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We love to moan about the British summer in London. Battling the tube in the sweltering heat, air-conditioning wars with colleagues or desperately trying to find some semblance of outside space alongside everyone else in London.
But sweaty tube carriages aside, summer in London is actually pretty great – and venue experts Hire Space have found five top new venues to help you make the most of it this month.
The Postal Museum
Being underground might not be at the top of your list for a July activity, but The Postal Museum is a venue worth the visit. Deep under the streets of the capital, you’ll find a disused railway tunnel that stretches for six miles, which was once The London Post Office Railway. The world’s first electric railway originally opened in 1927, but it's now known as the ‘Mail Rail’ and has become the focal point of this unique subterranean event space. A treasure trove of original features and interesting architecture, the blank canvas space has striking exposed brickwork and vaulted ceilings that provide a pretty impressive backdrop for a number of private events, whether corporate or personal, for up to 270 people. Oh, and the best part? You can take an immersive ride on a 1km section of the ‘Mail Rail’ as part of your event. All aboard!
Nobu Hotel
From the company behind the famous Japanese fusion restaurants, the Nobu Hotel Shoreditch is one of the hottest hotel openings of the year and the first from the group in Europe. With a variety of spaces for hire, it’s also set to be an impressive events venue. Located on the ground floor, ‘Kaijo’ is a beautiful space, filled with natural daylight and a stunning bar. It has its own private entrance and can accommodate 200 people for one pretty fabulous party, or it can be split to create space for more intimate events.
The Nobu Shoreditch restaurant seats 240 and offers the innovative dishes that put Nobu on the map, alongside some created exclusively for the site. There are two semi-private spaces that can be hired for a really special birthday and if the sun comes out, there’s space for a super summer party on ‘The Nobu Terrace’.
Brasserie Blanc
Raymond Blanc’s classic French brasserie is coming to Fulham this month, bringing the simple French dishes and relaxed ambience that the collection is known for. The restaurant will make its home in a beautiful curved building, which has a lovely view over the river. The decor is understated and elegant, with bespoke banquettes, geometric screens, eye-catching Moooi Heracleum lights. You can also while away an afternoon on the terrace for your summer party or just go for a drink with friends and make the most of the dedicated gin trolley (it’s probably worth a trip for that alone).
The Garden Museum
After closing for 18 months for a £7.5 million redevelopment, the Garden Museum has now reopened. Situated by the River Thames and next to Lambeth Palace, the Garden Museum is a little green oasis away from the hustle and bustle of central London. Housed in the deconsecrated St Mary’s at Lambeth, the museum is a fascinating mix of Medieval and Victorian architecture, with an equally fascinating history, that has retained the grandeur of the original church and added modern, functional exhibition and events space.
As you’d expect, the outside space, which was originally the churchyard, has been transformed into totally beautiful gardens and makes for a picturesque backdrop to weddings, private parties and corporate events alike.
Nine Lives
Adding to the selection of great bars and restaurants on Bermondsey Street is Nine Lives. It’s a fun, tiki-style bar with a bit of a difference. The project has a ‘no-waste ethos’ and they’ve pretty much thought of everything. The bar has its own backyard herb garden used to garnish drinks, they redistill ingredients such a lemon pith to make oils for cocktails and even hand soap and only provide bamboo straws for drinks (you can purchase your very own for £1), so you can enjoy your cocktails safe in the knowledge that you’re doing something good for the environment.
The bar is beautifully decorated, with woven lampshades, bamboo and accents of green and there’s a real relaxed atmosphere. You can hire the bar exclusively on Sundays or Mondays, or groups can reserve a private area.
For more awesome London venues, head to hirespace.com.