Home or away? Where to hold your party.
A party at home? No Way!
So you have a party looming. The thoughts of twenty or so children running screaming around your house fills you with dread. Images of flying popcorn, smashed furniture and food smeared walls fill your mind. The party has to be away, there’s no way you can hold it at home. Or can you?
Of course you will save money by not having to hire a venue if you hold the party at home, maybe invest what you have saved by hiring an entertainer for an hour or two. An entertainer can keep the calm and keep children occupied and under control without the children even realising it. Giving children something to focus on will really deal with the fidgets and stop them turning to their own devices for entertainment. Many entertainers really do not need a huge space to work in, contrary to popular belief, and having something like a puppet show will really pull in the focus and keep everyone spellbound.
Children’s entertainers really prefer working in a home environment. There is no space quite like it.
If an entertainer is outside your budget, make sure you have prepared plenty of games /songs /craft activities for the children to make sure they are focused and amused. I shall suggest more games in a next post.
A party at home has charm, intimacy and a great atmosphere. It is perfect for younger children as they relax so much better in a home environment. If space is a problem, keep the numbers low as you will have to keep in mind that parents will be accompanying a small child. Remember if you serve alcohol to the grown-ups they will become a little naughty and loud, so maybe consider a large jug of elderflower or home-made lemonade and tea/coffee as alternatives.
No! No party at home for me! So now what? Where? …Help!
If holding a party at home really isn’t a possibility or you just can’t face the prospect, be choosy about your venue. A hastily chosen venue can make or break a party. There are a few options available.
School/Nursery
If your child attends school or nursery, your first port of call could be the school. Nursery schools especially are great venues to host birthday parties, but remember to take some blankets to hide large play equipment and put all the nursery toys out of view if you want your party guests to focus on the party.
Church halls
are numerous and cheap(ish) but do have the distinct disadvantage usually of having terrible acoustics ( no soft furnishings/carpet etc to absorb noise) and quite often are just too big. It is hard to focus children in a huge echoing environment. A sheepdog would be useful to round-up the party-goers! Before handing over your deposit to your local church hall provider, do have a look at( and a listen to) it. Shop around. Some church halls are better than others. Be wary of stages with swinging velvet curtains. The stage holds an almost impossible to avoid allure for children and it is really time-consuming to have to keep asking Johnny and Jenny to get down before they fall off the stage!
Family Friendly Restaurants
No, I’m not suggesting having to suffer the golden arches experience. Heaven forbid!
Italian restaurants are special aren’t they? Whether it be good old Pizza or Pasta, there is no more family friendly a restaurant than an Italian one. And what child doesn’t like the food? The staff is usually very child friendly. Many places will have a function room either downstairs or upstairs, it really pays to ask. If ordering food there is often no charge for hiring the room.
Leisure Centres/Sport Centres/Soft play Centres
A good way to combine entertainment with the venue is to host your party at one of these specialised centres all of which have their own function rooms. If you are a member of a gym/tennis club etc ask there if you can host a party at their facility. This is often a good way of finding a good size room with great facilities and none of the acoustic problems of a church hall.
Get Creative: Think out of the box 
I’ve attended parties at museums, city farms, on barges, in parks,woods and gardens. If you plan a party in the great British outdoors, remember this is England! Have a plan B for rain prepared. You would be amazed of how many times I have had clients panic call me when their park party is washed out.
London party venues:
While by no means exhaustive, here is a list of various venues around the London area.
North London venues:
Cafe’s /Restaurants
Pizza Express (A good size upstairs room )
Abbey Road
NW6
Cafe Rouge ( upstairs)
Hampstead High Street
NW3
Sports Clubs/Recreation/Play centres
Cumberland Lawn Tennis Club http://www.cltc-hcc.com/public/index.aspx
25 Alvanley Gardens
NW6
Regents Park Tennis Club
York Bridge Road
NW1
Treetops Softplay
Talacre Community Sports Centre Dalby Street , Kentish Town
www.camden.gov.uk/talacre
Halls and Community Centres
St James’ Hall
11 Prebend Street email: hall@stjamesislington.org
N1
Highbury Roundhouse
71 Ronald’s Road, London N5 1XB http://www.highbury-roundhouse.org.uk/roomhire/index.php
St Augustine’s Church Hall
108 Highbury New Park
N5 2DR
Muswell Hill Community Centre email : youth.office@haringey.gov.uk
Hillfield Park
N10 3QJ
St Augustine’s Church Hall Fr Philip Goff
Langdon Park Road N6 email: saintaugustine@blueyonder.co.uk
St George’s Centre Hall
Crayford Road
Tufnell Park
N7
Whittington Community Centre 020 7272 1847
9A Yerbury Road
Tufnell Park N19 4RN
St Lukes Church Hall
Kidderpore Avenue
NW2
http://www.stlukeshampstead.org/
Primrose Hill Community Centre
29 Hopkinson’s Place,
Fitzroy Road,
London, NW1 8TN
Phone: 020 7586 8327 Website: www.primrosehillca.org.uk
West London Venues
Cafe’s and Restaurants
Pizza Express
36 Earls Court Road
W8
Cafe Pasta (downstairs)
Kensington High Street email: kensington@cafepasta.co.uk
W8
Riverside Studios Cafe
Crisp Road
W6
Charlies Portobello Road Cafe
58 Portobello Road
W11
Leisure/ Sports /playcentres
Seymour Leisure Centre
Seymour Place
W1
Avenue Youth Centre
37, 3rd Avenue
Queens Park
W10 4RA
Cathnor Playhouse
Cathnor Road
W12
Halls
St John’s Parish Hall
Hyde Park Crescent
W2
St Stephens
Westbourne Park Road
W2
St Mary’s Catholic Church
Moorehouse Road W2
St Michaels Centre
Elmwood Road
W4
Scout Hut
Prebend Gardens
Wilson Walk
W4
The Labour Hall
Dorset Road
W5
Salvation Army Hall
Dalling Road
Hammersmith W6
Christchurch Vestry
Victoria Road
W8 5RQ
St Mary Abbots Hall
Vicarage Gate
W8
The Maida Centre
221 Lanark Road
W9 1NX
St Helen’s Church Hall
St Helen’s Gardens
W10
Westbourne Grove Church Hall
cnr Ledbury Road
W11
St Johns Church
Lansdowne Crescent
Notting Hill
W11
Victoria Hall
Becklow Road
W12
Holy Trinity Church Hall
Brooke Green
W14
East London
Mudchute Park and Farm
Pier Street
Isle of Dogs
E14 3HP
The City
Coram’s Fields
93 Guilford Street
City of London, Greater London WC1N 1DN 020 7833 0198
South West /South East London
Cafe’s and restaurants:
Pizza Express
Kings Road
SW3
Pizza Express
Moreton St
SW1
Pizza Express (downstairs)
363 Fulham Road
SW10
Pizza Express (upstairs)
Beauchamp Place
SW3
Pagliaccios ( Downstairs room)
Wandsworth Bridge Road
SW6
Maloca
287 Putney Bridge Road
SW15 2PT
The Depot
White Hart Lane
Barnes
SW13
Cafe Plum
189 Munster Road
Sw6
Play/ Sports clubs and Leisure Centres:
Imperial Wharf
Townmead Road
SW6
Putney Leisure Centre
Driburgh Road/Upper Richmond Road
Canons Health Club
Burr Road
SW18
Sands End Playcentre
247 Stevendale Road
SW6
Hurlingham Play Hut
Hurlingham Club
SW6
Eddie Catz
Putney High Street
Battersea Park 1 oclock club
Near Adventure Playground
Battersea Park
020 88717541
Brixton Tennis Club
35a Killieser Avenue
SW2
Vauxhall City Farm 
165 Tyers Street, London, SE11 5HS
Tel: 0207 582 4204
Web: http://www.vauxhallcityfarm.org
Invicta Children’s Centre
Invicta Road
SE3 7HE
Pippa Poppins
165 New Kings Road
SW6
Waterside Centre
26 Avenue Road SE25
Halls
St Xaviers Church Hall
Pimlico
SW1
Napier Hall
Hyde Place
SW1P 4NJ
St Barnabus Church Hall
14 Ranaleigh Grove
SW1
Pimlico
St Michaels Church
Chester Square
SW1
St Luke’s Church
St Luke’s Street
SW3
Hall of Remembrance
Flood Street
SW3
National Army Museum
Royal Hospital Road
SW3
St Michaels Church Hall
1Pond Road
Blackheath
SE3 9JL
St Pauls Church
Rectory Grove
SW4
Wilberforce Centre
Clapham Common
SW4
Contact Centre
60 Hambalt Road, Lambeth, London SW4 9EH
Brompton Library Meeting Rooms
210 Old Brompton Road
SW5
Mission Hall
Cnr Parsons Green/St Dionis Rd
SW6
St Matthews Church Hall
Peterborough Road/ Wandsworth Bridge Road
SW6
Kings Hall
Chipstead Street
SW6
St Elthelredas Church Hall
Cloncurry Street/Fulham Palace Road
SW6
St Barnabus Church Hall (Howard Hall)
Addison Road /Melbury Road
SW7
St Michaels Church Hall
Stockwell Park Road
SW9
St Luke’s Church Hall
Redcliffe Gardens
SW10
Chatham Hall
Northcote Road
SW11
St Andrews Church Hall
Altenburgh Gardens
SW11
Battersea Spiritualist Church
46 Beverly Road
SW11
Balham Library Room
St Stephens Church
Weir Road
SW12
St Lukes Community Hall
Thurleigh Road SW12
St James Community Centre
Ouseley Road
SW12
St Thomas’ Church Hall
Radbourne Road
SW12
St Lukes Church Hall
Ramsden Road
SW12
Montgommery Hall
Harleyford Road
Oval
SE11
Kitson Hall
Kitson Road SW13
The Shene Hall
Queen Elizabeth Walk
Barnes
SW13
St Michael and All Saints Church Hall
Embank Gardens
Barnes SW130NX
St Mary Magdalene Church
61 North Walpole Way
Mortlake
SW14
St Mary’s Church Hall
Putney High Street
SW15
Broomwood Hall
3 Garrards Road
SW16
Holy Trinity Church Hall
Trinity Road
Tooting Bec
SW17
Southfields Baptist Church
Wimbledon Park Road/ Purbright Road
SW18
Brathway Hall
Brathway Road/Merton Road
Southfields SW18
St Anne’s Church
St Anne’s Crescent
SW18
Scout Hut
22 Lyford Road
SW18
Earlsfield Library Hall
Magdelen Road
SW18
Merton Hall
Kingston Road
SW19
Sacred Heart RC Church
Edge Hill
SW19
St Mary’s Church Hall
Arthurs Road
SW19
Holy Trinity Church Hall
The Broadway
SW19
St Matthews Church Hall
Spencer Road
SW20
Christchurch Hall
16 Copse Hill
SW20 0HG
St Saviours Church Hall
Church Walk
Grand Drive
Raynes Park
SW20
St Stephens Church Hall
College Road
SE21
St Barnabus Church Hall
40 Calton Avenue
SE21
St Saviours Church Hall
Herne Hill Road/Finsen Road
SE24
Herne Hill United Church Hall
Red Post Hill l
SE24
Village Hall
off Bute Ave/Sudbrooke Lane
Petersham
TW10
