The office Christmas party is usually the one night of the year when the whole team is in the same room with no laptops open. Soho is a common choice for it. Leicester Square, Piccadilly Circus and Tottenham Court Road stations are all a few minutes' walk away. People coming from different offices or different ends of London can get there easily and get home again afterwards.
The right plan depends on the size of your team. Ten people from one department want something different from a company of 120. Here are a few formats that work well in Soho in December.
Start early with a drinks reception
A lot of teams leave work at five on a Friday in December and go straight to the bar. Starting early gives people time to settle in before the room fills up. It also suits colleagues who only plan to stay for one or two.
Thirst Soho opens at 4pm. Stupid Hour and Happy Hour both run in the early evening so the first round costs less than it would later on. Offer times and the cocktail list are on the Thirst Soho drinks menu.
Book a booth for a smaller team
For eight to twenty people a reserved table or booth is usually enough. The group stays together and nobody has to hover by the bar looking for seats. Weekends and the last few Fridays before Christmas go quickly so book as early as you can.
Thirst takes walk-ins but recommends booking. You can reserve anything from a cosy booth to a big table or a full section. Groups of 25 or more should get in touch with the team to plan the night.
Use a drinks package
Whoever is holding the company card will thank you for this one. A drinks package gives you a set cost per head before anyone arrives. That is much easier to get signed off than a bar tab of unknown size.
Thirst has drinks packages for pre-booked parties. The cocktail list runs from alcohol-free drinks to strong ones so colleagues who are not drinking have proper options too.
Hire the whole venue
Bigger companies often want their own space. You get to choose the music and you have room for a speech or an awards moment without shouting over strangers.
Thirst Soho can be hired privately. The upstairs bar holds 70 standing and the downstairs bar holds 80 standing. There is no hire fee and you only pay a deposit. The Thirst Soho bookings and events page has the details and an enquiry form.
Give people two kinds of night
Every team has people who want to talk and people who want to dance. A venue with two separate floors keeps both groups happy at the same party.
Thirst Soho has two floors with a different mood on each. Upstairs is the quieter cocktail bar with chic interiors. From 9pm the basement becomes a dance floor with DJs playing a feel-good mix of old and new. Guests drift between the two as the evening goes on.
Sort out food
Drinks-only parties go wrong when nobody has eaten by nine. Plan food from the start.
Thirst serves grazing nibbles upstairs. Guests can also order food to their table from Suvlaki next door on Greek Street. The party stays in one place and nobody has to book a separate dinner.
Let it run late
Some teams are done by ten. Others want to keep going and nobody enjoys moving venues in December rain. Thirst Soho is open until 3am and the downstairs dance floor is where the late crowd ends up.
A few things to check before you book
Organisers get asked the same questions every year. These are the ones worth checking with the venue first.
- How many people are coming. Give a realistic number and update it if it changes.
- The cancellation terms. Thirst asks for 24 hours' notice for bookings of up to 20 and 72 hours for larger groups. With less notice the deposit is kept.
- The dress code. Thirst has no formal dress code but sportswear and gym wear are not allowed.
- ID. Anyone who looks under 25 will be asked for it.
- Access. The toilets at Thirst Soho are downstairs and are not wheelchair accessible so check with your team in advance.
- Coats. There is a cloakroom.
Most of these are answered on the FAQs page.
Finding Thirst Soho
Thirst Soho is at 53 Greek Street on the corner of Bateman Street. It is a six-minute walk from Leicester Square and eight minutes from Piccadilly Circus. The heated terrace out front on Greek Street is a good place for the first drink before everyone heads inside. Directions are on the contact page.
