Business

Dining

What are the venue hire costs for the Manufacturing Room and how do full-day vs half-day rates compare?

The Manufacturing Room costs £1,310 (VAT exempt) for full-day hire from 8:30am to 5:30pm. Half-day hire is £870 (VAT exempt) for either morning (8:30am to 1pm) or afternoon (2pm to 5:30pm) slots. For combined Manufacturing Room and Whittle Room hire, half-day costs £1,335 (VAT exempt).

What are the capacity limits and seating arrangements available in the Manufacturing Room?

The Manufacturing Room accommodates up to 30 guests in boardroom style, 60 delegates in theatre style, or 40 in cabaret style. All layouts include space for AV equipment and catering inside the room. The space offers natural light, air conditioning, and views over St James's Park.

What AV equipment is available and what are the costs?

Basic AV options include laptop (£66), lectern (£22), and flipcharts (£22 each). Advanced options include full hybrid package with LED screen, HD camera, soundbar and microphones (£165), or screen and HDMI cable only (£83). All AV prices are subject to VAT and include technical support from a specialized technician.

How does catering work and what are the typical costs?

All catering is provided by Company of Cooks, the in-house caterer, with packages customizable to your needs. Day delegate rates start from £38.80 plus VAT per person, including arrival refreshments, mid-morning break, working lunch, and afternoon break. Guests cannot bring outside food back into the venue if they go off-site.

What is included in the venue hire fee and what additional costs should I expect?

Venue hire includes the room, basic setup, and an unmanned registration table and coat rail outside the room. Additional costs include AV equipment (all subject to VAT), catering (subject to VAT), and any time extensions beyond standard hours at additional cost. Technical support is included with AV packages.

Can I use external AV suppliers and what are the requirements?

Yes, external AV suppliers are permitted but must schedule a site visit with an OBW technician to discuss setup requirements. They must provide their own equipment, current PLI and PAT testing certification, and complete a risk assessment for the work.

What are the booking and payment processes?

The venue offers provisional holds while you finalize details, and you can book individual rooms or multiple spaces together. You'll work directly with a Commercial Venue Executive who handles contracting and can arrange site visits during business hours (10am-4pm availability mentioned for viewings).

Are there any restrictions on event types or timing?

The venue operates standard business hours (8:30am-5:30pm) with time extensions available at additional cost. The venue has minimum hire charges and may decline very last-minute or low-budget bookings. Weekend hire operates on different pricing structures with minimum charges.

What facilities are available outside the Manufacturing Room?

An unmanned registration table and coat rail are available outside the room. The space can be used in conjunction with other rooms like the Whittle Room for larger events or as syndicate space when combined with the Lecture Theatre for multi-room configurations.

How far in advance should I book and what flexibility is available?

The venue takes bookings up to 12 months ahead, with some availability confirmed closer to the date for certain periods. They offer flexibility on dates when possible and can accommodate changes during the planning process, though some dates may have provisional holds from other clients.