacity of 150, the minimalist interior of Lounge offers the perfect blank canvas for event organisers. Against a back wall sits the glowing bar, fronted with glass inlaid with coloured lights. Chandeliers hang above each of the tables, and black cushions accent the white leather seating surrounding them. Curtains hanging from the ceiling can be used to separate areas of the room or direct the flow of guests as they move around the venue. Just off the main space is a second room that holds 40 guests for dinner or 70 for pre-dinner drinks. Up to 30 people can also be accommodated for seated presentations. Black glass light fittings hang from above, and seating is a mix of plastic mod chairs and leather banquettes. Dark drapes line the entry to the space and can provide added privacy. Vanilla hosts eight to 12 private hires a month, and guarantees companies exclusive use of its facilities. Projectors, screens, microphones, a PA system, lighting and wifi are provided. 131 Great Titchfield Street; tel +44 (0)20 3008 7763; vanillalondon.co.uk

BLIND TIGER

Take your clients back to the golden days of the 1920s for some “illicit dining and forbidden beverages” at this speakeasy-themed establishment in Battersea, south of the Thames. Groups can dine in one of the themed rooms as Americana records play in the background, or “drink intelligently” at the Library bar, where staff dressed in waistcoats and caps mix forgotten cocktails from the pre- and post-Prohibition eras. The Blind Tiger opened in September last year and was originally a two-storey barn dating back to the 1500s. It appeared on one of the earliest maps of Clapham, forming part of the Claphampton Manor Estate, and is said to have played host to a banquet for Elizabeth I. Today, the restaurant/bar can be hired for up to 40 people for dinner, and up to 250 for drinks and canapes, and catering and entertainment – from jazz to cabaret – is taken care of in-house. On Wednesdays and Thursdays, sultry singers perform. Kick off the night with drinks in the Conservatory before dining on classic British food in the dimly lit Red and Black oriental lounge seating 12, or in the Mezzanine, accessible by stairs and seating up to 20 people. The Black and White bar provides a good space for a small drinks-and-dinner gathering, holding up to 20, while the second-floor ballroom accommodates 45 revellers. Here you will find the original beams of the old barn, maroon walls, brown leather booths and a grand crystal chandelier. The venue offers a variety of teambuilding activities, such as cocktail or hat-making classes, and even burlesque lessons for the brave. Note, though, that it is only open for private functions that incorporate food, as it is primarily a restaurant. 697 Wandsworth Road; tel +44 (0)20 7498 0974; blindtigerlondon.co.uk

BATHHOUSE

Built beneath the streets of the City in 1895 as a Victorian bathhouse, this quirky venue was converted into a restaurant in the 1970s and now caters for a variety of events, from parties to concerts, across two rooms. It still retains elements from its days as a Turkish bath, including the original red, blue and white tiling in the stairwell, the columns and arches in the area below ground, and the design of the kiosk, modelled on the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem. It is possible to host up to 80 guests for a drinks reception in the Cocktail room, which features red velvet drapes, disco balls and screens showing illuminated skeletons. The Golden Birdcage restaurant, fitted with a bar and a DJ booth in a giant golden cage, has space for 280 reception-style, while for a more intimate group, two private booths on either side of the bar seat ten to 20 in each. Entertainment from fire-twirling to cabaret can be laid on, with the option to build a stage in the main dining area. 7-8 Bishopsgate Churchyard; tel +44 (0)20 7920 9207; thebathhousevenue.com

TOWN HALL

The up-and-coming East End is home to the Town Hall Hotel and Apartments. As its name suggests, the Edwardian building used to be Bethnal Green council’s administrative headquarters, but after its life in public service came to an end in 1993, it was completely revamped and unveiled as one of the area’s trendiest, and most upmarket, hotels. Open since spring last year, the property is a few minutes’ walk from Bethnal Green underground station, convenient for access to the City and London City airport. An unusual choice for a hotel development, it also offers a novel option for meetings – the wood-panelled Council Chamber, which features raised magisterial dark green leather seating for up to 80 people. The largest room for events is the Bethnal Hall, which is made up of four interconnecting rooms that can be separated with sliding walls of polished wood. It can accommodate up to 188 guests seated. The De Montfort suite, in what was the main council room, accommodates 60 people theatre-style. Like the bedrooms and apartments, it pays homage to fifties design, with original pieces of vintage furniture. The Town Hall also has a 15-metre swimming pool, a gym and a fine-dining restaurant with cuisine by Portuguese chef Nuno Mendes. All 98 bedrooms come with free wifi internet access, flatscreen TVs and DVD players. Patriot Square; tel +44 (0)20 7871 0460; townhallhotel.com

GENTING CASINO

Genting manages five gaming establishments in the capital, including Maxims and Mint in Kensington, and Colony Club in Mayfair. But the two that are best suited for glamorous corporate events are Crockfords and Palm Beach, both also in Mayfair. The former dates back to 1828, when it was set up by William Crockford as a high-class members’ club, but it has occupied its current position on Curzon Street since 1983. The Grade II-listed Georgian house offers a classy yet homely setting for banquets, product launches or after-parties. The highlight is the luscious ballroom, bedecked in gold and crystal chandeliers. It has space for 180 standing and a mezzanine bar adjacent. There is also a first-floor restaurant serviced by five head chefs, each specialising in a particular cuisine, and a private dining room for ten people. The restaurant, which may be moved to the space the ballroom now occupies later this year, can also be used for private events at lunchtime. After dinner, guests can try their luck in a series of rooms fitted out with glossy roulette wheels and black jack tables. Just down the road on Berkeley Street is the Vegas-style Palm Beach Casino, which is ideal for bespoke corporate poker nights of up to about 50 players (they’re said to be popular with the boys in the City). The Berkeley room on the ground floor has a karaoke machine and can accommodate up to 20 delegates for drinks, canapés and private gaming tuition, while the restaurant, which offers direct access to the May Fair hotel next door, can seat 60 people. After eating, groups can place their bets at one of the 20-odd tables in the 24-hour casino. Organisers should note that visitors do not need to be members to gain access to these venues since regulations have been relaxed. Crockfords, 30 Curzon Street; tel +44 (0)20 7493 7771; crockfords.com. Palm Beach, 30 Berkeley Street; tel +44 (0)20 7493 6585; thepalmbeach.co.uk; gentingcasinos.co.uk/london

CIRCUS

A short walk from Covent Garden tube station and through a set of easy-to-miss heavy steel doors, Circus is the place to bring associates for a bit of razzle dazzle. Open for lunch and dinner, it can also be exclusively rented out for functions. A bar at the back will mix you up a punch-bowl cocktail (equivalent to 20 glasses) consisting of one bottle of premium spirits, one bottle of champagne and fresh fruit juices, and a VIP area with turquoise seating, but the show table in the main restaurant is where you want to be. The atrium space can accommodate 30 diners around a long granite slab with steps at either end, you will experience a five-minute performance every hour – so while you are tucking into your Cajun seabass or ginger and green peppercorn chicken, you might also be watching a sequin-spangled contortionist or a fire-breathing trapeze artist gyrate in front of you, or above you in the air. The 300-capacity venue celebrated its first birthday in January, and since opening has hosted companies such as Sega, Louis Vuitton and Charles Worthington. n 27-29 Endell Street; tel +44 (0)20 7420 9302; circus-london.co.uk