Sky Garden, London
Site visit date 22nd July 2022
Spanning three storeys, 155 metres above the city, Sky Garden is one of the most unique rooftop locations in London. Renowned for its beautiful, landscaped gardens, innovative architecture, and the most amazing, unrivalled views across London and beyond.
Exclusive hire provides you with access to Level 36, The City Garden for arrival drinks reception, followed by dinner on Level 35, Sky Pod, offering incredible panoramic views across London.
For a seated gala dinner, pre-dinner drinks need to be on Level 36, lift access for all guests is to Level 35 so the main seated dinner area will be viewed by guests on arrival rather than there being a big reveal.
Garden Plan
The outdoor terrace can be used as a viewing platform during an event. The maximum capacity is 60 guests on the terrace at any time and the terrace must be closed at sunset for health and safety purposes. Eating, drinking and smoking are not permitted on the terrace, it is purely for viewing.
There is an additional cost for security which is a hire requirement if the terrace is to be used.
Maximum numbers for a seated dinner with pre-dinner drinks are x 300.
Exclusive Use Seated Dinner
Maximum capacity is x 300
In terms of access for set up half day access for a seated dinner is sufficient to allow for a 7/7.30pm guest arrival as long as the production/AV element is minimal otherwise, if a band and more involved production/AV is required then half day access allows for an 8pm guest arrival. Full day access is recommended.
Packages
The venue offers canape and dinner packages as well as informal buffet packages.
The Gold Canape and Dinner package includes:
3 canapes
3 course dinner
1 glass of prosecco
½ bottle of house wine\beer, non-alcoholic cocktail, still and sparkling water
Additionally, the Platinum package includes all the above but:
Replace 3 canapes with 6 canapes
Replace 1 glass of prosecco with 1 glass of champagne
Replace ½ bottle of wine per person with 1 bottle of wine
Access and outside
The venue is located on Fenchurch Street in the City. There is space outside the venue for two coaches to unload or load at any point.
The main entrance has airport style bag and security checks during the day which, for an exclusive use event, can be removed, allowing guests to move straight to the lifts on arrival. There are two lifts, holding 15 people in each, ground floor to the Sky Garden takes a mere 30 seconds, with ears popping at about level 20!
Panoramic Views of London and beyond
Access and outside
The venue is located on Fenchurch Street in the City. There is space outside the venue for two coaches to unload or load at any point.
The main entrance has airport style bag and security checks during the day which, for an exclusive use event, can be removed, allowing guests to move straight to the lifts on arrival. There are two lifts, holding 15 people in each, ground floor to the Sky Garden takes a mere 30 seconds, with ears popping at about level 20.
Overhang branding
One of the branding opportunities within Sky Garden
If you’re having a band or a DJ then the venue recommends placing that, along with the dance floor, facing and directly opposite the main bar, pretty much in line with the Shard above. The venue has its own stage available.
Uplighters and spots provide some atmosphere, but the venue can be enhanced and made more atmospheric with the use of additional AV and production support.
Make it your own
Branding opportunities, for both advertising and/or to make the space feel like your own, are available. The lift and bar screens can be branded but the overhang (over the bar, see image above) also provides a useful opportunity on Level 35. It is also possible to wrap the bar too.
On the Sky Garden Level for pre-dinner drinks there are two flat panels behind the bar which are ideal for logo’s, advertising etc (see image below).
As you walk the steps from Level 35 to the Garden level (the right-hand side when facing the bar/lifts) there is a small, flat terrace area within the planting, potential ideal for speeches or a small DJ booth, a sort of “hidden in plain sight” area which is quite cute.
For large, exclusive use events the venue’s two restaurants are used for back of house, storage to hold the furniture naturally available to visitors during the day when open to the public and as a main kitchen area to service the event itself.
Make it your own space
Sky Garden, Level 36
Non-exclusive use
But if you’re wanting a smaller event, these two restaurants can also be booked exclusively and for even smaller groups.
Fenchurch Restaurant is ideal for between 30 – 46 guests for an exclusive use hire and includes a terrace area. This restaurant also has a private dining area to seat 16 guests. It’s not obvious to the naked eye as the venue creates this private space using frosted glass to section it off from the main dining area.
Darwin’s is suitable for 50 – 70 guests for private hire. There is no terrace to this restaurant, but it does have a chef’s table to seat 20 guests.
Both restaurants follow the garden theme beautifully and I’d happily have lunch, dinner or a private event in either.
When it’s gone, it’s gone
In terms of exclusive events, when it’s gone, it’s gone. As the Sky Garden is predominantly a public space and the intention is to keep it as such, only 26 exclusive use events per year are possible so book early to avoid disappointment is key.
Access to London’s public highest garden is free, but places do need to be booked in advance, you can book here, get tickets.
More general visitor information can be found here.
For more information or to check availability contact us.
