Shared or exclusive: which summer party suits your team?

Shared summer parties

At a shared party, several companies book tables or tickets at the same event. The venue provides the setting, food, drinks and entertainment, and you pay per person.

This suits smaller teams, from a handful of people to a few dozen, who want a big-party atmosphere without organising one. There is little to plan: choose a date, confirm numbers and turn up.

Current options include a shared Thames boat party, Cocktails in the City and The Bowls Club LDN. See all ticketed and shared parties.

Exclusive hire

With exclusive hire, the venue or space is yours alone. You choose the timings, food, music and running order, and you can add speeches, awards or branding.

It suits larger groups, and any team that wants the evening to feel like its own event. Many of our listings offer exclusive hire of a terrace, garden or the whole building, from the Secret Garden at South Place Hotel for up to 80 guests to Old Billingsgate for up to 2,400.

The middle ground

Some venues offer a semi-private area: a section of a bar or terrace reserved for your group while the rest of the venue stays open. It costs less than exclusive hire, and suits groups too big for a table but too small to fill a whole venue. A few venues offer both, such as The Bowls Club LDN, where you can join a shared party or hire the whole venue.

How to choose

• Under about 30 guests: a shared party or a semi-private area usually gives a better atmosphere than a venue of your own.
• 30 to 100 guests: a semi-private area or a small exclusive space, such as a private terrace or garden.
• Over 100 guests: exclusive hire, so the venue works around your group.

Browse venues by group size, or tell us your numbers and we will suggest both shared and exclusive options for your date.