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White chairs set up on stage facing an empty auditorium

Hire the Purcell Room

An iconic location for your meeting or seminar, with seating for 300 guestsOur Purcell Room offers a stylish backdrop for your conference, meeting or private concert, with the facilities you’d expect from a world-renowned arts venue.

Get in touchContact our specialist team for more information and to make a booking.

Submit an enquiry

Venue photography

A view from the stage of leather seats and a spiral staircase at the back of the auditorium
Victor Frankowski
View larger image 1 of 5. A view from the stage of leather seats and a spiral staircase at the back of the auditorium
A panel of speakers on stage with a full audience in the Purcell Room
Victor Frankowski
View larger image 2 of 5. A panel of speakers on stage with a full audience in the Purcell Room
An empty auditorium with wooden backed leather seats, wooden panelled walls and a spiral staircase at the back
Victor Frankowski
View larger image 3 of 5. An empty auditorium with wooden backed leather seats, wooden panelled walls and a spiral staircase at the back
An empty auditorium with wooden wall panelling and the stage set up for a panel discussion
Victor Frankowski
View larger image 4 of 5. An empty auditorium with wooden wall panelling and the stage set up for a panel discussion
An empty auditorium with the stage set up for a panel discussion
Garry Jones
View larger image 5 of 5. An empty auditorium with the stage set up for a panel discussion

At a glance

CapacitySeating: Fixed raked seating 295 (can be increased to 365 with a reduced stage for an additional charge)
Stage dimensionsDepth: 7.9m
Width: 12.5m

Rates

Day (8am – 5pm): from £9,000* (excl. VAT)

Evening (5pm – 11pm): from £9,000* (excl. VAT)

*  Auditorium hire only – ask us about a full-building takeover and our all day and night packages. We offer a 10% discount to registered charities.

Download the Purcell Room venue hire factsheet

Panel discussion happening on the Purcell Room stage, with a full audience.
By bringing your event to our Purcell Room, you’re supporting our mission to keep the arts open and accessible to all.

What’s included

  • Dedicated event manager
  • Two technicians and a production manager
  • Full team of visitor experience hosts to ensure guests are seated
  • Fully staffed cloakroom
  • Back of house areas including dressing rooms and green room
  • Shared use of foyer for catering
  • House lighting
  • In-house furniture (subject to availability)
  • Public wifi
  • Air conditioning
  • Up to five venue security personnel
  • Standard porterage

Additional services

  • AV equipment including projectors, screens, lighting
  • Ticketing services
  • Dedicated wifi
  • Extended licence
  • Exclusive foyer/building hire
  • Merchandise from the Southbank Centre Shop

Catering

We have a carefully selected list of approved caterers who can satisfy a variety of tastes and budgets. Please contact them directly for a quote.

Production

We have an experienced in-house production team as well as a list of approved production companies for all your design and equipment needs.

 

Views & reviews

‘A great location with excellent staff and suppliers, an impressive auditorium and plenty of space for networking. Our event manager was exceptional and helped us through each stage of planning and logistics, ensuring an stress-free and smooth-running event… Feedback from attendees was very positive, and I would definitely recommend the Southbank Centre to others.’

– Cara Low, Head of Marketing, EW Group

‘We booked the Southbank Centre after a site visit earlier on in the year. The Purcell Room was ideal for our high-profile event, as it included a green room and large foyer area for the post-session drinks reception. The staff were great to work with! Easy to get hold of and always so helpful. On the night, everything went very smoothly and to plan, and the staff onsite couldn’t have done more to help. We were really impressed by how accessible the space was, and the inclusion of a dedicated member of staff to assist our attendees with accessibility needs. We will definitely be back!’

– Siri McDonnell, Green Alliance

Event services

Catering
Different dishes on display in a variety of bowls with colourful toppings and dressings

Catering

We’ve handpicked the best event caterers in London to delight your guests with delicious food and drink tailored to your needs.

Production
DDA production of red carpet at the back of the Royal Festival Hall

Production

Hiring our venues means our backstage team are at your service – the same people who make sure our concerts run without a hitch.

Florists
Close up of floral arrangements laid out for a dinner in the Hayward Gallery.

Florists

We partner with some of London’s most experienced and celebrated florists to transform your event with unique floral designs.

Impact & access

Sustainability
Garden filled with a collection of different plants and bushes with concrete buildings behind

Sustainability

We’re committed to becoming carbon net zero by 2040. Find out how working with us will impact your organisation’s emission targets.

Access
Two people smiling at the London Philharmonic Orchestra lab event playing accessible musical instruments

Access

Determined to make our venues accessible for all, we’re the first live events organisation to achieve Attitude is Everything’s Platinum certification.