CAFE-BAR FAQ'S ABOUT THE HACKNEY
VENUE FAQ's
Are all the plants and flowers included in the hire?
All the hanging plants and decorations in the venue are permanent and included as part of the hire. Hanging floral installations and flower walls that you may see in our photos are custom commissions for different events and available to purchase through our florist.
Is parking available?
We have an on-site parking bay reserved for supplier deliveries.
Parking directly outside the venue on Hackney Road is allowed from 7pm - 8am. Metered parking is available before 7pm on nearby roads.
There is a loading bay outside the venue which operates from Monday to Friday 10am - 4pm.
Are you dog friendly
Yes, we are happy for you to bring your well behaved dogs to the venue.
Are children allowed?
Yes
Are highchairs available?
Yes
Is the furniture included?
Yes
Are there any restrictions to what we can do in the venue
Noise restrictions - See section "Can I have a Dj or Live music?"
No Confetti - This damages the tables/floor with dye
Terrace closes at 9pm
No events that include certain types of traditional dancing (see "Is dancing allowed")
WEDDING SPECIFIC FAQ'S
Can I bring my own decorations / confetti?
We are a confetti-free venue and ask our guests to not to bring confetti as the dyes can damage our tables and floors.
You are welcome to bring your own flowers or balloons.
Please help us to meet our sustainability goals by sourcing plastic-free or recyclable decorations.
Can we access the garden terrace?
We can host afternoon and early receptions in the garden but the space must close to guests at 9pm.
Can I drop off decorations or other supplies prior to the event day?
Yes. Please speak to our event manager and agree timings in advance as we have limited storage space and often have back-to-back events happening.
Can I leave decorations, presents or other items at the venue after the event ends?
Yes. Please speak to our event manager and agree timings in advance as we have limited storage space. Items must be collected within 2 days of the event to help us manage our storage space. You are welcome to arrange a courier to collect the items.
Can we host our ceremony at the venue?
We are not a venue that is licensed to host legal wedding ceremonies. However, many guests do choose to host a 'blessing' with us. This usually only works well with smaller weddings as it involves moving furniture.
Is the venue licensed for ceremonies?
No. Many of our couples get married in the civil registry office and come to the venue after. Here are some local recommendations: Hackney town hall, Islington town hall, Marylebone town hall. Also Cissold House.
What type of photobooth do you use?
Tripod
Do you have patio games for guests to play?
We have a range of small patio games for your guests to enjoy.
We allow certain other games to be brought into the venue. We don't allow larger games like table tennis, table football, air hockey, etc due to both space requirements and noise restrictions.
Is dancing allowed?
We're an intimate venue and in general happy to host events with a dancefloor.
It's important to note that we're not a 'nightclub' and we have put in place some noise restrictions due to the proximity of our neighbours.
Based on past experience unfortunately we are not able to host events that include traditional dancing such as the Cèilidh or the Horah as we have found them to be too loud for the venue.
FOOD & DRINKS FAQ'S
Can I use my own caterer?
We have an in-house catering team that caters for all our events and we do not generally allow outside catering.
In the case of corporate events (PR/Press events, launches, etc) our in-house team is happy to collaborate with external chefs.
Can I bring my own drinks?
We do not generally allow any drinks to be brought into the venue and do not offer corkage.
Where there is special bottle or a traditional spirit or similar that you would like to serve, we can generally source this from our suppliers or if it is simply 1 bottle we are happy to allow this.
We have an extensive range of 2500+ from which to choose.
Can I put a tab on the bar?
You are welcome to put a budget behind the bar, after which we can charge your guests directly if you wish.
MUSIC FAQ'S
Learn More About Our Music Policies
For detailed information on our music requirements and guidelines, please visit our Music Guidelines and Policies page. This page covers everything you need to know about using in-house and external music equipment at The Hackney.
Can I bring a live band?
Like most City based venues, we have a responsibility not to disturb our neighbours so have certain conditions around the level of noise we create within the venue.
General Rules & Restrictions on Live Music
- Acoustic groups, no bigger than a quartet.
- Small amplification no higher than 10W or with no amplification. Discuss with us if you want to use any amplification above this size but essentially it must be limited to one small amp.
- Alternatively bands can plug in to the live music mixer fitted to our fixed speakers. The mixer has 8 channels. We do not provide a sound engineer or anyone with technical audio knowledge on the day.
- Roaming is fine, but must be inside (no live music permitted outside the venue).
Instruments allowed
- Singers / a capella singers
- Acoustic guitar and other similar instruments (e.g. Ukulele, banjo, sitar, etc)
- Electric Guitar, Electric Bass (venue approval needed)
- Double Bass, Violoncelo
- Violin
- Small percussion sets (e.g. Cajon, congas, bongos) but only one percussion instrument allowed. - (venue approval needed)
- Electric drums
- Harp
- Piano Keyboard
- Mariachi bands (only if no brass instruments)
Instruments NOT allowed
- Brass instruments & Saxaphones
- Wind/Pipe instruments
- Grand piano/organs
- Drum sets and other big percussion instruments and sets
- Zaffa Bands
- Dhol players
Click here for more detailed information on our music policies
Click here for a list of approved musicians we have previously worked with
In all cases the live music sets must finish by 10pm.
Please do not book any musicians without first checking with us.
Can I bring a DJ?
Yes, you can bring your own DJ to The Hackney. We recommend reviewing our Music Guidelines and Policies for detailed information on our requirements and guidelines for DJs and other external music equipment.
Is dancing allowed / how loud can the music be played?
We have sound restrictions on how loud we can play music and have set an upper limit on our sound system. We're happy for you to visit us and listen for yourselves how loud the volume is permitted.
The volume level is perfectly good for dancing and many of our guests are very happy with the sound level. It is not, however, at the level of a 'danceclub' and different areas of the venue around the bar are played lower to allow guests to talk.
Can I play my own music playlist?
Yes, you can play your own music playlist at The Hackney. Our Spotify account plugs directly into our integrated music system, making it easy to play your favourite tracks. You are welcome to provide us with a Spotify playlist in advance to be played during the event.
We also release our own playlists each month, which you can view here. For more details on using in-house and external music equipment, please review our Music Guidelines and Policies.
CAFE-BAR FAQ
Is there parking nearby?
While The Hackney does not offer on-site customer parking, guests are welcome to park on Hackney Road directly outside the venue, where parking is unrestricted from 7pm onwards. Before 7pm, metered parking is available on nearby roads.
Hackney Road spans both Tower Hamlets and Hackney boroughs, each with their own distinct parking regulations.
With effortless access and elegant arrivals in mind, we're here to ensure your journey to our 1860s East London gem is as chic and smooth as your experience with us.
Do you have disabled access?
Unfortunately due to the age of the building and the protected nature of the original facade we do not have step free access to the venue.
A small step of 15cm separates the threshold from outside. Due to the narrow pavement outside it is not possible to deploy a ramp effectively. The door is wide enough to allow access with a wheelchair or buggies (with help)
There are no accessible toilets on-site currently.
What's the nearest station?
Cambridge Heath overground station is a 1 minute walk or Bethnal Green tube on the Central line is around 5-7 minutes.
HIRE OUR VENUE
Planning a big event? Our versatile venue in East London regularly hosts events such as weddings, private dinners, birthday parties, bridal showers, christmas parties, summer parties, breakfast meetings, off-site days and other celebrations.