How to entertain business clients in London

You’re meeting clients in London, you’ve got your presentation sorted, your meeting venue booked and you’re clear on your aims and objectives. So what’s next? A bit of fun, obviously!

It would quite literally be a crime to meet clients in a city like London and only have plans for the business side of things. In order to get close to clients and customers they’ll want to see the real you. If they’re meeting you in London they’ll also want to see the real London too!

Taking them for an expensive dinner in an exclusive restaurant with views of the River Thames is old hat. You want to make yourself and your company stand apart from the rest. Dinner and awkward conversation can no longer be classed as ‘corporate entertainment’ in 2018.

Think differently, think fun. Here are some ideas.

Beer and Bowl

Taking clients out for a beer never goes out of fashion, but it can be improved upon. Adult bowling bars such as All Star Lanes in Stratford can be found all over London. What better way to strike (pun intended) up conversation than by chucking a ball at some pins.

Crazy Golf

You can have a drink, a conversation and play a round of crazy golf, all at the same time. Crazy golf is better than real golf in many ways. In this instance it’s indoors, so can’t be spoiled by the British weather. Secondly there’s plenty of places to put your drink down without spilling it! You can play indoor crazy golf at two locations in London, one next door to the Gherkin building (30 St Mary Axe) and also at the Great Truman Brewery in Shoreditch.

Play some Board Games

If you’re out with people who aren’t necessarily your friends, there can often be uncomfortable lulls in conversation. Sitting there, awkwardly pretending to sip your pint whilst you think of a topic of conversation is no longer something you have to endure. Visit Draughts, a specialist board games cafe/bar.

You’ll never be stuck for conversation as you battle wits over a game of Trivial Pursuit or Scrabble.

Visit a Gin Distillery

Taking clients to a brewery is again considered unfashionable. You need to consider what is the most fashionable drink right now. The answer is gin of course!

London is a great place to do this as everybody knows that London produces some of the most famous and best gin brands in the world. Now you can make your own iconic brand!

The Sipsmith gin distillery offers tours and gin making evenings where you can take a group of clients. You not only get to taste all the gins, you also get to take home your very own bottle.

Sleep Next to Lions

You can hire a lodge at London Zoo in Regents Park which is right next to the Lion’s enclosure. It’s appropriately called the Land of the Lions. It’s not a night your clients are likely to forget and it comes with a two course dinner and breakfast in the morning too!

Go White Water Rafting

Who says you have to be in the mountains to enjoy this activity? You can actually enjoy it in one of the world’s most iconic cities too!

Not only does the Lee Valley White Water Centre offer all of the adrenalin pumping white water thrills you’d expect to find doing this activity, you also have the knowledge that you’re doing it in one of London’s 2012 Olympic venues.

If you and your clients fancy kayaking down an Olympic Standard course, here’s your chance!

Dans Le Noir

If you’re a stickler for tradition and you simply have to take your clients out to dinner, make sure you take them somewhere they won’t forget!

Dans Le Noir aims to make you think differently about the way you dine. As you’ve probably guessed, you eat your dinner in total darkness so you appreciate the feel, taste and smell of your food more. You’re led into the restaurant by its blind waiters and choose your mystery menu before tucking in.

If you’re worried about dropping food down your suit don’t be, everybody is in the same boat and no one can see you anyway!

Recommend Self Catering Apartments in London

Before they arrive, make some accommodation suggestions to them that they’ll never forget. Why do they have to stay in a hotel? Who wants to spend any significant amount of time living in one room? How is that luxurious?

Instead, get them to consider staying in self catering apartments in London. A serviced apartment in Canary Wharf from thesqua.re for example is not only ideally placed for your meeting, it’s also ideally placed for all of the downtime activities that Canary Wharf has to offer too!