Usually booked for
Birthday Party
Typically for 55-65 guests and costs about £1,000.
"Staff on the night and in the lead up to the event we're friendly and helpful."
- Emma E. Jul 2026
Star by Hackney Downs
The Big Top
Exterior
Floor Plan
Star by Hackney Downs
Pub
#10 of 430 Pub venues in North East London
#42 of 853 40th Birthday Party venues in East London
12 reviews
–
85 Queensdown Road, London, E5 8NN
–
Hackney Downs Station (0.3 mi)
Lilli Harris
Your Personal Event Manager from Electric Star Pubs
Response rate: 94%
Response time: Within
a few hours
Partnered with Tagvenue for 3 years
This manager has been a trusted partner of Tagvenue, consistently recognised by customers for their reliability.
Excellent communication - 4.8/5
112 verified clients rated their communication with the venue manager as 4.8. They appreciated the manager's professionalism and quick response times.
Venue overview
Trendy pub near Hackney Downs park with a quirky fairground-inspired interior and a lively streetside terrace. Ideal for birthday parties and casual celebrations with options for karaoke, DJs, and dancing.
This is an AI-generated summary based on client reviews and venue profile
Spaces for hire at Star by Hackney Downs
The Big Top
Function Room
·
Private space
30 seats
70 standing
The Big Top is a Function Room in the Star by Hackney Downs pub, defined by high ceilings and large sash windows that fill the space with natural light.
Design: The room has dark-painted walls, exposed white ceiling beams and wide, worn wooden floorboards that give a robust, informal character. The layout is tall and open, and a disco ball and tal...
Alcohol licence
until 1:00
Unavailable: Alcohol licence extension
PA system / music speakers
Play your own music
Reviews and ratings
4.7
1 new review from verified user within the last 6 months
3 recent guests highly rated location and service quality
Amenities
4.7
Cleanliness
4.3
Location
5.0
Service quality
5.0
Value for money
5.0
Catering
4.0
Communication
4.9
Verified reviews come from Tagvenue users. All reviews are checked by our team to uphold our trust and safety standards.
EE
Emma E.
Verified review
Birthday Party · 60 guests
· July 2026
· The Big Top
Staff on the night and in the lead up to the event we're friendly and helpful. On the evening staff were responsive, relaxed and easy to communicate with.
Nothing, everything was as expected for a good knees up in the pub
Submitted 2 months ago
4.4
ED
Efthymia-Mari D.
Verified review
50th Birthday Party · 40 guests
· October 2025
· The Big Top
Everyone was very friendly and helpful. I had a great 50 th celebration it felt like I was at home.
No complaints
Submitted 1 year ago
4.8
BT
Barry T.
Verified review
Pub · 50 guests
· January 2025
· The Big Top
Great venue, great karaoke room, all round great experience!
Submitted 1 year ago
5.0
JZ
Jessica Z.
Verified review
Excellent communication
Submitted 7 months ago
5.0
Prices and opening hours
Monday
16:00 –
23:00
from
£100
hire fee per day
The Big Top
16:00 –
23:00
from
£100
hire fee per day
Tuesday
16:00 –
23:00
from
£100
hire fee per day
The Big Top
16:00 –
23:00
from
£100
hire fee per day
Wednesday
16:00 –
23:00
from
£100
hire fee per day
The Big Top
16:00 –
23:00
from
£100
hire fee per day
Thursday
16:00 –
23:00
from
£100
hire fee per day
The Big Top
16:00 –
23:00
from
£100
hire fee per day
Friday
16:00 –
23:00
from
£150
hire fee per day
The Big Top
16:00 –
23:00
from
£150
hire fee per day
Saturday
18:00 –
1:00
from
£250
hire fee per day
The Big Top
18:00 –
1:00
from
£250
hire fee per day
Sunday
12:00 –
16:00
from
£100
hire fee per day
The Big Top
12:00 –
16:00
from
£100
hire fee per day
Best Price guarantee: you will always pay the same price as booking directly with the venue, and we never add hidden or processing fees.
Facilities and catering options
Up to 70
standing
Up to 30
seats
In-house catering
American
cuisine
Promoted / ticketed events
Alcohol provided
Unavailable: External catering allowed
Unavailable: Parking available
Unavailable: Accommodation available
Unavailable: BYO alcohol
About Star by Hackney Downs
Star by Hackney Downs is a Trusted Tagvenue Partner, validated by the Tagvenue team with a record of successful bookings on the platform.
Star by Hackney Downs is a pub defined by an eclectic fairground-style interior, centred on a brightly painted servery and decorative carousel motifs.
Venue highlights: The venue offers a streetside terrace and outdoor seating that extend the hire area for informal gatherings. The pub runs regular DJ nights and live events, allowing private hires to use existing sound and lighting arrangements. The kitchen serves American-style comfort food and the venue provides in-house catering and promoted ticketing for events.
Best for: Birthday parties, DJ-led private gigs, and Sunday roast private lunches are the most natural private hires.
Location: Lower Clapton sits opposite Hackney Downs park, giving guests direct access to green space before or after an event. The neighbourhood also hosts a cluster of pubs and casual eateries for guests to continue the evening nearby.
FAQ
No, external food is not permitted; all food and drinks must come through the venue.
Yes. This space comes equipped with a private bar, toilets, small stage, projector and a sound system you can plug into.
External food and drinks are not allowed; only a celebration cake is permitted.
At Star by Hackney Downs, the following catering options are available:
- In-house catering service is available
Star by Hackney Downs does not offer parking facilities.
Here are some event spends from guests who recently held events at Star by Hackney Downs:
- The Big Top hosting 60 guests: £1500
For detailed pricing tailored to your event, please contact the venue.
Star by Hackney Downs is located at 85 Queensdown Road, in Hackney Borough, London. The nearest metro station is Hackney Downs Station.
Yes! Here's what guests who have hosted their birthdays at this venue say:
- Emma E. rated it 4.4/5 stars
'Staff on the night and in the lead up to the event we're friendly and helpful. On the evening staff were responsive, relaxed and easy to communicate with.' - Efthymia-Mari D. rated it 4.8/5 stars
'Everyone was very friendly and helpful. I had a great 50 th celebration it felt like I was at home.'
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