Where can I hold my London birthday pub quiz?
November 7, 2011 5:49 AM Subscribe
I'm planning on holding a private birthday pub quiz at the beginning of December, somewhere in London. The only problem is I can't find a suitable venue, and I'm struggling on ways to make it really special. Your help is appreciated!
Do any London mefites know of a suitable venue? Here are the specifications which are making it hard to find somewhere:
- Needs to be available on a Sat at the beginning of December
- Has to be a private, separately function room in a pub/bar
- Needs to have tables/chairs for pub quiz action
- Must be in Central London OR Islington/Stoke Newington area
- Can't have an enormous hire fee
- And optional - should have a sound system so we can stay and dance to records after the quiz
I'm drawing a blank on this, so I wondered if anyone had a personal recommendation?
Also, if you have any amazingly creative quiz ideas, let me know! My boyfriend is co-ordinating general knowledge questions from friends but I want to do a special picture round or something similar.
The plan is to hand out prizes but I'm not sure what yet, although I think the booby prize will be a classic Christmas selection box.
Do any London mefites know of a suitable venue? Here are the specifications which are making it hard to find somewhere:
- Needs to be available on a Sat at the beginning of December
- Has to be a private, separately function room in a pub/bar
- Needs to have tables/chairs for pub quiz action
- Must be in Central London OR Islington/Stoke Newington area
- Can't have an enormous hire fee
- And optional - should have a sound system so we can stay and dance to records after the quiz
I'm drawing a blank on this, so I wondered if anyone had a personal recommendation?
Also, if you have any amazingly creative quiz ideas, let me know! My boyfriend is co-ordinating general knowledge questions from friends but I want to do a special picture round or something similar.
The plan is to hand out prizes but I'm not sure what yet, although I think the booby prize will be a classic Christmas selection box.
If you're not set on a Proper Pub, there is a venue in the northern bit of Stoke Newington called The Others which does more privately-arranged events than it does regular opening as far as I know.
I've been to quite a few jazz gigs there and it's comfortable and quirky. As it's not too well known, I'm told the hiring fee isn't too bad. Worth a look!
ps. Hi fellow North Londoner :)
posted by greenish at 5:58 AM on November 7, 2011
I've been to quite a few jazz gigs there and it's comfortable and quirky. As it's not too well known, I'm told the hiring fee isn't too bad. Worth a look!
ps. Hi fellow North Londoner :)
posted by greenish at 5:58 AM on November 7, 2011
PPS. by quirky, I mean last time i was there they had taxidermised fish in tiny top hats hanging from the ceiling.
posted by greenish at 6:00 AM on November 7, 2011
posted by greenish at 6:00 AM on November 7, 2011
The Garrison might work. I don't know what the hire fee is and it's at London Bridge (Bermondsey St) so I don't know if that counts as central enough for you. But it's a great pub and the downstairs room is perfect- tables and chairs, own sound system, even a projector if you want to wastch a movie.
posted by cushie at 7:35 AM on November 7, 2011
posted by cushie at 7:35 AM on November 7, 2011
The Shipmight be worth considering but it is on the South Bank - 2 minute walk from Wandsworth station. The food is great as it the atmosphere.
posted by YukonQuirm at 8:04 AM on November 7, 2011
posted by YukonQuirm at 8:04 AM on November 7, 2011
I think my old local, the Hemingford Arms, would be perfect. It's in Barnsbury but towards Caledonian Road - so is something of a cross between an old boozer and a pretty Islington pub. It's lively and with an interesting mix of people - many of the regulars have been going there for three generations.
They've recently done up the function room upstairs (so it's a lot nicer than in the photographs in the link above) and the room has everything you're after: tables and chairs, sofas, private bar and stereo system. I think they hire it out on a minimum bar spend basis.
posted by MrChuckles at 8:29 AM on November 7, 2011 [1 favorite]
They've recently done up the function room upstairs (so it's a lot nicer than in the photographs in the link above) and the room has everything you're after: tables and chairs, sofas, private bar and stereo system. I think they hire it out on a minimum bar spend basis.
posted by MrChuckles at 8:29 AM on November 7, 2011 [1 favorite]
Stoke Newington: upstairs at the Lion on Church Street, maybe upstairs at the Birdcage near Stoke Newington station (have held birthday parties up there in the past). Good luck!
posted by ozgirlabroad at 11:57 AM on November 7, 2011
posted by ozgirlabroad at 11:57 AM on November 7, 2011
Response by poster: Thanks everyone for your help - they're all great suggestions, but in the end I decided to go with the Yorkshire Grey on Grey's Inn Road in Holborn - you can hire the function room upstairs for a minimum bar tab, and they had space which was hard to find so near Christmas!
Thanks to like_neon for the 'identify the Christmas film' question, I love that idea and am going to use it.
posted by Encipher at 8:53 AM on November 15, 2011
Thanks to like_neon for the 'identify the Christmas film' question, I love that idea and am going to use it.
posted by Encipher at 8:53 AM on November 15, 2011
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Given the time of year, Christmas themed quiz might be fun. For the pictures round, you can have screenshots from Christmas movies for people to identify.
posted by like_neon at 5:56 AM on November 7, 2011