Venue hire
Exciting new spaces for your arts, charity and community events, conferences and meetings at St John’s Waterloo.
I have organised many charity events over the years, but you have been the by far the most helpful team.
St John’s Waterloo reopened in October 2022 after a major restoration by award-winning architect Eric Parry. This magnificent Grade II* London landmark is now the most exciting heritage venue on the South Bank.
St John’s offers inspiring spaces for orchestral and choral concerts, dance performances, immersive creative experiences and rehearsals. The Old Crypt provides a unique setting for exhibitions, either as stand-alone events or part of a larger programme. Our flexible spaces are also ideal for conferences, press launches, talks, panel discussions, training sessions, away days, workshops and trustee meetings. All this takes place in one of London’s most important historic buildings – now a vibrant, modern social hub, beautifully restored and just a stone’s throw from Waterloo Station. By hiring our spaces, you’ll also be supporting people in the local community, including those facing isolation and those with lived experience of homelessness.
Additionally, our fantastic double-height Upper and Lower Studios are just a five-minute walk away at St Andrew’s, a bright, modern building with excellent broadband. The studios are ideal for music, opera, musical theatre and dance rehearsals, as well as training sessions, workshops and away days. They are conveniently located near the Young Vic theatre and the cafés of The Cut, SE1.
Across all our venue spaces, Eden Caterers, our preferred partner for arts, charity, and community events, are able to provide good-value, climate-friendly catering – from breakfast buffets and sandwich lunches to hot bowl meals.
Access our venue hire brochure, with information on our spaces, below. Check out our FAQs page for answers to your questions. Check availability for both St John’s and St Andrew’s. Send a booking request via our online form. If your preferred date is not currently showing available on our calendar, do contact us anyway as provisional bookings may be released. We’ll be in touch with you to discuss your bookings request as soon as we receive your form.
For more information, please call our Bookings Officer on 020 7633 9819 or email bookings@stjohnswaterloo.org.
By choosing to book with us, you are helping to fund the work we do with those in need in our community.
Spaces for performances and events
The Nave
The Nave Performance and Event Space at St John’s, one of the largest and most flexible spaces on the South Bank, underwent a complete restoration in 2022. A contemporary, elegant decorative scheme has transformed it into a soaring, light-filled, and – above all – completely adaptable space that can be quickly arranged in a variety of layouts. The Nave is ideal for all kinds of music, from classical concerts to ceilidhs, as well as rehearsals for full symphony and chamber orchestras, and theatre and dance performances. It is also fully equipped for large charity conferences, events, talks, panel discussions, and press launches.
Our improved acoustics have received particular praise from musicians and singers. With new top-of-the-range AV and lighting systems, plus two small side rooms that serve as green rooms, St John’s is a thoroughly versatile performance and events venue. Guests can enjoy excellent circulation space during intervals and the option of stepping out into our beautiful churchyard garden.
The nave at St John’s Waterloo, with its generous acoustic, great location & equipment, and straightforward get-in/get-outs, and very good grand piano, provides an ideal rehearsal space for a full symphony orchestra . We wish we could rehearse there all the time!
The Foyer
The Foyer, a spacious, contemporary reception area entered directly from St John’s impressive six-columned portico, is ideal for tea, coffee, and food service during events or interval drinks. Additional facilities are available in our wheelchair-accessible crypt, including dressing rooms for individuals or large groups, rehearsal rooms – one equipped with a piano – and kitchen facilities.
The Old Crypt
The Old Crypt, a long, brick-vaulted atmospheric vault, is equipped with a contemporary gallery hanging system and is an ideal space for exhibitions as well as for performances, and board meetings.
The Forum
The Forum, a bright, open space in the Crypt with a stunning brick-vaulted ceiling, is ideal for poetry readings, lectures, small panel discussions, and solo or chamber concerts, among other events. Situated at the heart of the Crypt and illuminated by natural light from the churchyard garden above, this space is occasionally available to book separately.
Your staff and everyone I met at St John's could not have been more welcoming. You run an excellent team there. We were so grateful.
Your staff and everyone I met at St John's could not have been more welcoming. You run an excellent team there. We were so grateful.
NONCLASSICAL AT ST JOHN’S WATERLOO (IMAGE COURTESY OF DIMITRI DJURIC | NONCLASSICAL)
Spaces to meet and talk
We have three versatile meeting rooms – the Mendelssohn, Jubilee, and Octavia – ideal for meetings, training days, workshops, and rehearsals. Each room seats up to 35, depending on the layout, and benefits from high ceilings and natural light. Equipped with screens for hybrid meetings, they are flexible in use: theatre, boardroom, or classroom layouts work equally well for corporate meetings, while chamber rehearsals, singing workshops, and theatre or movement sessions are also perfectly suited.
Our peaceful Goldfinch Room is ideal for one-to-one meetings, interviews, Zoom calls, or talking therapy, and can also be booked as a quiet workspace.
In addition to its use as a gallery, the Old Crypt is suitable for boardroom-style meetings for up to 30 people or as an additional breakout or meeting room. It can also be booked for informal buffets for meeting or conference groups, with tea, coffee, and good-value sandwich platters provided by our preferred catering partner for charity and community events, Eden Caterers.
All meeting and event spaces at St John’s and St Andrew’s are fully accessible and have super-fast broadband for virtual and hybrid events.
Book our studios at St Andrew’s
Please check availability here and call our Bookings Officer for a chat on 020 7633 9819 or email bookings@stjohnswaterloo.org
A floor plan is available here. A layout for a yoga class, a cabaret/show, and for a lecture here.
Our sister church St Andrew’s, a modern, bright building with good broadband, is located a stone’s throw from the Young Vic theatre and cafés of The Cut, SE1. Our high-ceilinged Lower and Upper Studios are both flooded with natural light and benefit from integral kitchen facilities. Both spaces have upright pianos and can be set up in a range of formats. Whether you’re looking for a rehearsal/concert venue for a chamber orchestra, a space for a theatre performance, a room for a staff training day/meeting or a space to run an exercise class, these fantastic spaces guarantee a unique and personal experience for all.
LOWER STUDIO
This multi-use, 7.5m x 7.5m space has seating for up to 60 people. With high ceilings and a small patio garden, it is ideal for lectures, meetings, rehearsals, workshops and classes.Double-height ceiling and wooden flooring throughout. Space includes piano ,lectern amp/microphone outlets, fully equipped kitchen, patio garden. Laptop projector and flip charts can be provided on request.
UPPER STUDIO
Eden Caterers
Our partners at St John's Waterloo and St Andrew's
St John’s Waterloo has partnered with Eden Caterers as our preferred supplier for arts, charity, and community events and bookings at both St John’s and St Andrew’s.
Based locally in Waterloo, Eden Caterers shares our commitment to sustainability, quality and community.
Familiar with our spaces, Eden Caterers can provide everything from sandwich platters for small community meetings to full-day catering services for large charity events and conferences. They can also supply hire equipment, experienced catering staff and other services to ensure your event runs smoothly.