The Happenstance is a bar and restaurant in Paternoster Square, in the City of London, beside St Paul's Cathedral. It hires out five spaces for private events: the Lounge, the Main Bar, a Private Dining Room, a Front Terrace and a Side Terrace. For a full-venue event the operator, Drake & Morgan, quotes up to 350 guests standing, 130 seated and 80 for a ceremony. It takes bookings for company meetings and parties, private dinners and weddings.
Seminars and company events
The venue's corporate offer covers board meetings, small client dinners and company-wide parties. The Private Dining Room is the meeting space: it has its own bar and AV equipment, and sliding doors close it off from the rest of the bar and restaurant. It holds 18 seated or 30 standing. For all-day meetings the operator lists day delegate packages, and for evenings it offers canapé and bowl menus, drinks and sharing packages and set menus for sit-down lunches and dinners. Menus are pre-ordered.
The Lounge suits networking and after-work receptions. It holds 120 standing or up to 80 seated, has a private bar and bathrooms, and a projector and screen can be provided on request. The Main Bar takes 140 standing or up to 150 seated and is used for company parties with a DJ or entertainment. The venue also runs mixology classes for team building and leaving parties.
Weddings and receptions
Weddings take place in the bar, with a ceremony for up to 80 guests, a seated reception for up to 130 and a standing reception for up to 350. After the vows, guests can step on to the terrace overlooking St Paul's Cathedral. The venue's events team supports couples from the concept to the day and offers seasonal food and drink packages for the wedding day.
Rooms and capacities
Lounge: standing 120, seated up to 80. Access to the side terrace.
Main Bar: standing 140, seated up to 150. With access to the front terrace.
Private Dining Room: standing 30, seated 18. Own bar, AV, sliding doors.
Front Terrace: standing 50 for each half, tables of 12 under canopies. It faces St Paul's Cathedral.
Side Terrace: standing 80, which can be split into sections, and tables of 6. It opens from the Lounge.
A virtual tour of the spaces is available on the venue's page.
Catering
Food and drink are provided by the venue. The operator lists set menus, canapés and bowls, drinks and sharing packages and day delegate packages, which the organiser pre-orders. External caterers are not mentioned.
History and setting
Paternoster Square is a pedestrian square next to St Paul's Cathedral. The Happenstance has a restaurant area, a lounge, a main bar and terraces on the square. The venue belongs to the Drake & Morgan group, which operates a series of bars and restaurants in London, Manchester and other locations.
Getting there
The venue is in Paternoster Square, EC4, a short walk from St Paul's Underground station. Contact the events team through the venue's contact page for dates and layouts.
