Best London Dry Hire Venues for 2027
What to know: London’s best dry hire venues give event organisers the freedom to create an event from the ground up. From industrial warehouses and railway arches to contemporary studios and historic buildings, these flexible spaces work particularly well for product launches, exhibitions, brand activations, fashion events, dinners and parties where the look and feel of the event really matters.
Here are some of the best dry hire venues in London for 2027, selected by the Best Venues London team for their flexibility, character, location and creative potential.
What is a dry hire venue?
A dry hire venue generally gives you the event space without the complete package of catering, furniture, production and other services normally associated with a hotel or traditional events venue.
Exactly what is included varies considerably from venue to venue. Some offer almost complete freedom to bring in your preferred caterers, production companies and other suppliers, while others have approved or exclusive suppliers for certain services.
For event planners, the real attraction is creative control. Instead of adapting your event to an existing ballroom or function room, you can build an environment around your brand, audience and event objectives.
1. Magazine London, Greenwich
For events where scale and production are important, Magazine London is hard to beat.
Located on the Greenwich Peninsula, this purpose-built event space has an industrial, contemporary feel and provides an impressive backdrop for large-scale corporate events, product launches, exhibitions, awards ceremonies, fashion events and immersive experiences.
One of its biggest strengths is the ability to create a completely bespoke environment rather than working around the restrictions of a conventional hotel or conference venue. The substantial outdoor Showground also opens up possibilities for events that need exterior space alongside the main venue.
Best for: Large product launches, brand experiences, exhibitions, awards and major corporate events.
Why we like it: Scale, production possibilities and the ability to make a major visual impact.
2. 60 Great Queen Street, Covent Garden
Dry hire doesn’t necessarily mean warehouse.
60 Great Queen Street offers something quite different: an impressive Grade II listed Art Deco building in the heart of Covent Garden with considerable scope for production and transformation.
The architecture gives events an immediate sense of occasion, while the different spaces within the building allow organisers to create distinct areas for arrival, drinks, dining, presentations and entertainment.
For planners wanting the flexibility associated with dry hire without sacrificing a prestigious Central London address, this is an excellent option.
Best for: Awards ceremonies, dinners, corporate celebrations, launches and high-profile events.
Why we like it: A rare combination of architectural character, Central London location and creative flexibility.
3. Tobacco Dock, Wapping
Few London venues offer quite as many possibilities as Tobacco Dock.
This Grade I listed former warehouse provides a collection of galleries, vaults, courtyards and interconnected event spaces, allowing organisers to use one area or create an event journey across several.
The Great Gallery alone can accommodate up to 1,500 guests theatre style, while smaller galleries and vaults allow events to be divided into plenary, exhibition, catering, networking and breakout zones.
The historic timber beams and exposed architecture provide plenty of character before any production is added, yet the spaces remain highly brandable.
Best for: Conferences, exhibitions, consumer events, experiential events, product launches and large receptions.
Why we like it: Very few London venues combine this degree of flexibility, scale and character.
4. Noho Studios, Fitzrovia
For a smaller event where location and versatility are priorities, Noho Studios is one of our favourite Central London dry hire spaces.
Situated on Great Titchfield Street, just a short walk from Oxford Circus, it offers a contemporary blank canvas that can be completely transformed around an event or brand.
Its clean white walls, high ceilings and street-level presence make it particularly effective for events where branding and presentation are central to the brief.
Best for: Product launches, pop-ups, press events, exhibitions, dinners and brand activations.
Why we like it: A genuinely flexible dry hire venue in a location that is extremely convenient for guests.
5. Noho Showrooms, Fitzrovia
Close to Noho Studios, Noho Showrooms offers another excellent option for brands wanting a prominent Central London location.
Bright, contemporary and highly adaptable, the venue works especially well when the event itself needs to be visible. Its street frontage makes it particularly suitable for pop-ups, retail activations, showcases and launches.
The neutral interior means branding can take centre stage without having to compete with existing venue décor.
Best for: Pop-ups, launches, exhibitions, showcases and brand activations.
Why we like it: Excellent street presence combined with a clean, contemporary interior.
6. 26 Leake Street, Waterloo
For something considerably more urban, 26 Leake Street provides a dramatic setting beneath Waterloo Station.
The venue occupies interconnected railway arches and brings together exposed brickwork, industrial architecture and the unmistakable atmosphere of the Leake Street area.
It is a particularly good choice when a traditional polished event space simply won’t suit the brief. Lighting, staging, graphics and installations can completely alter the atmosphere, making it particularly appealing for creative agencies and brands.
Best for: Experiential events, product launches, parties, fashion, music and brand activations.
Why we like it: It feels unmistakably London and gives creative teams plenty to work with.
7. Village Underground, Shoreditch
For a dry hire venue with genuine East London character, Village Underground is an excellent choice.
Housed in a former Victorian warehouse in Shoreditch, the venue combines exposed brickwork, soaring ceilings and large arched windows with the flexibility of a blank canvas event space. It has a raw, industrial feel without being so stripped back that organisers need to build everything from scratch.
The main space can accommodate up to 700 guests standing, with capacities of 200 theatre style or 130 seated, and its pillar-free layout gives production teams plenty of freedom. Built-in sound and lighting infrastructure is another advantage for events where AV, entertainment or staging forms a major part of the brief.
Village Underground works particularly well for brands looking for somewhere with personality. Previous uses have included product launches, fashion shows, brand activations, conferences, receptions and filming.
Best for: Product launches, brand activations, fashion events, creative conferences and receptions.
Why we like it: The combination of Victorian warehouse architecture, Shoreditch location and blank-canvas flexibility gives events an immediate identity without limiting what can be created.
8. Unlocked Shoreditch
Shoreditch remains one of London’s strongest locations for creative and brand-led events, and Unlocked Shoreditch fits that market extremely well.
The large industrial-style studio has been designed with event production in mind, including generous ceiling height and the infrastructure required for ambitious installations.
For agencies looking to build a strong visual concept rather than simply decorate an existing venue, it provides considerable freedom.
Best for: Product launches, brand activations, fashion, filming, exhibitions and creative corporate events.
Why we like it: A production-friendly East London space that can look completely different from one event to the next.
9. Number 90 & Studio 9294, Hackney Wick
For planners looking beyond Central London, Number 90 & Studio 9294 brings together industrial event space and the creative character of Hackney Wick.
Its warehouse-style setting lends itself particularly well to less formal corporate events, parties, launches, live entertainment and experiential concepts.
This is the sort of venue we would consider when a client tells us they want somewhere that doesn’t feel overtly corporate.
Best for: Parties, launches, creative events, live entertainment and brand experiences.
Why we like it: Industrial character and a more relaxed East London atmosphere.
10. 3 Hanover Square, Mayfair
A dry hire venue in Mayfair gives organisers a rather different proposition.
3 Hanover Square provides flexible event space in one of London’s most prestigious districts, making it useful for brands that want creative freedom but need to remain firmly in the West End.
It can be adapted for exhibitions, launches, dinners, receptions and other events where location and presentation are equally important.
Best for: Luxury launches, receptions, exhibitions, dinners and fashion events.
Why we like it: Dry hire flexibility in a location where true blank canvas spaces are relatively difficult to find.
Which London dry hire venue should you choose?
The best space depends on what you actually want to create.
For a major production or large-scale brand event, start with venues such as Magazine London or Tobacco Dock.
For Central London launches and activations, Noho Studios, Noho Showrooms and 3 Hanover Square offer particularly convenient locations.
If you want something with a more industrial or unconventional atmosphere, look at 26 Leake Street, Unlocked Shoreditch or Studio 9294.
And if you want history and character as well as creative flexibility, 60 Great Queen Street and Dockside Vaults are worth considering.
What should you check before booking a dry hire venue?
Dry hire can offer enormous freedom, but there is more to consider than the hire fee. Before committing to a venue, check:
- exactly what the hire fee includes
- whether you can use your own caterer and suppliers
- approved or exclusive supplier requirements
- access and get-in/get-out times
- loading and vehicle access
- power supply and three-phase power availability
- rigging restrictions
- furniture requirements
- kitchen or catering facilities
- security, cleaning and staffing costs
- alcohol and entertainment licensing
- noise restrictions
- cloakroom and toilet provision
- accessibility
- whether rehearsal, installation and de-rig days incur additional hire charges.
A venue with a lower headline hire fee isn’t necessarily the least expensive once production, furniture, staffing, power, security and catering infrastructure have been added.
Our venue finder tip
Don’t choose a dry hire venue simply because you want a blank canvas. Choose it because the freedom it gives you is genuinely useful to your event.
For a straightforward meeting or dinner, a fully serviced venue may prove easier and better value. But when branding, production, styling or guest experience is central to the brief, the right dry hire venue can give you possibilities that a conventional event space simply can’t offer.
Need help finding a dry hire venue in London?
We don’t list every London venue. We help you find the right one.
Tell the Best Venues London team what you’re planning, including your guest numbers, preferred location, budget and the type of space you have in mind. Our London venue experts will search for suitable options and send you a handpicked shortlist of venues that fit your brief.
Our venue finding service is completely free.