Dining

What are the venue hire costs and minimum spend requirements for Darwin Brasserie?

Darwin Brasserie requires a venue hire fee of £15,000 + VAT with a minimum catering spend of £12,000 + VAT that must be met. The space accommodates 50-70 guests for private dining events with both standing reception and seated dining areas.

What are the available time slots and access arrangements for private dining events?

Darwin Brasserie is available for breakfast events (7am-10am), lunch events (12pm-4pm), and dinner events (6pm-11pm). Access to the venue is permitted from 6am for setup, with earliest guest arrival from 6:30pm for evening events, and all guests must exit by the specified end time to allow for turnaround before regular service.

What catering packages are available and what do they include?

Catering packages start from £195 + VAT per person and include 3 canapés, 3-course dinner, 1 glass of prosecco, 1/2 bottle house wine, 1 beer, 1 soft drink, and 1 water. A Platinum Package is available at £163 + VAT per person including 6 canapés, 3 bowls, 1 glass of Champagne, 1 bottle of house wine, 1 beer, 1 soft drink, and 1 still or sparkling water.

Is outside catering permitted at Darwin Brasserie?

No, outside catering is not permitted at the venue. All food and beverage must be provided through Sky Garden's in-house catering services, which are managed by Rhubarb Hospitality Collection.

What are the minimum guest requirements and charging policies?

Darwin Brasserie has a minimum guest requirement of 60 people for private events. Even if fewer than 60 guests attend (such as 50 guests), you will still be charged for the minimum of 60 guests for both venue hire and catering calculations.

How far in advance can bookings be confirmed and what is the holding process?

Dates can be held on 2nd option initially, but cannot be confirmed on 1st option until 8 weeks before the event date. The venue operates a holding system where dates may be available as 2nd hold while they await confirmation from other potential bookings.

What setup time is available and are there restrictions during tourist hours?

Setup time varies by event timing - dinner events typically allow setup from 6pm with guest arrival from 6:30pm. The venue has limited availability during ticketed tourist hours (10am-6pm weekdays, 11am-9pm weekends), and events crossing these hours would require full exclusive venue hire for minimum 300 standing or 100 seated guests.

What AV equipment and entertainment options are available?

The venue can provide AV equipment for presentations including screens and microphones. Entertainment options such as DJs can be accommodated, and the City Garden area takes priority for music over other venue spaces during private events.

Are there any annual limitations on private event bookings?

Sky Garden is permitted to close for full or half-day private events a maximum of 26 times per year. Once this annual limit is reached, no additional full or half-day closures can be accommodated, which may affect availability for certain event requirements.

What is the booking and payment process for private dining events?

The booking process involves initial enquiry with event details (format, guest numbers, timings), followed by a proposal with venue hire and catering costs. Dates are initially held on 2nd option and can be viewed before confirmation, with final confirmation available 8 weeks before the event date.