Barge East is a restaurant barge with a terrace, gardens and a sister boat on the River Lee in Hackney Wick, east London. It hosts company events for as few as 8 and as many as 300 guests standing, and every space can be hired privately, from a captain's cabin to a 200-seat garden. The address is Sweetwater Mooring, 98 White Post Lane.
Seminars and company events
The venue is best suited to team gatherings, client evenings, summer parties and Christmas events rather than conference days. Meeting space is listed among the event types, and the quieter spaces are the place to start. The Captain's Cabin takes up to 8 guests seated, the Canopy on the upper deck takes 16 to 26 seated, and the Orchard in the gardens takes 50 seated or 60 standing. Five Garden Pods each hold 15 seated or 20 standing, which works for small groups sitting separately within one event.
The Milk Float, a sister boat, is hired by groups of 15 or more. Its indoor lower deck takes 40 seated or 50 standing and comes with a private bar, a dance floor and DJ setup, and AV equipment. The top deck takes 40 guests, with outdoor heating and overhead cover available. The two decks can be hired together or as two separate spaces.
Beyond the venue, the team can add activities. Skuna Boats operate from West India Quay, and MooCanoes run canoes, kayaks and paddleboards on the River Lee for up to 50 guests at once. Artist-led workshops such as painting, floristry and printmaking, live musicians, DJs and performers can be added to an evening.
Weddings and receptions
Weddings have their own page on the website, and the venue lists weddings among its main event types. The Gardens, the Terrace and the Barge are all hired privately, with bar, DJ and dance floor available. Ask the bookings team for ceremony and licensing details, which the hire page does not cover.
Rooms and capacities
The Barge, a historic Dutch barge more than a century old, takes 50 seated or 80 standing and includes private dining, a bar, a DJ and a dance floor. Its Lower Deck takes 50 seated or 80 standing in a semi-private dining layout. The Terrace beside the canal takes 120 seated or 150 standing, with a retro Airstream trailer for the bar and kitchen. The Gardens are riverside, heated and covered, with views of the London skyline and Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. They take 200 seated or 300 standing and include a private rooftop for 30 seated or 45 standing.
Catering
The Barge serves à la carte, set menus, a chef's tasting menu and canapés. The Terrace, Gardens and Milk Float serve street food, BBQ menus and, on the Milk Float, burgers and sliders. Drinks include local beers and ciders, spirits from sustainable producers, house cocktails and soft drinks in every area. Group set menus run to two or three courses.
Getting there
Barge East is on the River Lee at Hackney Wick, close to Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. The venue publishes a separate Finding Barge East page for directions, so check it before sending guests.
