Story's Favourite Award Gala Venues

Getting ready for an awards gala is an exciting experience, filled with anticipation as you prepare your outfit, hair and makeup. There’s a rush of adrenaline as you step through the doors, surrounded by the glamour and spectacle of the event. At Story, we love this feeling, which is why we have come up with our favourite Award Gala venues for inspiration, so you can experience this magical sensation yourself!

116 Pall Mall

116 Pall Mall is a magnificent Grade-I listed Georgian building in the heart of London, only a 5-minute walk from Piccadilly Circus. It offers an elegant and sophisticated setting, combining historic charm with modern amenities. The venue boasts five floors of versatile spaces that are used to cater to a wide range of occasions, from corporate conferences and meetings to glamorous receptions and weddings.

Capacity: 116 Pall Mall has a generous capacity, accommodating up to 1000 guests across the venue, and 350 for a standing reception in the largest space, The Nash Room.
Most popular Award Gala theme: 116 Pall Mall is well-suited for events that require a touch of elegance, refinement, and grandeur. The venue’s classic architecture, rich history and opulent interiors make it the perfect choice to celebrate success at your awards dinner, a special night deserves a spectacular venue. Their award-winning catering company, Searcys, provides all catering options at the venue, serving up a host of delicious seasonal, sustainable food which can be tailored to suit any type of celebration.
Most exciting fact: The 15ft regency chandelier that hangs above the Grand Staircase and gallery at 116 Pall Mall was donated by King George IV to commemorate the Battle of Waterloo in 1828. It cost £45,000 at the time which is equivalent to £40m in today’s money. If you look closely towards the top, you can see flags indicating its naval past.

Frameless

Frameless is London’s first permanent digital immersive art experience and the UK’s largest. Its four galleries showcase some of the world’s greatest works of art presented on a scale and in ways you’ve never seen before. It is also one of London’s most sought after events venues, having hosted events for New Balance, Hublot, ITV, PWC and Estee Lauder since it opened in October last year.

Capacity: 450 for a reception, 250 for dinner and 220 for an awards ceremony
Most popular Award Gala theme: Frameless is a multi-sensory experience where clients can project their own content on the walls or use exiting content from their collection.
Most exciting fact: Frameless is all things to everyone, from having dinner in the vineyard that produced the wine your guests are drinking, to a small dinner on Lake Vancouver. You are only limited by your imagination.

De Vere Grand Connaught Rooms

Standing on Great Queen Street, which connects Covent Garden with Holborn in the West End of London, is the Grade II* listed De Vere Grand Connaught Rooms. With a history dating back to 1775, the building has long been an important event venue, and was once home to the original Freemasons’ Tavern before becoming a hotel in 1909. Since then, the venue has hosted some of the world ‘s leading politicians, royalty and celebrities with its grand Georgian architecture and art-deco interiors offering 37 exceptional spaces for a wide range of conferences, exhibitions, meetings, training and weddings.

Capacity: This venue has 37 events spaces spread over 5 floors that can host any numbers from 10 to 1500. The Grand Hall is the largest space that can host up to 750 guests’ theatre style and 1,500 guests for a drinks reception, bowl food and exhibition/trade shows.
Most popular Award Gala theme: The Grand Connaught Rooms features grand Georgian and Art-Deco architecture which lends itself to any theme. With arched ornate ceilings, beautiful wood-panelling and dramatic chandeliers, the Grand Spaces can host all types of events from meetings and conferences to awards dinners, large banquets, charity balls, fashion shows, trade shows, filming and Christmas parties.
Most exciting fact: This venue has been featured in many movies and Tv shows. The 2023 season finale of “The Apprentice”, “Made in Chelsea” and several scenes form the Mark Wahlberg and Halle Berry starrer “Our Man from Jersey” were recently shot at De Vere Grand Connaught Rooms.

Old Billingsgate

In the heart of the City on the North bank of the River Thames, stands a striking historic building that is a remarkable part of London’s heritage. The Grand Hall is Old Billingsgate’s largest space, boasting a stunning triple-height ceiling, mezzanine space and our riverside terrace, large enough to hold 800 guests for a drink’s reception, is a rare find in such a central location – a truly wonderful place to hold an event.

Capacity: The Grand Hall comfortably seats 1,200 for a dinner dance or can effortlessly accommodate a standing reception for 2,500 guests.
Most popular Award Gala theme: The opportunities are endless! Whether that is having a James Bond stunt man abseiling down the façade of the building during a 007 themed drinks reception or removing 8ft windows to build a bespoke staircase to fulfil our client’s event concepts, they will always do what they can!
Most exciting fact: Old Billingsgate do not stop at events… they have also become a hotspot for the filming industry. Did you see the venue in the film ‘Bridget Jones’s Baby’? Or maybe the last season of the Netflix series ‘You’?

Roundhouse

The Roundhouse is London’s most thrilling ‘alternative’ venue; whose walls have embraced incredible moments in history, from its foundation in the industrial revolution to being born into the world of art and events with Pink Floyd 56 years ago. While offering over 2500sqm of versatile, industrial event space with a capacity of 3,000 and a 2am licence, events at the Roundhouse are taken to the next level making it a wonderful choice for your next project.

Capacity: This venue can accommodate up to 1800 for a standing reception, up to 850 for a seated dinner and up to 1500 for a seated conference.
Most popular Award Gala theme: The theme that most suits this venue is a circus theme. They have previously had a carousel and helter skelter in the space which works incredibly well as the space is round. They also allow aerialists who add to the theme which can be suspended from your large truss at different rigging points.
Most exciting fact: In 1966, Pink Floyd played their debut gig at the Roundhouse. It was London’s first ever all-night rave, heralding more than a decade of legendary rock and punk performances at the venue.

Please contact us here to start planning your next award gala!