Coventry is one of the better places in the Midlands to go for a Christmas celebration, especially after a number of new bars, restaurants and a music venue opened in the last few years as part of its City of Culture celebrations in 2021.
Where do you start if you have been put in charge of finding the Christmas party Coventry venues this year?
Think about how many people you are organising for
A small team of 8 can go out for dinner and often get a last minute table. A large company of 80 will struggle to find last minute dinner reservations and will have to organise a set meal with a function room.
For smaller teams, you should consider the independent restaurants and bars in Coventry. FarGo Village has a range of independent restaurants, and many of the businesses in the village are not formal so they won’t be the best for big formal work dinners. Spon Street has a few good restaurants and pubs that are in old timber-framed buildings.
Larger groups often find better deals in hotels, and event spaces often hold shared Christmas parties, with different companies booking tables in the same room. This can be a good, value-for-money option, as the event space staff provide the atmosphere and entertainment. However, if you prefer to have control over the entertainment, you can book the event space exclusively. This of course costs more.
Consider the kind of evening you want
Not all Christmas parties have to involve a three-course meal and a DJ. Some teams love this format and there is nothing wrong with it, but others get bored with the same old format.
Consider these alternative formats around Coventry:
A day time activity followed by drinks. There are plenty of activities in Coventry to get people talking and mingling, and help people avoid talking shop.
A themed banquet. Outside of Coventry at Coombe Abbey, Medieval style themed banquets can be a lot of fun for a group that likes to let their hair down.
A trip to the theatre. Coventry’s Belgrade Theatre is always great fun, and a meal beforehand can make for a lovely evening.
A long lazy lunch. A laid back and relaxed lunch can be the perfect start to the weekend for a group who doesn’t want to be out too late.
What kind of questions would help you plan a decent party? Ask your team! A quick poll a couple of months ahead will tell you if you need to plan for a dance party that goes until the wee hours or if you need to end by 10pm.
Getting there and getting home
Coventry has the advantage of good transportation and road connections. The station is only a short distance from the city center with trains running from both London and Birmingham. The M6, M69 and A45 give good road connections from across Warwickshire and Leicestershire.
You still need to consider the journey home. Bookending your night with transportation considerations is important. The last train of the night will dictate your finish time. Booking a coach or minibus for a country party removes the need to provide transportation for guests and ensures everyone gets there together. Checking with the venue about discounted rooms may help guests that are traveling a far distance.
Budget and what’s included
Expect to pay more on the weekends closer to Christmas. Thursdays, earlier in the month of December, are often cheaper with the same food and activities.
Find out exactly what you’re paying for when comparing package deals. Some prices include a welcome drink and a three course meal and a DJ. Others are food only and include drinks and entertainment on top. Find out about deposits, the final number deadline and what happens if people drop out at the last minute because someone always does.
Dietary requirements are something that should be settled as early as possible. These should be collected when guests confirm, not the week before. Forgetting to send these to the venue can really ruin someone’s night so make sure to send these to the venue all at once.
Book early
This is something everyone says and for good reason. Popular venues in Coventry get really booked up really quickly and by December many venues are booked up for the year. If you haven’t booked yet you better get on it, but don’t worry there’s still time.
Pick two or three dates that work for your guests, give a rough number and come up with a budget and call to check availability.
Many people think they need to throw an extravagant Christmas party for their employees, but this is not the case. All people really want is to know that they are appreciated for the work they do and what better way to do this then to throw a party they are actually looking forward to? Coventry has a ton of places that are great for this.