Kristyna O’Connell explores the rich events seam of the City of London’s livery halls
Livery halls are some of the City of London’s most historic venues, associated with the medieval trade guilds known as livery companies, some of which date back to the 12th Century. Each hall is unique, reflecting the history and heritage of its respective company; but what makes these historic buildings attractive for conferences and meetings? Event planners are always looking for new and interesting places to host their events, so the question is, do livery halls meet the growing demand for unique and innovative event spaces?
Accessibility is on everyone’s mind and is vital for any event organiser. They need assurance that their event will run smoothly, with the venue able to welcome delegates with ease. The question is: for all their heritage, are livery halls up to date in terms of accessibility?
Stationers’ Hall and Garden has stood in the City near Ludgate Hill for the last 350 years. Following a recent major redevelopment programme, the Hall now features step-free access, new flexible event spaces, and air-cooling, making the building fit for contemporary events. Home to The Worshipful Company of Stationers and Newspaper Makers, established in 1403, whose members were originally text writers, illuminators of books, and suppliers of parchment, pens, and paper, Stationers’ Hall is now one of the City’s most sought-after venues for corporate and private events.
Accessibility was at the forefront of the renovations; the installation of a lift means all levels of the building are step-free, along with a garden that has both a wheelchair path and ornate handrails. Accessibility is not only physical, as there is expanded Wi-Fi and a hearing loop in the main hall. Like most livery halls, Stationers’ Hall offers amazing architecture and plenty of history, from the 200-year-old tree in the garden to the centuries of publishing, printing, and copyright heritage, all still relevant to most day-to-day businesses.
An historic building, like a livery hall, offers an atmosphere rich with history and can enrich any event. The heritage of these venues resonates in their walls, floors, and surroundings, adding value to conferences, receptions, dinners, and other meetings. To ensure this history and atmosphere endure, preservation is essential and that can entail coming up against certain restrictions, so organisers are encouraged to check those out.
Vintners’ Hall is located near Bank and St Paul’s Cathedral and dates from the 17th Century and is considered the spiritual home of the London wine trade. All rooms are well-appointed, with one of the oldest dining rooms in the capital. The Hall, arranged over two floors, provides an exclusive venue for conferences, board meetings, seminars, and lectures, as well as private dining functions, awards dinners, summer, and Christmas parties. Vintners’ Hall hosts conferences for up to 120 people theatre style or 80 cabaret style. The Drawing Room can be used as a separate catering space for the day.
There is a strict closing time in the evening and specific delivery dates for clients. There can only be one event per day or evening. Hence, the entire building is available exclusively for the client. During an event, the building itself provides pure entertainment with its own history and features. Management offers tours of the building for delegates.
As organisers seek to find a piece of heritage treasure to add a unique touch to their events, perhaps stepping into the City of London’s guilded past is an interesting path to take in order to deliver that little bit of extra charm and history to your next event.
