New outdoor concept with Moving Venue drives 274% revenue increase
Somerset House has announced record growth across its summer events programme following this year’s launch of the Moving Venue Summer Season, a new large-scale outdoor events concept created in partnership with London caterer Moving Venue.
The growth comes as Somerset House has recently been shortlisted for Best Seasonal Party Venue at the London Venue & Catering Awards 2026, reflecting the continued success of its year-round events programme.
This summer, Somerset House hosted 22 events, including 16 Moving Venue Summer Season bookings, welcoming more than 12,250 guests and generating over £481,000 in revenue. This compares with 9 summer parties, 2,350 guests and £128,000 in revenue during Summer 2025.
The results represent:
- 144% growth in bookings
- 420% growth in guest numbers
- 274% growth in revenue
Central to this success is the Moving Venue Summer Season: a pre-installed, design-led event offering in the Edmond J. Safra Fountain Court that combines a bespoke glass structure, integrated production, AV and premium catering.
Accommodating events for up to 2,500 standing guests, the concept transforms Somerset House’s iconic courtyard into a high-capacity outdoor venue while retaining the flexibility for clients to create bespoke events, from summer parties and receptions to weddings and brand experiences.
Created in partnership with Moving Venue, the Summer Season was developed to maximise the potential of the venue’s most iconic event space and simplify the planning process for clients through fixed infrastructure and streamlined supplier partnerships. By reducing build and de-rig requirements, Somerset House has been able to increase the number of events hosted in the courtyard during the summer season.
The impact has been particularly significant. Between 2025 and 2026, Somerset House has recorded a 650% increase in events hosted within the courtyard over the summer months.
Beyond the commercial impact, the event infrastructure remains in place during the day throughout the summer, allowing Somerset House’s food and beverage outlets to activate the space for visitors while maintaining public access to the courtyard, creating additional value across the wider site.
Luci Sorrell, Head of Commercial Sales at Somerset House, comments: “The Edmond J. Safra Fountain Court is one of London’s most distinctive event spaces, and we saw an opportunity to unlock its full potential through this partnership with Moving Venue. By introducing a ready-built event solution with integrated production, catering and infrastructure, we’ve made it easier for clients to deliver ambitious outdoor events, while retaining the flexibility to create bespoke experiences. The response has exceeded our expectations and demonstrates strong demand for premium outdoor events in central London.”
Corporate clients account for approximately 85% of bookings, with the remaining 15% comprising private, cultural and creative sector events. The Summer Season has attracted a broad range of bookings, including summer parties, drinks receptions and weddings, demonstrating the flexibility of the concept across multiple event formats.
The growth of Somerset House’s summer events business has also been supported by continued investment in weather-resilient event infrastructure. The introduction of a 500-capacity stretch tent on the River Terrace, has contributed to a 16% increase in bookings for this space year-on-year, further strengthening Somerset House’s outdoor events offering.
Following record growth across Summer 2026, the Moving Venue Summer Season will return in 2027, with bookings now open.
