Full Venue Hire at Boulebar

Boulebar turns event hire into a game — literally. Eight pétanque courts, two bars, and a rotating cast of street food vendors occupy this 10,000 sq ft South Bank site behind the National Theatre, three minutes’ walk from Waterloo Station. Full venue hire takes up to 350 standing or 250 seated, with exclusive use of all courts, both bars, and dedicated event staffing. The Swedish-founded concept works because pétanque is genuinely social rather than athletic. Groups of any size and ability form naturally around the courts, drinks in hand, conversation flowing between throws. Professional pétanque guides can run hosted tournaments for team events, turning what might otherwise be a standard drinks reception into something guests actually remember — and talk about on Monday.

How Events Work at Boulebar

Hiring the full venue gives you all eight courts plus the two bars and food vendor areas. The events team builds bespoke packages covering court bookings, food pre-orders from on-site street food vendors (currently Jimmy’s Burgers and Rico Burrito), and a curated drinks selection from draught beer to cocktails. Dedicated servers manage your group throughout. The semi-outdoor setup is fully covered and heated in winter, genuinely open-air in summer — making it one of the few competitive socialising venues in central London that works year-round without feeling like a compromise in either season. The venue is fully accessible with street-level entry and DDA facilities, wheelchair accessible throughout, and dog-friendly.

Corporate Events and Team Building at Boulebar

Team building works organically here rather than through enforced exercises. The pétanque provides shared activity. The street food variety gives people reasons to move around — guests choose what they want from multiple vendors rather than accepting a single set menu, which handles diverse dietary requirements more elegantly than most catering models. The informal setting dissolves workplace hierarchies more effectively than structured exercises typically manage. Client entertainment signals personality and London knowledge rather than corporate default thinking. Product launches and networking events benefit from having built-in talking points — nobody stands around wondering what to do next when there are courts to play on and street food to explore.

Celebrations and Private Parties

Birthday parties, hen and stag dos, and milestone celebrations gain built-in entertainment without heavy programming. External DJs can shift the mood as evening progresses, and the events team will work with you on additional touches like photo booth hire. The venue’s alcohol licence runs until 23:00 with extensions available. The atmosphere develops naturally from the setting itself — French Riviera-inspired without trying too hard, competitive without being intense, and social in a way that most London event spaces have to manufacture. Boulebar does the work of creating energy and interest; you bring the guest list.