CSP Union Venues Information

Who We Are & Our Venues  

The Union offers a variety of venues that can cater for a wide range of occasions. From awards ceremonies, after-parties or a relaxed summer BBQ, our unique venues can adapt to different events for each CSP.  

We have 5 main venues, Metric, FiveSixEight, Union Bar, H-bar, and Reynolds. All our spaces have their own unique facilities and ambiance. Currently Metric, Union Bar, H-Bar & Reynolds are our bookable spaces. This guide offers a brief overview of our venues and what they offer. 

 

Values  

Here at Imperial College Union, we have important values and a code of conduct that we follow within our venues.  

We uphold these to the highest standard and we expect that our students do the same within our historic and vibrant venues.  

We have our ‘Code of Conduct’ displayed in our venues. You can also find more information about our  Code of Conduct and Venue Entry Policy on the Union website.

 

  • Venue Information | Metric
    Metric  

    Metric is our main multipurpose space in our South Kensington Campus and can be found within the Beit Quad.  

    Metric is our biggest and boldest venue. It is fitted with a full bar and easy access to its outdoor seating. 

    Whether you are looking to host an after party, an awards ceremony, or a live gig, this venue can be utilized for a diverse range of events.  

    During the summer months, Metric and its beer garden is a popular venue to host BBQs and outdoor end of year activities.  

    This space has a variety of technical facilities to support your event. You can get in touch with our Events Team to enquire further about what technical facilities we are able to provide.  

    Capacity:             

    Whole venue standing: 400  

    Whole venue seated: 150  

  • Venue Information | Union Bar
    Union Bar 

    The Union Bar is another popular venue in Beit Quad within the South Kensington campus. This location is a historic space with a traditional atmosphere and is popularly booked for small socials and intimate events.  

    The venue has been left fairly unchanged since the Union's founding in 1957. Its most unique feature is the Union's pewter tankard collection.  

    This is a great space for smaller gatherings. Whether you are looking to host a CSP social, a small gig, or just looking to host a social somewhere unique. The Union Bar is your best option.  

    Capacity:  

    Standing: 60  

    Seated: 40  

  • Venue Information | H-bar
    H-bar 

    h-bar, is our Postgraduate venue tucked away in the heart of the main South Kensington campus. This vibrant location is another multipurpose space fitted with a bar and soft seating.  

    If you are looking for an intimate space, to host live music events, bar nights or even fun quiz or karaoke nights, h-bar can provide the perfect setting.  

    Capacity:   

    Seated: 200 

    Standing: 300 

  • Venue Information | Reynolds
    Reynolds 

    Reynolds Bar is in the Reynolds Building of Imperial College's Charing Cross campus. With new refurbishments, this social bar is the perfect venue to host live gigs, club socials, and celebrations.  

    Capacity:   

    Standing: 400  

 

Venue Cost Guide: Minimum Spends 

All our venues are available to book throughout the academic year. We require booking forms to be submitted at least 4 weeks in advance of your preferred event date.  

Below is our venue cost guide for all our bookable spaces, including information on the new minimum spends model.

 

What is a Minimum Spend? 

  • A minimum spend is a threshold amount that you must meet through bar spends for the venues to cover their operating expenses. The venue’s minimum spends include the staffing costs of bar and security staff, as this is the baseline staffing required for your event to run well and safely.  There are no additional admin fees. 

Venue 

Capacity  

Minimum Spend 4-hour rate 

Additional Hourly Cost 

Metric & Reynolds  

Up to 200 people  

£680 

£100 

Metric & Reynolds 

Up to 400 people  

£970 

£150 

Union Bar 

Flat rate  

£250 

£50  

  • Add ons such as specific tech staff, tech equipment and other things such as catering are not included in the minimum spend. These additional costs will be quoted separately as not all events will require them.   
  • Of course, we understand that not all events are the same, and there may be a few events that will require additional discussion and agreements. This can be discussed with the ICU Events Team on an ad-hoc basis.   

 

Why are we moving to use this model? 

  • We are making the transition into minimum spends to provide a more cost-effective solution for CSPs, and to make running events in our venues as accessible as possible. By aligning the minimum spend requirements with your event’s requirements, we are able to cover our staffing costs through the bar spends and as a result, eliminating the need for separate staffing fees.   

 

Where will the minimum spend come into effect? 

  • The minimum spend model will be used in 3 of the Union's bar venues; Metric, Union Bar and Reynold's Bar.   
  • For Metric and Union Bar, CSPs will not have to pay for staffing and security as separate, fixed costs. If you would like to have the bar open in either venue, costs will be covered through the minimum spend.   
  • For Reynolds, the minimum spend will be used only for exclusive use of the venue on days when the Bar is not open to the public. You can still book a section of Reynolds when the bar is open for free.   
  • This model will be used throughout Summer Term (23/24 academic year) and will come into effect immediately.   
  • H-bar is not included in this as it currently only takes table bookings.   

 

How do you pay for the minimum spend? 

  • You will be informed during the planning stage of your event what your minimum spend is, and this will mainly be paid through the bar spends on the night of your event.
  • However, there are a couple other ways to pay for the full or part of the minimum spend either before or after your event:   
  • You can contribute to the minimum spend by purchasing drinks vouchers that will be used during the event. This can cover part of the costs so that on the day, the required spend will be lower. Drinks vouchers are required to be organised and paid for before the event as they will have to be prepared in time for the event.   
  • You can ticket your events and a portion of that ticket income can contribute to the minimum spend.   

 

What happens if you do not meet the minimum spend? 

  • If you are unable to meet the minimum spend during your event, you will just have to pay the difference left over to cover the remaining staffing costs. This will be done through an internal transfer.

 

If you do not want to use this model 

  • You can still book and use the Union venues without using the minimum spend model. Your alternative options are:   
  1. Union Bar Dry Hire: The Union Bar is as always free to book for just a use of space event. The bar in 568 will usually be open if you would still like to purchase drinks.   
  2. Metric Dry Hire: Metric’s dry hire cost used to be £100 to use the space. There is now no longer any hire fee for CSPs to use Metric, to dry hire the space can be done for free now. Additionally, you can still use the bar in FiveSixEight and bring drinks bought there into your event in Metric.  
  3. Reynolds: You can book a section of the bar without any charge during the days the bar is open, which are currently Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays.  

 

Next steps 

  • If you would like to put on an event this term in one of the Union bar venues, you can do so by submitting the usual event proposal form, which can be found HERE, and the ICU Events Team will get in contact with you regarding availability and the associated minimum spends where relevant.  
  • If you have any further questions, please contact the ICU Events Team at icu.events@imperial.ac.uk 

 

  • Minimum Spends: Event Budgets

    How does this work with event budgets

    • When creating your event budget, you can include the venue hire cost as a "Fixed Expenditure".
    • You can include the cost in one of the following ways, depending on whether you are purchasing drinks vouchers ahead of the event.

     

    1. Venue Hire without Drinks Vouchers

      You are hiring Union Bar for 5 hours, which means a minimum spend of £300 (£250 for the first 4 hours + £50 for 1 extra hour). You do not purchase drinks vouchers prior to the event.
      Image
      min-spend-no-vouchers

       
    2. Venue Hire with Drinks Vouchers

      You are hiring Metric for 4 hours and you are expecting 150 people to join the event, which means a minimum spend of £680.

      You purchase 100 basic drinks vouchers (£3.75 each) to give out to people joining the event, therefore fulfilling £375 / £680 of your minimum spend.

      This leaves a balance of £305 for the remainder of your minimum spend.
      Image
      min-spend-with-vouchers

       

    • Venue Minimum Spend should be coded under Ground Hire (710), and Drinks Vouchers should be coded under Hospitality (730).
    • As these expenditures will be done as an internal transfer, the VAT rate for venue minimum spend & drinks vouchers is PN - Purchases No VAT (0.00%).
  • Venue Hire Cost Guide: Additional Services

    Venue Cost Guide: Additional Services  

    Equipment Hire

    Equipment Hire  

    Full Day Hire  

    Portable PA System  

     £100.00 

    Microphone 

     £20.00 

    Screen Hire  

     £50.00 

    DJ Decks  

     £200.00 

     

    Event Extras

    Add Ons  

     

    Drinks Package  

    £15.80 per person for a set number of drinks, at least 2x drinks per person, number of drinks is dependent on the number of guests: 

    • Bottles of Budweisers 

    • Bottles of Peroni 0% 

    • Canyon Road Red/White/Rose Wine  

    • Elderflower Kilner  

    • Apple & Orange Juice  

    Catering  

    A range of catering options, from BBQs, street food vendors or canapes/small bites 

     

    Drinks Vouchers

    • Upon request, drinks vouchers can be issued to the club, society, or project as part of their bar night booking. These can be used by attendees at the event in exchange for a drink.
    • The value of individual drinks vouchers is either £3.75 for a basic voucher or £4.90 for a premium voucher. The required number of vouchers will be charged to the allocated CSP prior to the event via eActivities.
    • Please note this charge must be accepted before you are given the vouchers. The vouchers are only valid for the day of the event, unless otherwise specified by the ICU Events team. All vouchers are single use and have a date for use.
    • If drinks vouchers are requested these will be available for collection from a Duty Bar Manager at the beginning of the event.

     

    Drinks Voucher: Basic Version  

    £3.75 per voucher and can be exchanged for one of the following options: 

    Product  

    Size  

    Carling  

    Pint  

    Carling Cider  

    Pint  

    Snakebite 

    Pint  

    Slime  

    Pint  

    Canyon Road Red Wine 

    125ml 

    Canyon Road White Wine  

    125ml 

    Canyon Road Rose Wine  

    125ml 

    Smirnoff Red + Soda Gun Mixer  

    Single 

    Gordon’s Gin + Soda Gun Mixer  

    Single 

    Bells Whiskey + Soda Gun Mixer  

    Single 

    Captain Morgan’s + Soda Gun Mixer 

    Single 

    Cola 

    Pint 

    Diet Cola 

    Pint 

    Lemonade  

    Pint 

    Tonic Water  

    Pint 

    Energy Mixer  

    Pint 

    Apple Juice  

    Pint 

    Orange Juice  

    Pint 

    Pineapple Juice  

    Pint 

    Cranberry Juice  

    Pint  

     

    Drinks Voucher: Premium Version  

    £4.90 per voucher and can be exchanged for one of the following options: 

    Product  

    Size  

    Madri  

    Pint  

    Aspalls  

    Pint  

    Squealing Pig Red Wine  

    125ml 

    Squealing Pig White Wine  

    125ml 

    Squealing Pig Rose Wine  

    125ml 

    Absolute Vodka + Bottled Mixer or Soda Gun  

    Single  

    Tarquin's Gin + Bottled Mixer or Soda Gun  

    Single  

    Jack Daniel + Bottled Mixer or Soda Gun  

    Single 

    Twin Fin Rum + Bottled Mixer or Soda Gun  

    Single 

    One of Any Soft Drink / Non-alcoholic Drink
    Subject to availability 

    Various  

     

  • Terms & Conditions

    CSP Venue Hire Terms & Conditions:


    1. Booking Confirmation

    a. Venue Hire Period:
    All agreed booking times must be adhered to at all times. The event must finish in good
    time and the venue be made available for the next booking at or before the end of your
    hire period.


    b. Use of Space

    By using Imperial College Union (ICU) spaces, you agree to conduct, promote and manage
    your event in line with up to date legislation in a reputable, lawful and orderly manner
    reflecting the integrity and reputation of ICU.


    The venue should be left clear, clean and tidy after use, in the state of which it was on
    arrival to the venue, with no person(s) leaving any equipment or personal belongings
    behind after the event unless agreed otherwise with ICU venue managers. Bin bags,
    dustpans and cleaning equipment is available if required to tidy after use.


    Should the event run overtime, the venue is left in an inappropriate state that requires
    staff to clean, or groups fail to leave the venue at the agreed time, the CSP will be charged
    extra for any staffing costs incurred from this.


    While using ICU venues, you must comply with all ICU Health & Safety policies and venue
    risk assessments. Follow and act upon guidance from ICU staff when required. Emergency
    exits, stairwells and emergency exit signs should be left unobstructed and visible at all
    time.


    c. Use of Equipment
    All equipment owned by ICU will be accessible and offered to you for specific hire fees as
    agreed to during the planning process.
    Specialist technical equipment can only be operated by trained ICU Staff. At no time you
    should attempt to use, move or manipulate any equipment, without prior consent of staff.


    d. Loss or damage to equipment & venue
    No person is to mark, damage or soil the structure or contents of ICU venues or the
    fittings, fixtures and equipment owned or hired from ICU and if so shall make good any
    such damage as a result of the hire of the Venue.


    In case of any damage or theft, you will be financially liable for the whole cost of
    replacement or repair to any damaged equipment unless it arises from the actions or
    negligence of ICU staff.


    2. Cancellation of booking:

    a. Written cancellation 15 days or more from event date:
    The CSP will be only charged for costs already incurred from preparing the event, such as
    the hire or purchase costs of specific equipment ordered in specifically for the event such
    as any stock, acts or performers hired for the event, specific marketing collateral or
    similar.


    Rotas are published every 14 days, thus no staffing would have been scheduled for the
    event, therefore there is no staffing costs incurred by ICU.


    b. Written cancellation between 14 and 8 days from event date:
    The CSP will be only charged for costs already incurred from preparing the event, such as
    the hire or purchase costs of specific equipment ordered in specifically for the event such
    as any stock, acts or performers hired for the event, specific marketing collateral or
    similar, as well as the cost of any Duty Manager shifts scheduled to work the event.


    This is usually a permanent member of staff, whose shift(s) could have been allocated
    elsewhere within the organisation, thus saving trading services the hourly cost of Student
    Duty Managers scheduled in on other areas to allow the support of this event.


    c. Written cancelation more than 7 days from event date:
    The client will be only charged for costs already incurred from preparing the event, such
    as the hire or purchase costs of specific equipment ordered in specifically for the event
    such as any stock purchased specifically for the event, acts or performers hired for the
    event, specific marketing collateral or similar, the cost of any Duty Manager shifts
    scheduled to work the event, as well as 50% of the cost of any Student Staff shifts
    scheduled to work.


    d. Written cancelation less than 5 days from event date:
    The client will be charged the full cost of the event, including all equipment hire,
    hospitality packages and staffing costs.


    Our student staff depend on events to get paid, and cancelling shift(s) due to the
    cancellation of your event will leave them out of pocket, where they have reserved time
    out of their busy schedules to work your event. This charge will go directly to the student
    staff members scheduled to work, ensuring they are not short changed from your
    cancellation.


    3. Right of Entry:

    ICU and its employees reserve the rights to enter any part of the venue at any time during
    the hire period.


    ICU reserve the right to check identification of members and guests at any point to ensure
    our services are used by appropriate persons.


    ICU and its employees reserve the right to refuse entry to any member/staff/guest/group
    without any notice and reason as and when deemed required for the safety of the venue,
    customers and staff. At no point should a person who exhibits drunken behaviour be
    permitted to enter any ICU licensed premise or event.


    4. Code of Conduct:

    All members of the CSP and their guests within our venues must adhere to the ICU code of
    conduct, available to view on our website, as a condition of entry.


    ICU reserves the right to investigate any misconduct and may give rise to further
    disciplinary action through the member’s disciplinary procedure.


    The CSP must not access any back of house or staff only areas, such as the Bar, cellar or
    technical area without given specific permissions from ICU venue managers and staff.


    5. Drinks Voucher Policy:

    Upon request drinks vouchers can be issued to a club, society, or project as part of their
    event booking. Vouchers can be used in Metric, 568, Union Bar, h-bar, and Reynolds. there
    are two different types of vouchers; Basic Drinks Voucher & Premium Drinks Voucher.

    These can be used by attendees at the event in exchange for certain drinks. The full list of
    drinks can be found above.

    The value of individual drinks vouchers is £3.75 and £4.90. The required number of
    vouchers will be charged to the allocated club, society, or project prior to the event via e
    activities.


    If drinks vouchers are requested these will be available for collection from a Duty Bar
    Manager at the beginning of the event.


    Terms and Conditions:

    • Only drinks vouchers issued by Imperial College Union (ICU) can be used in exchange for drinks at ICU bars.
    • Drinks vouchers are to the value of either £3.75 or £4.90.
    • 3 is the maximum number of drinks vouchers per person. This is in line with no more than 8 units of alcohol per individual.
    • Individual vouchers can only be used to redeem one drink. Multiple vouchers cannot be used to pay for a more expensive drink.
    • Drinks vouchers cannot be used as part payment for a more expensive drink.
    • Drinks vouchers are not valid for double measures or shots.
    • Users are not entitled to receive change from use of a voucher.
    • Drinks vouchers are only valid until the end of the event. If a voucher is not used on the day/night of the event, it will expire.
    • Drinks vouchers are purchased in full prior to the event. There are no refunds for unused vouchers.
    • Drinks vouchers can be used by individuals under the age of 18 years old, however, only to purchase non-alcoholic options.