Searcys, The Gherkin

If you’re looking for a spectacular landmark venue in London, you’d be hard pressed to find a more prominent or popular one than 30 St Mary’s Axe, or The Gherkin, as this state-of-the-art 40-storey, corporate city HQ is usually called.

Designed by Lord Foster, possibly the world’s most famous architect, 30 St Mary’s Axe is London’s fifth tallest building and made use of an astonishing 35 km of steel and 24,000 square metres of glass in its construction. The elegant curved and tapering form of the tower and the diamond-shaped patterns and black and white stripes of its glazing mark the building out as the City’s most distinctive modern landmark.

30 St Mary’s Axe has a range of small and large spaces on its top three floors that accommodate meetings, events and parties of all sizes.

The most intimate hireable spaces in 30 St Mary’s Axe are found on its 38th floor. Concealed behind floor to ceiling screens of opaque glass are five meeting-cum-dining rooms, two accommodating groups of six, two for 10 and the largest for 15 people. Each room features black leather pad chairs round tables and royal blue carpets and each boasts a different spectacular view over London and excellent facilities for an important meeting or a never-to-be-forgotten dinner: cloakroom, bar, fridge and blinds for the floor to ceiling exterior windows.

The jewel in the building’s crown – almost literally – is the 39th floor restaurant and 40th floor bar. This double-height space features a south-west facing restaurant on its lower level and up a spiral staircase (or in the glass lift) is London’s highest bar, 18 metres in length with a breathtaking panoramic view of Greater London through the criss-cross glass and steel walls and ceiling.

The interior styling is simple but luxurious: black stained beech tables, leather pad chairs, walls covered with silvery fabric and floors of smooth black marble. Both bar and restaurant are fitted out with Bond-style black marble floors while the bar boasts Arne Jacobsen Swan chairs covered in dove grey suede.

Available to rent either for a sit-down private dinner (for 50 - 70 people) or a party or reception (for 120 - 260 covers), Searcys, The Gherkin has a strong claim on the title of London’s most spectacular hireable venue.

Opening Times: The 38th floor meeting rooms are available for hire all week from 8am to 10pm. The bar and restaurant doubles as a corporate restaurant during the week so is only available for hire in the evenings, Monday to Thursday, 6.30pm to 11pm, and at weekends, 12pm to midnight.

Event Types

Wedding Ceremony, Civil Partnership Ceremony, Wedding Reception, Civil Partnership Reception.