Full Venue Hire at Four Quarters Elephant Park

Four Quarters is the UK’s original arcade bar — a concept that launched in 2014 and helped define the retro gaming bar category across London. The Elephant Park flagship houses over 30 lovingly restored original arcade machines spanning the 1970s to the 2000s, from Pac-Man and pinball through to Guitar Hero, alongside four retro console booths, two Xbox Series X booths, and two HDMI-compatible big screens for group gaming. Full venue hire accommodates 250–300 standing guests with an outdoor terrace adding space for 70 more. These are original machines, not reproductions. The cabinets have been individually sourced and restored, and the difference in feel between playing a genuine 1980s arcade game and a modern recreation is tangible — it’s the specific weight of the controls, the CRT glow, the particular sound of the coin mechanism that trigger genuine nostalgia.

The Private Hire Spaces

The Private Area takes 60 guests (35 seated) with five dedicated arcade games, two console booths, a large-screen gaming setup, and a section of the outdoor terrace. For team socials and birthday parties in the 30–60 range, it provides a self-contained experience with its own games and outdoor space without committing to full venue hire. Full venue hire opens everything — all 30+ arcade cabinets, all console booths, the pinball machines, both big screens, and the full outdoor terrace. At 250–300 capacity, it handles substantial events while the activity spread across machines, consoles, and screens means guests distribute naturally rather than crowding around a single focal point.

Why the Format Works for Events

The arcade machines solve a problem that every standing reception faces: what do guests actually do? The games provide immediate activity without instruction, without forced participation, and without anyone needing to commit to anything structured. People drift to machines that trigger their particular nostalgia, challenge colleagues to games they half-remember, and find conversation starting points that a drinks-only reception rarely generates. Generational appeal peaks with 30s and 40s crowds who grew up during the arcade and early console era. 30th and 40th birthday parties are a natural fit — the venue celebrates the entertainment of the birthday guest’s formative years. But the machines work across age groups; the games are intuitive enough that guests without particular nostalgia engage through the competitive and social element.

Food, Drink, and Practicalities at Four Quarters

In-house catering runs to diner-style food — burgers, hot dogs, loaded fries — that matches the venue’s personality. Sixteen draft beer lines and an extensive cocktail menu give the bar operation genuine depth beyond what activity venues typically offer. The US quarters needed for the arcade machines are available from the bar (or included in event packages), keeping the authentic coin-operated experience. Console booths are available for group gaming sessions, and the two big screens can run multiplayer competitions or be used for content display during corporate events. External DJs are permitted and the venue welcomes own-music setups, allowing the evening to evolve from gaming into party mode.

Getting to Four Quarters Elephant Park

The Elephant Park development sits within the broader Elephant & Castle regeneration, with Elephant & Castle Station — served by the Northern and Bakerloo lines — a short walk away. The venue’s position within a modern mixed-use development gives it a different feel from the grittier locations some arcade bars occupy, while the outdoor terrace adds a social dimension that basement-level competitors lack.