Pubs with Function Rooms for Hire in East London

Hire fee or minimum spend: which pricing model is better for your event?

A minimum spend can offer better value if your group is likely to spend close to the required amount on food and drinks, while a fixed hire fee can be easier to budget for when your group’s bar spend is less predictable.

• A hire fee is a flat charge for the room. You pay it whether your guests spend £50 or £500 at the bar. The Gold Room at The Leyton Star charges £200 per day Monday to Thursday, rising to £250 on Friday and Saturday.
• A minimum spend is a bar and food target you commit to reaching. Your money goes on drinks and catering rather than on the room. The Big Top at Star by Hackney Downs starts at £500 minimum spend for up to 70 standing guests, which works out at roughly £7 per head before anyone buys a second round.
• Some rooms combine the two. First Floor Private Hire at The Fox, Shoreditch charges a £250 hire fee plus a minimum spend of £500 on Mondays and Tuesdays, rising to £1,000 from Wednesday to Saturday.

Rule of thumb: divide the minimum spend by your guest count. If the per-head figure is close to what your group would spend at the bar anyway, minimum spend is the better deal. If it is well above, look for a fixed-fee room.

Does the day and time change the price?

Yes. Rates can vary considerably by day and session, so compare prices for your specific date and time rather than relying only on the lowest advertised rate.

• The Rocket Room at The Astronomer in Spitalfields starts at £500 minimum spend for a midday-to-17:00 session on any weekday, but a Thursday evening session is £2,600.
• The Backstage Room at Star by Liverpool Street costs £150 hire fee for a daytime session Monday to Thursday, and £350 for a Friday or Saturday evening.
• Pink Room at Heathcote & Star is £200 per day Monday to Thursday and £250 Friday to Sunday.

What size pub function room do you need?

Check both seated and standing capacity, as the difference can be substantial. For drinks-led parties, standing capacity may be the more useful figure, while dinners, presentations and speeches should be planned around the seated capacity.

Two things worth checking before you book:

• A high standing figure does not mean a big sit-down. The Fox, Shoreditch holds 100 standing but only 25 seated. If you want a meal with speeches, that room is a 25-person venue.
• Layout changes the number. Rooms such as The Rocket Room and The Brookmill list separate figures for theatre, cabaret, boardroom and classroom layouts, which are lower again than the standing capacity.

How private are East London pub function rooms?

The East London pub function rooms currently listed on Tagvenue are private spaces rather than reserved areas of the main bar. However, the level of privacy varies: some rooms have their own bar, toilets or separate access, while others share facilities with the rest of the pub.

Three things separate a genuinely self-contained room from a private room that still shares the pub's facilities:

• A private bar in the room. Blue Bar at Lord Napier Star, The Backstage Room at Star by Liverpool Street and First Floor Private Hire at The Fox, Shoreditch all have their own bar, so your guests never queue downstairs.
• Private toilets. Pink Room at Heathcote & Star has its own toilets. Most rooms do not, which means guests move through the public pub during your event.
• A separate access route. First-floor rooms such as The Gold Room at The Leyton Star and Blue Bar are reached by stairs from the main pub, which affects both privacy and step-free access.

If you are hosting a surprise party, a christening or a corporate event where privacy matters, ask the venue directly whether the room has its own bar and toilets, and whether the door can be kept closed to the public.

Which East London area should you choose?

Choose the area based on where your guests are travelling from, your budget and the type of event you are planning.

If you want to narrow your search, browse pubs with function rooms in Hackney or pubs with function rooms in Shoreditch. 

Can you have a DJ, music and dancing – and how late can you stay?

Music and DJs are allowed at many East London pub function rooms, but the rules and finish times vary by venue. Check whether you can bring your own DJ or play your own music, and confirm the alcohol licence and music cut-off time before booking.

Music and DJs

• Nearly all rooms let you play your own music and bring your own DJ.
• Function Room at People's Park Tavern is the exception – external DJs are not allowed, though the venue can arrange one for you and the room has its own dance floor and DJ equipment.
• The Backstage Room at Star by Liverpool Street includes a karaoke machine and DJ equipment; The Big Top at Star by Hackney Downs and Blue Bar at Lord Napier Star both have a separate karaoke room next door.
• Most rooms carry no noise restriction. The Rocket Room at The Astronomer restricts noise after 01:00 and turns music off at venue close.

Latest finish times, by alcohol licence

What food and drink options can you get?

The East London pub function rooms currently listed on Tagvenue use in-house catering and do not list external catering or BYO alcohol as options. Check the individual venue’s menus, dietary options and food-and-drink requirements before booking.

What you can expect:

• Dietary menus are widely available. The Gold Room at The Leyton Star and The Backstage Room at Star by Liverpool Street both list halal, kosher, extensive vegan and extensive gluten-free menus. Function Room at The Brookmill offers halal, vegan and gluten-free options.
• Cuisine varies by pub. Expect British menus at The Astronomer, People's Park Tavern and The Dickens Inn; American at The Leyton Star, Star by Hackney Downs and Lord Napier Star; Asian at The Fox, Shoreditch.
• Formal meals and buffets are both available at larger rooms. The Brookmill offers formal meals or buffets with locally sourced food and seats 65 for dining.
• Bar packages and add-ons exist at several venues – The Big Top offers a bottle bar add-on, and The Rocket Room lists delegate packages.

How catering interacts with minimum spend: at a minimum-spend venue, your food and drink bill counts towards the target. Order a buffet and a welcome drink and you may clear a £500 minimum spend before the party properly starts. At a fixed hire-fee venue, food is charged separately on top of the room fee.

Which room facilities should you look for?

Match facilities to your event type rather than looking for the longest list.

For birthdays and parties

Look for a dance floor, a sound system and a private bar. Function Room at People's Park Tavern has a dance floor and DJ equipment; Function Suite at The Dickens Inn has a dance floor and a cloakroom.

For work events and away days

Look for a projector, Wi-Fi and air conditioning. First Floor Private Hire at The Fox, Shoreditch includes a projector, sound system and Wi-Fi in the price. Function Room at The Brookmill has a full AV system with projection. The Rocket Room at The Astronomer lists classroom, conference, theatre and U-shape layouts.

For entertainment-led evenings

The Backstage Room at Star by Liverpool Street has a built-in karaoke machine and mood lighting. The Gold Room at The Leyton Star and The Big Top at Star by Hackney Downs both list bar games.

For summer and outdoor space

First Floor Private Hire at The Fox, Shoreditch has direct access to a roof terrace.

For accessibility

Function Suite at The Dickens Inn lists wheelchair access, accessible toilets and a cargo lift. Pink Room at Heathcote & Star is ground level and wheelchair accessible. Several other rooms are on the first floor and reached by stairs, so confirm access if any of your guests need it.

What rules and restrictions should you check before booking?

Pub function rooms carry more house rules than blank-canvas venues. Check these five before you pay a deposit.

• Decoration limits. The Big Top at Star by Hackney Downs and Blue Bar at Lord Napier Star both ban glitter and confetti, and Blue Bar does not allow anything stuck to the walls. The Rocket Room at The Astronomer does not allow sparklers.
• Cakeage and corkage. The Rocket Room charges no cakeage but does not allow corkage or forkage. Ask about this if you are bringing a cake.
• Age policies. Several rooms restrict under-18s in the evening – 19:00 at People's Park Tavern, 20:00 at Heathcote & Star, The Leyton Star, Star by Hackney Downs and Star by Liverpool Street, and 21:00 at The Fox, Shoreditch. This matters for family celebrations and christenings.
• Cancellation terms vary widely. Function Room at The Brookmill has a flexible policy with a full refund up to seven days before. The Big Top at Star by Hackney Downs and Blue Bar at Lord Napier Star are non-refundable within 30 days. Several rooms use a standard 30-day policy with a 50 per cent refund between 30 and seven days.
• Ticketed and licensed events. Most rooms do not permit promoted or ticketed events. The Big Top, Function Suite at The Dickens Inn and Function Room at The Brookmill do. The Dickens Inn is the only room in the current East London selection with a wedding licence.

Booking checklist

1. Before you confirm, get answers to these nine questions:
2. Is the price a hire fee, a minimum spend, or both – and does it change by day and session?
3. Does the minimum spend include food, drinks or both?
4. What is the seated capacity, not just the standing capacity?
5. Does the room have its own bar and its own toilets?
6. What time does the alcohol licence end, and is an extension possible?
7. Can we bring our own DJ, or play our own playlist?
8. Are there decoration restrictions – glitter, confetti, wall fixings, sparklers?
9. What time can we access the room to set up, and when must we clear?
10. What is the cancellation policy and the deposit amount?