Hold onto your party hats, readers: our venue of the week is a double whammy this time! With not long to go before Christmas is upon us, we thought we'd give you an extra dose of venue inspiration, with two truly stunning venues, EartH and Village Underground, straight from our nice list!
We've been singing these spaces' praises since they came on our radar, and we're sure we're not the only ones with our eye on them for this year's festivities... You'd better be quick in snapping up these perfect party venues before you miss the band wagon - or sleigh - altogether!
Village Underground
First up, let's dive into the rustic, warehouse vibes of Village Underground, an incredible 5000-square foot blank canvas space with capacity for over 700 guests. Built as a railway warehouse in the early 20th century, the venue's renovated architecture has stayed true to its origins, and we love its rustic interior, featuring authentic arches and exposed brick walls.
If you're looking for something theatrical, just imagine what some festive foliage or candles could do to this spot - we'd wager that with minimal effort it'd look like it was straight out of A Christmas Carol! There aren't many spots in the city that can be completely transformed, and that makes Village Underground almost unbeatably flexible. With dramatic lighting and some steam-punk decoration, it could be an utterly unique spot for a sit down dinner or all-night disco alike!
Speaking of discos, as a well-known creative hub, this venue has played host to countless rising stars of the music scene over the years, and is sure to lend its unique flair for entertainment to your festive do. Why settle for speeches when you can get the crowd going with an unforgettable performance from world-class professionals? Picture an aerial ballet performed above your guests' heads, or stage a private concert to take advantage of the incredible acoustics this creative space offers!
With huge capacity and limitless options for customising the design, this venue is the coolest space around - which is really saying something, given its location in the heart of trendy Shoreditch! If you're looking for something with the wow-factor, while keeping it incredibly convenient for guests to get to, this venue is one of the city's best-kept secrets for a magical event.
Location: Shoreditch
Capacity: 140 dining; 720 standing
EartH
Not to be outdone by its suave sister venue, Evolutionary Arts Hackney, or EartH as it's known, is a seriously snappy cracker of a venue for a Christmas do! Sharing Village Underground's story of redemption from abandoned space to pride of place, EartH began life as an Art Deco cinema before being abandoned. After a sympathetic renovation, however, it's back to dazzle as an event venue, and boy are we glad to see it roll out the red carpet again!
If silver screen glamour is what you're after for your event, you're in the right place - this venue's style harks back to the heyday of cinema, with 1930s Art Deco furnishings complementing its modern state-of-the-art facilities. There's something undeniably thrilling about stepping back in time in this stunning space, and a Christmas event here promises to be a truly unique occasion. Deck the hall with tinsel and hanging lights or stars for an out-of-this-world event space, or give it a contemporary spin with disco balls highlighting its vintage charm.
Featuring a theatre with seating for 650, a 1200-capacity concert hall, and an in-house bar and restaurant, this venue ticks off everything on our Christmas wish list. The only difficulty is deciding how best to use the incredible spaces on offer: will you arrange for speeches and a carol service in the theatre before hitting the concert hall for a night of blowing off steam? Or treat guests to a tipple or two in the bar before watching a private performance in one of the event spaces?
Either way, we're sure guests will have an extraordinary evening in this creative haven - with endless space to socialise, spin, and enjoy a festive sherry, there's no risk of a Christmas event here falling flat. In fact, guests are more likely to need bringing back to Earth after they've had an unforgettable festive event in this magical spot!
Location: Dalston
Capacity: 300 dining; 1200 standing
And there you have it: two of our top picks for this year's Christmas festivities - now that's what we call a festive treat! From colossal halls where guests can dance the night away, to a theatre with a glamorous past and stylish present, these venues are guaranteed to cast a spell on attendees at your Christmas do.
Like the look of one of these stellar spots? Want to know more? Get in touch with one of our experts today, or enquire now for availability - just don't leave it too late: these two spaces are sure to fill up at a speed that would put Santa out of work!
Author
Jessamy Cowie
Jessamy channels her passion for sustainability and cultural events into shining a spotlight on innovation and inspiration in the events world, and heading up Hire Space's sustainability committee.
