Every year the same old problem, the boss gives the order to conjure up the party of the year for the company and to do it with a modest budget. No pressure then! So where do you start in London? There are so many bars, pubs and clubs in London that it could be a task that keeps you up all night!

When I normally book our staff Christmas party venue, I have to do a lot of hunting around on the internet. There are not so many good sites as you just get basic listings of venues which really don’t tell you much. I am normally looking for a venue with a bit of class and atmosphere, somewhere with a private space so it feels like we have something special for our Christmas party, some tasty cocktails and drinks list and of course some good music to let your hair down to. So I want to design my night so that I feel we have put our own stamp on the party and it is not just some cheesy old backroom of a pub.

My boss has a thing for rooftop bars in London so that is something I normally have to consider when planning our Christmas party and things can get quite pricey! One thing I have also go to remember is that our budget is often limited, normally two or three complimentary drinks, but then the rest is at the expense of the staff. Because of that I have to try and find a bar or club that has cheap drinks to make sure the party spirit continues!

We normally head for central London for our corporate events so that is normally the area of London I start looking at. Over the years we have had some really successful Christmas parties. Firstly I would recommend Meza as a great place. They have a private room with a plasma TV, options for karoke, wii, playstation and any other games that you want to add to the party. There is a really good DJ playing in the bar and it has a nice classy feel to the venue so everyone makes a special effort to get dressed up. There are plenty of other good venues that I have found in Soho but you may need some help finding them! Good luck in your Christmas party planning this year!