The Hellenic Centre in Marylebone, London, hosts seminars, conferences, workshops, dinners, receptions and weddings for up to 250 guests. Eight spaces can be hired privately, from the Great Hall down to a room for four people. The centre is run by a charity, and income from hire supports its cultural programme.
Seminars and company events
Companies use the centre for plenary sessions, conferences, annual meetings, product launches, press days, workshops and wine tastings. The Great Hall is a large white room with high ceilings and daylight from above, equipped with modern audiovisual technology. Hiring it includes the Balcony, a mezzanine that looks down on the hall and serves as a facilitation point or a breakout area for up to 15 people.
Smaller meetings take place on the upper floors. The Boardroom on the first floor seats 18 to 50 people for meetings, conferences and lectures. The Library on the second floor holds 25. On the third floor, the Glass Room and the Print Room hold 12 each for training sessions and syndicate groups, and the Map Room fits four people for interviews or mediation. These rooms have natural daylight, equipment and furniture. Businesses that join as corporate members receive hire discounts, according to the centre.
Weddings and receptions
The centre presents the Great Hall as suitable for weddings, bar mitzvahs, banquets, concerts and social events. It is a neutral white space, so hosts add their own decoration. The Friends Room on the ground floor takes a cocktail reception of up to 100 guests standing. It can be hired together with the interlinking ground-floor spaces as an extension to a Great Hall event.
Rooms and capacities
The Great Hall holds up to 250 guests. The Friends Room holds up to 100 and can be split with bi-folding doors, which leaves a smaller room for a meeting or a breakout. The Boardroom takes 18 to 50, the Library 25, the Glass Room and Print Room 12 each and the Map Room 4. The Bar area takes 20 for cocktails. It is offered for lunch to clients of the small meeting rooms who book the in-house catering, or as an extension to a Great Hall event, but it cannot be hired alone.
Catering
Organisers can contract their own caterer, use the centre's preferred caterer or choose from a range of set menus. The centre holds an alcohol licence and provides waiting and bar staff. Clients of the small meeting rooms can pre-book lunch through the in-house catering service.
History and setting
The building is made of red brick and Portland stone. It was commissioned in the 1900s as a Swedish Gymnasium and stands in Marylebone village, opposite Paddington Street Gardens. Besides venue hire, the centre runs lectures, exhibitions, concerts and Greek language courses, so private events share the house with a public cultural programme.
Getting there
Baker Street tube station is a few minutes away. King's Cross, St Pancras and Euston stations are within easy reach. The address is 16-18 Paddington Street, London W1U 5AS. The bookings team handles visits and enquiries by email and phone.
