Our List Of London Venues

One of the most time consuming parts of organising a function is to find a venue that a South London Caterer will service and that meets your needs.

Over many years we have worked with numerous venues, be they:

1. Church Halls
2. Museums
3. Stately Homes
4. Historic buildings
5. Meeting venues

The key when looking for a venue is to follow an ordered checklist so:

1. Pick 4-6 venues that are in your area-so if you are in South London or more precisely in the Dulwich/Herne Hill area you would look at places south of the river.
2. Go thru in your mind how people will arrive and depart
3. Look at how they will arrive-are you bussing them in or do they need to park?
4. Where is the nearest train station?
5. Is the venue child safe

Once you have your list; and this can be done with your outside caterer, you now need to visit the facilities. A preliminary call for pricing followed up by a visit will give you a feel for the site.

Often the manager or caretaker will be a fountain of information on the types of events that have been staged at the venue in the past. Ask as many questions as possible. I think a checklist is helpful to ensure you cover all topics.

Now involve your caterer and have them help you theme your space. Whatever the event a theme will give all involved a way of understanding how you see the event. I have listed some key points for you to think about:

1. Flowers
2. Colours, including table cloths and napkins
3. Focal points upon guest arrival-arch way or special lighting
4. Table decorations
5. Attire-casual or formal
6. Music

Venues close to our outside catering business have been listed below. For further information either contact the venue directly or contact our Retail shop in Herne Hill South London. A more detailed listing can be provided.

Venues in South London

BATTERSEA ARTS CENTRE, LAVENDER HILL.

Battersea Arts Centre is a popular venue and its Lower Hall is available for hire. Church Hallesque

Available from 2.30pm to midnight.

Capacity :- 180 people cocktail reception, up to 100 sit down dinner

THE HORNIMAN MUSEUM & GARDENS

The stunning Conservatory at the Horniman Musuem was built in 1894 in the finest tradition of Victorian cast iron architecture. Available for hire during the day and evening

Available from 9am to 11pm.

Conditions :- access to wcs not terribly convenient.

Capacity :- maximum 100 persons

PUMPHOUSE GALLERY, BATTERSEA PARK

This is an unusual Victorian lakeside venue in the centre of Battersea Park, ideally suited to cocktail/buffet receptions. The ground and first floors of the Pump House are available for hire.

Available from 6pm (summer) 3.30pm(winter) until 1am.

Capacity :- approx 80 persons (possibility of hiring marquee to increase capacity)

Mimosa are a leading outside caterer in the Herne Hill and Dulwich areas of South London. Why not visit their website at www.mimosafoods.com and let Mimosa meet your catering needs!

Portions : How To Decide How Much To Order For Your Function

Planning parties, be it a significant birthday or a wedding, is always a time of heightened stress. You are excited by the upcoming event and at the same time worried when you look at the details.

Your caterer or wedding advisor will help you get the details in the correct order – but you still want some control over quantities of food and wine to order.

Here is a check list of how to plan, and the questions you need to ask yourself:

1. Beverages – We estimate from ½ bottle of wine per person to 1 bottle. However many other factors come into play such as

a. Lunch time or dinner.

b. Age of group – younger men will prefer beer/women often prefer non-alcoholic beverages for lunch etc.

c. How many guests are driving?

d. If champagne is served as an aperitif then this should count towards total wine ordered.

2. Food including canapes – Standard portion sizes for meat and fish for plated meals are easy to find using a site such as http://www.lovefoodhatewaste.com/perfect_portions. However canapes at the start of an event are more difficult to gauge. Here are our tips.

a. Canape party without dinner

i. 5 canapes in the first 30 mins and then 3 per hour up to a total of 10 per person.

ii. By adding nuts and olives you can decrease the number of canapes

b. Canape party with dinner

i. No more than 5 canapes per person.

ii. Consider just having olives, crisps and dips.

3. Buffets – This can be a traditional buffet served from a set table or enhanced canapés-twice the size of a finger canapé.

a. Traditional buffet – The ratio of meats to salad/starches will be for every portion of meat or fish (175gr per person) provide 240 gr of salad/starch. This means that if you have a poached salmon or breast of chicken you will provide 100gr of potato or pasta salad and two portions of other salad each weighing around 70gr each. If you think about this logically there is a total volume or weight of food a person can eat.

b. Finger buffet – Enhanced canapes. The standard is 10 per person for a party lasting 2 hours. If your guests are known as ‘good eaters’ err on the heavier side when you choose your finger canapes. A hummus with carrots or mini baguette will be more filling than a delicate smoked salmon on toast!

3. Dessert portions – go all out in this area – remember the last food your guests eat will be remembered best. So variety and good display are very important. A tower of profiteroles (croque-en-bouche) would be spectacular with a rich chocolate mousse and perhaps a tropical fruit salad.

Final thoughts – do ask your outside catering professional to explain how they have arrived at their portion sizes – they will be happy to explain and you will feel more in control.

An article in a series published as a blog for South London Outside catering users.

Mimosa are a leading outside caterer in the Herne Hill and Dulwich areas of South London. Why not visit their website at www.mimosafoods.com and let Mimosa meet your catering needs!