The Extravagant Freemasons' Hall: In The Spotlight
Continuing with our series of venue spotlights, where we take you on an inside tour of some of the venues we manage and work with closely, today we’re going to be giving you an insight into Freemasons’ Hall, a unique and characteristic venue that we are incredibly proud to have on our portfolio of exclusive Christmas party venues.
The History
Unlike some of our more modern venues, Freemasons’ Hall is adorned with history, which is what provides the space with such charisma and charm. Built between 1927 and 1932, this grand and truly breath-taking building was originally created as a memorial to the Freemasons who died during WW1. Nowadays, the Grade II listed building is a true nod to the art deco era through its stunning design, and is headquarters to the United Grand Lodge of England and the principal meeting place for Masonic Lodges. During the Christmas period, we transform the venue to host exclusive Christmas events that transport guests back in time to the roaring twenties.
The Details
Freemasons’ Hall is located in the heart of Covent Garden, a busy area of London with great access to public transport and plenty of accommodation choices.
Not only is Freemasons’ Hall an exceptional building in a prime location, it also boasts an array of rooms that can be hired individually or together to create a stunning setting for a host of events. The Grand Temple room lives up to its name and is a magnificent, opulent space with varying capacities depending on the layout – 1,625 if the fixed theatre style is used, or from 500-1,138 if the fixed seating is staged over. The Vestibules can be used in conjunction with The Grand Temple for drinks receptions, or in isolation for dinners or parties.
Leading to these spaces are two sweeping stone staircases, accessed via the Tower Entrance which features the authentic 1930s Tower Cloakroom.
Also available to hire is The Gallery Suite, which can be utilised as a breakout room or on its own for up to 220 theatre style, standing or dining.
The Events
The variety of spaces available at Freemasons’ Hall makes it well suited for a whole range of different events. We’re proud to be the official event management and catering partners for this venue over Christmas, which makes us responsible for hosting unforgettable dinners and receptions at exclusive festive parties throughout December. Each year, the experienced Moving Venue team work tirelessly behind the scenes of both The Gatsby Club and The Grand Temple to produce menus that are truly out of this world and perfectly suited for the festive season.
However, Christmas parties aren’t the only kind of event that the venue is ideal for. As mentioned above, Freemasons’ Hall is regularly used as a meeting place for Masonic Lodges, so why not host your meeting here too? Thanks to having room for up to 1,450 guests in just one single area, the venue is versatile and adaptable for all kinds of events; so whether you want to host a party, awards dinner or conference, there’s the perfect space for the occasion waiting for you at Freemasons’ Hall. So here at Smart Group, we’re available to help you all year round with whatever event you’d like to host.
Christmas at Freemasons’ Hall
In terms of Christmas at Freemasons’ Hall, here at Smart Group we’ve got some great plans in place for exclusive festive celebrations in both The Grand Temple and The Gatsby Club. So if you’re looking to host a private Christmas party, one of these two spaces could be the right option for you!
Each year, we put on multiple standing parties for up to 1,450 people or less in The Grand Temple, and up to 400 people in The Gatsby Club. We understand that seated dinners aren’t for everyone, so we offer a delicious 2-course bowl food menu by our experienced caterers Moving Venue. Instead of a starter, main and dessert, our American-themed street food such as hot dogs, meatballs and buttermilk chicken might be more suited to your occasion. We also offer a sparkling wine reception, unlimited wine, beer and soft drinks, lounge furniture in the Vestibules, a dance floor and professional DJ, and much more with this package.
Alternatively, we also offer 3-course seated dinner parties for up to 350 in The Grand Temple, and 230 at The Gatsby Club. Everything that’s included above in our standing parties package is also available in our seated parties package, so you can still chat with friends over a delicious meal round the dinner table, and still drag them up on the dance floor afterwards. The range of menus at Freemasons’ Hall over the festive period are predicted to be truly unforgettable…to give you a taste of what’s to come, one of the menus will include festive canapés such as curried turkey with crispy shallots, followed by starters of salmon, mains of braised beef and desserts of salted caramel mousse.