Blog

When it comes to hosting a corporate event in London, there are few venues as impressive as out on the water, floating down the River Thames. The Thames winds its way through the twinkling lights of the capital and a riverboat cruise allows your attendees the chance to take in the city’s many sights from a unique and impressive vantage point.

But what things do you need to consider when planning an event out on the Thames? In this blog post we outline some of our top tips for planning a successful corporate event on the river.

Choose the right theme

If you’re going to opt for a theme, then you’ll want to ensure you choose one that is appropriate for the event you’re trying to create.

You might want to opt for a formal, black tie affair for a fancy awards do, or a more casual, laid back theme for a business summer party. When deciding on the theme for your event you’ll also want to consider your audience, and think about what the people attending will expect on the day.

You should also consider how the theme can tie in to your business and its goals, whilst taking great care to ensure that the theme fits your specific budget.

Get the logistics sorted

Whilst certainly not the most fun element of planning a big event, the logistics are absolutely vital. This is even more important when you’re hosting an event out on the water as you’ll want to guarantee that all of your attendees are able to arrive in time for departure. You don’t want to leave guests stranded on the pier as your boat heads off down the river.

You’ll also want to manage other logistics such as accommodation for anyone coming in from a long way away; transportation to and from the event to ensure a seamless and stress-free experience for attendees.

Food and entertainment

If your event is going to be catered, you’ll want to select the best menu options for your specific needs. Will you go for a big, formal sit-down meal? Or will your guests be picking at bits from a grazing station? If the sun’s shining, why not add a BBQ on the outside deck? The opportunities are endless.

When it comes to catering, it's always a good idea to liaise with your team and gather their feedback beforehand on what type of food and drink they would like. This could be achieved by sending out a survey to a select few attendees to gather their thoughts. With this information, you can work with your chosen boat venue partner to decide on the best catering options for your specific needs.

Similarly, when planning for entertainment options, a top quality event management provider can organise bands and artists, as well as sorting the logistics of getting the right audiovisual equipment on board for speeches and presentations. By working closely with an event management company, you can rest assured that every aspect of your event is taken care of, allowing you to focus on enjoying the day with your colleagues and clients.

Only ever work with the best event management companies

At West End on the Thames, we not only provide the boat but also provide a specialised event management service to ensure that your corporate event is a success. Our experienced team is able to handle every aspect of your event, including catering, entertainment, and logistics, taking that stress away from you and allowing you to enjoy the event with your colleagues and clients.

We organised a 100% bespoke team bonding event for Pepsico, allowing them to gather together staff from all over the world. We met their brief, providing nibbles, drinks, and garden games, and at the end of the day the client couldn’t have been happier.

Pepsico left us a glowing testimonial, which they ended by saying: "Our global team had the most amazing landmarks cruise recently and made incredible memories together.”

West End on the Thames also organised a fabulous event for the Aerospace Alliance, that served as a welcome reception for guests attending the Farnborough Air Show. The event hosted 450 guests, the majority of which were coming from the United States. This meant that the event had to be suitable for a number of officials such as members of government and NASA.

The event was a huge success and the feedback we received from the client was extremely positive, stating: "The WEOTT team went above and beyond for our event of more than 400 executives from around the world. We are based in the U.S. and despite the time difference, communication was easy and their service was outstanding. Would highly recommend for your event needs."

In addition to these success stories, we have also organised events for a number of other corporate clients and have worked with 13 out of the top 20 brands in the world. For more information about how these events went, visit our Case Studies page today!

Planning your own corporate event on the Thames?

Get in touch for more information. If you are interested in arranging a corporate event on the River Thames and would like to know more about what West End on the Thames can offer, feel free to get in touch today.

You can contact us via email here or give us a call on 020 8323 5827 and one of our friendly team will be happy to help!

Written by Adam Rowden, creative copywriter at West End on the Thames.