Southbank Centre, London, 29th-30th May
Venue
With great facilities and spectacular views, the prestigious Southbank Centre can be found prominently standing on the south bank (funnily enough) of The River Thames, in between Hungerford Bridge and Waterloo Bridge.
The conference will take place in the Queen Elizabeth Hall and Purcell Room, which make up a single building, to the Waterloo Bridge-side of the centre.
Getting There
Once you’re in London you can easily reach the venue by taxi, bus or by the underground.
Just minutes walk away, almost directly linked to the Southbank Centre via the Hungerford Bridge, is Embankment station, on the Northern, Bakerloo, District, and Circle lines. Also very nearby is Waterloo, which, as well as being a mainline station, is on four underground lines - the Jubilee, Northern, Bakerloo, and Waterloo & City.
Map, including directions from Embankment and Waterloo stations
As well as Waterloo there are numerous other major railway stations in Central London linking the rest of the country and Europe via EuroStar.
Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted airports also serve frequent flights into London and have direct rail links into central London.
Nearby hotels
The nearest hotel is the London Marriott County Hall. Be prepared to sell a kidney to raise the funds (£299+ a night).
More sensibly priced hotels can be found a little further (but not too far) away. The Thistle Royal Horseguards (~£170) and Guoman Charing Cross (~£160) have easy and picturesque access to the venue across the Hungerford Bridge.
A cheaper option can be found at the Premier Inn London County Hall (~£99). This also has the advantage of being very close to the conference venue.
Others include The Mad Hatter Hotel (~£120), and, a little further afield, the Novotel London Waterloo (~£130).
Nearby restaurants
You won’t need to go far for a good feed although, remember, lunch and refreshments are provided during the conference.
Amongst the buildings on the Southbank Centre site are numerous restaurants, including Wagamama (noodles), Strada (Italian), Giraffe (“global”), Las Iguanas (Latin), and Ping Pong (dim sum).
Nearby attractions
The venue offers some of the best city views in London. The London Eye, The Houses of Parliament, and St. Paul’s Cathedral are all in sight, and within walking distance.
Although not as prominent on the skyline, The London Aquarium, BFI Southbank (formerly the National Film Theatre), and County Hall Gallery are just a few minutes walk away. Westminster Abbey, The National Gallery, and The Tea and Coffee Museum are just a few minutes more.
Covent Garden is just across the river, leading in to the cinemas of Leicester Square, the theatres of Shaftesbury Avenue, the nightlife of Soho, and the shopping of Oxford Street.
Photo by John Lamper
