Our venue is located in the heart of central London with a plethora of eateries and attractions right on its doorstep. It’s been a tough job to narrow it down to just 10, but we’ve selected some of our favourite things to do within a 15-minutes-walk from our front door.
The British Museum is less than a five-minutes-walk away from our central London venue and houses 60 diverse galleries which are free to enjoy and don’t require pre-booking. The museum’s collection of works spans 2 million years of history and includes 8 million items. Its permanent exhibition themes include the Americas, China and Africa. It’s worth advising your delegates to plan their visit ahead of time so they can target the galleries they particularly want to visit as there is an awful lot from which to choose.
With five cafes and restaurants and three shops there is more than enough within the museum to keep visitors entertained for hours or even a full day if your guests have one to spare. Throughout the year the museum hosts special events and exhibitions for which visitors will need to book and pay for tickets in advance.
Just under 15 minutes away on foot, the National Portrait Gallery holds the largest collection of portraits in the world, spanning from the 16th century to the present day. Admission is free but there is a charge for the temporary exhibitions and its worth advising your delegates to book in advance if there’s something specific they want to see.
Afternoon tea, cocktails or a three-course evening meal, the National Portrait Gallery’s bars and restaurants can offer food and drinks for almost every occasion, and they come with spectacular views to boot.
With its pavements lined with street entertainers and its perimeter and central quadrant packed with bars, restaurants and shops, Covent Garden is a fabulous destination for visitors wanting a taste of London at its most vibrant. If any of your guests are opera fans, the Royal Opera House sits on the corner of the main square, but pre-planning is a must to guarantee tickets.
Big fashion and beauty brands dominate the shops in and around Covent Garden (Seven Dials and Neal’s Yard are some of the not-to-be-missed off-shoots) but the market within the covered centre houses more independent companies and arts and crafts goods.
One of London’s most iconic stores, Liberty London, is worth a visit even if your guests’ budgets won’t stretch to going on a spree once they’ve got there. The shop and its designer franchises are spread over six floors and offer visitors a unique shopping experience – even if it’s just window shopping. Located just off Regent’s Street, Liberty London is surrounded by dozens of more affordable high street brands and other big names like Hamley’s and Nike Town.
Just around the corner from this stretch of stores is the world famous Carnaby Street. A collection of fashion and lifestyle retailers – many of them independent – with a funky London vibe and a carnival-type atmosphere at special times of the year. Events and art installations are common within the Carnaby community so it’s an exciting destination for anyone simply wanting to soak up some of London’s multi-cultural, eclectic atmosphere.
The West End and its plethora of theatres is only a few-minutes-walk from Congress Centre. World-famous musicals and plays including Lion King, Matilda and Les Miserables are staples of London’s Theatreland with last-minutes tickets often up for grabs for many of the less-well-known productions. If any of your guests are keen to catch a show while they’re in town it might be worth suggesting they do their research before their trip to save them time on the night.
To select a handful of eateries, pubs and bars to recommend to your delegates from the huge swathe of options in our neighbourhood was a tall order. The range of establishments within a ten-minutes-walk of our venue is vast, in fact we’d challenge you to find a cuisine or niche beverage that isn’t catered for in the immediate area. We’ve chosen a handful of our favourites that we’re confident your guests will enjoy.
Berners Tavern is under a ten-minutes-walk away from Congress Centre and serves dinner, cocktails, afternoon tea, brunch and it boasts an extensive wine list that would impress those with even the most discerning of palettes. The menus are contemporary British in style and the restaurant space is spectacular, with high, ornately decorated ceilings and walls crammed with pictures.
Seafood restaurant J Sheekey is an institution in the locale and has been serving delicious lunches and dinners for over 100 years. An elegant, horseshoe Champagne and Oyster bar, banquette seating and an open kitchen all add to the classic yet contemporary feel to the venue. Bustling with pre- and post-theatre goers, J Sheekey is full of life – a great choice for guests who want to let their hair down after a long day at a conference or event.
With five different spaces specialising in different meal and drinks – including cocktails, afternoon tea, dinner and lunch – Sketch London offers something for everyone, whatever time of day or night. Full of colour, art and beautiful furniture the restaurants and bars are a destination that never fail to impress. The perfect choice for anyone looking to make the most of their time in the capital.
For delegates after a more low key night out, BrewDog Soho with its wide range of draught beers, burgers and dogs, is a real crowd pleaser. Its relaxed atmosphere and central Soho location means this bar and eatery is easy to get to from our venue and is a great place to unwind and bond with fellow event goers.
Whatever type of event you’re holding at our central London location and whoever your delegates are, there are lots of opportunities for them to eat, explore and be entertained right on our doorstep. If you need any advice or help in booking entertainment for after your event, please don’t hesitate to speak to our team.