Making waves: 5 floating event spaces worth booking
Forget the conference centre. From a former lighthouse ship in Edinburgh to a converted German cargo vessel in Bristol, these five floating venues offer something a little more memorable for your next event, no life jacket required.
There are plenty of places to host an event. Hotels. Conference centres. A draughty village hall with hard stackable chairs and curtains that haven’t moved since 1987. But if you really want to make a splash, why not hold it on a boat?
From a superyacht hotel in London to a former lighthouse ship in Edinburgh, these venues come with their own port and starboard.
Daffodil, Liverpool
Originally launched in 1961 as the MV Overchurch, later renamed MV Royal Daffodil, Daffodil spent decades ferrying passengers between Liverpool and Birkenhead before being rescued, restored and given a new life as a floating hospitality pad. The Daffodil isn't just an antique plonked in Liverpool to entertain tourists. This vessel's got form.
Its Engine Room is a dedicated hire space, with room for up to 200 standing or 186 seated. It has catering, equipment, and a dedicated events team, while the wider ship has restaurants, bars, and sun decks.
And, being Liverpool, there’s a rather large historic waterfront right outside, with Canning Dock, the Three Graces and the Mersey providing the backdrop. The view alone does a lot of the entertaining.
Thekla, Bristol
Want more noise? This converted German cargo ship, permanently moored in Bristol Harbour, has been a floating music venue (everyone from Pulp and Stormzy have played here) and nightclub since 1984. Originally built in 1958, it once carried cargo along the Rhine River before ending up in Bristol.
It’s available for private hire, with the main room holding up to 400 and the whole place accommodating up to 600. There’s a proper stage, sound and lighting system, and it’s used for everything from live music and club nights to corporates and private parties.
This isn’t the place for a quiet PowerPoint presentation and a warm glass of wine while someone points out the fire exits. This is the place where the PowerPoint gets thrown overboard, and somebody starts shouting “Bristol massive!”
Fingal, Edinburgh
Permanently berthed at Alexandra Dock in Leith, this former Northern Lighthouse Board once shuttled lighthouse keepers and maintenance crews around the Scottish coast. These days, the Fingal is a five-star floating hotel, with the biggest hazard probably being a hen night.
The double-height Ballroom – in the ship’s former hold – seats up to 60 for dinner or 100 for a drinks reception, with two sweeping staircases, an exclusive bar and a retractable skylight big enough to lower a car through. The Bridge, meanwhile, sits on the top deck beside the original ship’s wheel and can accommodate up to 10 delegates.
The ship has 22 guest cabins, each named after a Scottish lighthouse (including the wonderfully named Muckle Flugga), plus outdoor decks and the Lighthouse Restaurant & Bar. It’s ideal for meetings, brand unveilings and other gatherings. If you’re going to splash out on an event, you may as well make people cross a gangway for it.
Sunborn London, Royal Victoria Dock
Ever wanted to hold a product launch on a superyacht? Anchored at Royal Victoria Dock beside ExCeL, this yacht hotel doesn’t require nautical expertise or worry about getting seasick.
The biggest space is Deck 4, which can accommodate up to 250 for a reception or 200 for a sit-down meal. The yacht also has a Sundown Bar, Sky Lounge, restaurant and various smaller spaces, including the Wheelhouse, which seats up to six delegates. Meanwhile, the hotel has eight private-dining settings and accommodation, with views across Royal Victoria Dock towards Canary Wharf and the O2.
Rather fabulously, you can hire the entire yacht, including the guest cabins, without ever having to find the car park. It’s basically a cruise – provided you’re prepared to stay exactly in one spot.
Find out more about Sunborn London.
Boathouse London, Paddington
For something a little more intimate, try this stylish vessel, located just behind Paddington Station and a short walk from Little Venice.
The Paddington East is the biggest of The Boathouse London’s event boats, seating up to 30 for dinner or 35 standing, and can host everything from breakfast meetings to networking. Catering ranges from canapés to five-course dinners – and you can even bring your own booze, although there’s a £16-per-person corkage charge.
And because it’s permanently moored, nobody will spend the evening wondering whether they’ve accidentally booked a venue that’s about to drift off towards Camden.
Find out more about The Boathouse London.
Ali Catterall is an award-winning writer, journalist, and filmmaker whose writing has appeared in the Guardian, Time Out, GQ, Film4, Word magazine, and the Big Issue, among others. Ali is also the writer and director of the 2023 film Scala!!!
Further reading
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