Old Billingsgate hosts corporate dinners, conferences, exhibitions, fashion shows, product launches and weddings for up to 2,500 guests at a reception. It sits on the north bank of the Thames in the City of London and offers three spaces plus a riverside terrace, which can be hired separately or together.
Seminars and company events
The venue is set up for large corporate formats. The Grand Hall suits charity fundraising dinners, awards evenings, experiential events and fashion shows, with in-house lighting, sound and production infrastructure. The Gallery works as an exclusive venue for conferences and made-to-measure exhibitions, with two break-out rooms that serve as seminar rooms or dressing rooms. The Vault suits conferences for up to 270 delegates as well as dinners and parties.
All three spaces are hired as blank canvases, with 24 hour access. That allows long build and de-rig periods for exhibitions and productions. The venue also lists film premiere parties and filming among its uses.
Weddings and receptions
Old Billingsgate lists weddings among the events it hosts. The Grand Hall and The Vault take seated dinners of 1,800 and 500 guests respectively, and the Gallery seats 250. The terrace, with views of Tower Bridge, HMS Belfast, The Shard and London Bridge, is used for drinks receptions.
Rooms and capacities
The Grand Hall is the largest space, at 47,000 square feet with a triple-height ceiling and a mezzanine. It takes 1,800 seated for dinner, 2,500 for a reception, 1,200 for a conference and 800 for an outdoor reception on the terrace.
The Gallery covers 10,000 square feet with arching white beams and a reception area facing the river. It takes 250 seated, 500 for a reception and 300 for a conference.
The Vault covers 21,000 square feet beneath the building, with exposed brickwork and vaulted ceilings. It takes 500 seated, 900 for a reception and 270 for a conference. A contained central space called The Well suits parties.
Floor plans for the Grand Hall, its mezzanine, the Gallery and the Vault are published on the official site, along with a virtual tour.
Catering
The venue works with a list of accredited suppliers who know the building and quote for work on site. Organisers choose from this list rather than from a single in-house caterer. Check the current list when you enquire.
History and setting
The building is a Victorian Grade II listed former fish market, which operated until 1982. The Grand Hall was the market floor. The Vault was the cold store, once packed with ice for the fishermen's catch. Architect Lord Richard Rogers gave the interior an industrial twist when it was converted into an event space.
Getting there
Old Billingsgate is at 1 Old Billingsgate Walk, 16 Lower Thames Street, London EC3R 6DX, on the riverside in the City. Monument and Tower Hill stations are the closest options, and London City Airport is the nearest airport.
