Good place for a fun "eventy" team Christmas lunch in London?

December 3, 2007 3:09 AM

Good place for a fun "eventy" team Christmas lunch in London?

Hi all. Does anyone have any good ideas for somewhere I can take my team of 10-12 people for a fun Christmas lunch in London? I'm not looking for an orthodox sit-down yawnpit, but rather something that's a bit more of an event or an experience.

Examples off the top of my head: food and bowling at Bloomsbury Bowling, food and karaoke at Lucky Voice, etc etc.

I'd prefer somewhere in Zone 1-2, north of the river.

Thanks!

posted by laumry to Grab Bag (6 answers total)

Don't have any great suggestions, but I would say that you have left it very, very late to organize something. You will probably find your choices limited (many companies actually have their Christmas parties starting this week...) Don't hang around booking whatever you decide on.

My wife went to an Ice Hockey match (maybe at the Millenium Dome or something like that) for a work event a few years ago, and she thought it was great. She normally hates sports. She mainly liked it as she works in recruitment, and found having the champagne and charlie crew drinking beer out of paper cups and eating hotdogs really changed the dynamic, and made the whole work thing far less tense and hierarchical, and a lot more relaxed and unpretentious. Might be an idea to do something similar, and try to get out of your team's normal comfort zone.
posted by bifter at 3:51 AM on December 3, 2007

The Trocodero is fun, actually - video games and rides!

China Town for food as well.

Mongolian BBQ at Covent Garden.

Umm, after that I'm out of ideas.
posted by DarlingBri at 4:19 AM on December 3, 2007

Honestly, I think you already have your answer with Bloomsbury Bowling Lanes, especially at this late stage in the Christmas party-planning season. It's top retro fun. If you didn't want to rely on the snacks they serve there you could go round the corner to Lamb's Conduit St - lots of pubs and restaurants.

(Also, if there's anyone in your team like me, who HATES all this office-organised "fun" and loves the sound of a yawnpit instead, when work colleagues are involved, bowling is a great option, since it can accommodate high-octane drunken extroversion and quieter conversation, all under one roof.)
posted by game warden to the events rhino at 4:49 AM on December 3, 2007

Ice-skating at Somerset House and lunch at the Bank restaurant on Aldwych was a hit with my team in my last job.
posted by Happy Dave at 5:18 AM on December 3, 2007

All Star Lanes is considerably smarter than Bloomsbury, and probably more impressive for work colleagues. It has less of the unwashed hipster vibe, decent cocktails, nice lanes, and a great bar. Food is above average diner food. They're open from midday throughout December.
posted by roofus at 5:42 AM on December 3, 2007

My department went bowling a couple weeks ago and it was really fun. We just went to a local bowling alley and ordered pizza.
posted by radioamy at 12:14 PM on December 3, 2007