Private events in a Soho basement.

Most private hire venues in central London have one of two problems. The bland-event-box ones could be anywhere, same grey carpet, same neutral walls, same forgettable evening. The character venues book up nine months out and price themselves like a small wedding.

A Soho basement sits in the middle of that. Atmosphere built in, not bolted on. Central enough that nobody has to taxi home from somewhere unfashionable. Small enough that the room feels yours by the second cocktail.

What to ask before you book anywhere

The questions worth getting answers to:

• Is it actually private? Some "private hire" venues run a public bar in the same room. Ask whether you'll have the space to yourselves, and whether that includes the bar.
• Who's running it on the night? A dedicated host beats a passing manager every time. The difference is whether you spend the evening enjoying yourselves or chasing down service.
• What's the drinks setup? Tab, package, or pay-as-you-go? Each has its own logic. A package gives you certainty; a tab gives you flexibility; pay-as-you-go works for smaller, less formal groups.
• What's the deposit and the cancellation window? Read it before you sign. Decent venues are reasonable; the difficult ones use small print.
• Can the menu flex? Dietaries, signature drinks for the night, food timing. A good venue will say yes to most of it.

What it actually costs

For a Soho cocktail bar, packages tend to start around £20 a head and climb based on what you want included. Full venue hire is a separate conversation, you're paying to take the room out of the public diary, so the number reflects that.

At Basement Sate, semi-private sections start at £15pp and full venue hire starts from £2,000. Our private hire page has the detail by group size. If it's a company evening, the corporate event venue in Soho page covers formats and packages, and December bookers should go straight to the Christmas party venue in Soho page before the good dates go.

How to make twenty people feel like the only people in the room

The trick isn't decoration or a custom menu. Reserve more space than you think you need so the group can spread out. Brief one person on the door, a host who knows everyone's name on arrival sets the tone for the night. And pace the drinks: a welcome cocktail in everyone's hand within ten minutes, then let the room breathe before the next round.

The rest, you let the venue handle. That's what you're paying us for.

What we'd ask if you came to us

Numbers, date, the kind of evening you're after, the rough budget, and one detail about the people coming. The last one matters more than people expect, a thirtieth-birthday party for old university friends is a different night to a leaving drinks for a quiet team. We'll write the evening around it.

If you've got a date in mind, the private hire form is the fastest way in.