Core

Core takes the graffiti-walled, neon-lit energy of a Brooklyn bar and drops it into the City of London. Three distinct rooms spread across two floors near Mansion House station, a 3am licence that most EC4 venues can only dream of, and a total capacity of 500 standing — this is the City's answer to wanting fun over formal without leaving the Square Mile.

Three Rooms, Three Moods

The ground floor opens with shabby-chic New York décor and mismatched furniture for 50. Below it, The Club delivers bare brick, graffiti, neon signage, and its own DJ booth for 180. Between them, the Cocktail Lounge — subway tiles, secluded nooks, sleek lighting — holds 250. Each room has its own bar, which means each can run an event independently or all three combine for full venue takeovers.

Why Core Works for City Events

Most City bars choose between corporate polish and forgettable generics. Core takes a different position entirely — cool, loud when it wants to be, deliberately anti-corporate despite the postcode. That contrast is the selling point for event planners booking team celebrations, client drinks, and Christmas parties where the brief is "somewhere that doesn't feel like work." The 3am licence lets evenings develop at their own pace rather than hitting an arbitrary midnight cut-off.

Practicalities at Core

The venue sits walking distance from Mansion House, Bank, and St Paul's stations on Queen Street, EC4. In-house catering ranges from sharing platters to sit-down dining, with cocktails as the house speciality. Events enquiries go through the dedicated team, who manage AV, music, and food packages. Minimum spends apply and vary seasonally — Christmas bookings attract higher thresholds.