Clerkenwell was London's centre for clockmaking, printing and gin distilling, and its old workshops and warehouses are now home to design studios, architects, advertising agencies and tech firms. Between them are some of the city's best restaurants, from St John on St John Street to the cafés and stalls of Exmouth Market. Minibus hire Clerkenwell customers book is mostly about the working week and the evenings that follow it, with team dinners, client events, away days, theatre nights at Sadler's Wells and late pickups home.
Clerkenwell sits just north of the City and Farringdon, between Islington, King's Cross and Shoreditch, with Clerkenwell Road and Farringdon Road crossing at its centre. From our base in SE1, it's about fifteen to twenty minutes outside the rush hour, over Blackfriars Bridge.
Minibus hire Clerkenwell for team dinners
Agencies and studios here often celebrate with a long dinner, a pitch win, a launch or an end-of-year party. Restaurants on St John Street, Exmouth Market, Clerkenwell Road and around Smithfield host groups most nights of the week. The old market buildings at Smithfield, next door, are being turned into the new home of the London Museum.
For a team dinner, the minibus can collect from the office, drop at the restaurant and come back at the agreed time, or run the team home at the end. Dinners in Clerkenwell often run late, so we'll keep the pickup time flexible and agree how the group leader will let the driver know.
Late pickups and the run home
The run home is the part teams value most. Staff live all over London and beyond, and the last trains and night buses don't suit everyone. After a late dinner or a party, the minibus takes the group home with drop-offs in a sensible order, or to a few central points where people can pick up their own way home.
Send us the addresses in advance, and we'll plan the route so nobody spends longer in the vehicle than they need to. For groups heading in different directions, two smaller runs can be quicker than one long loop. Minibus hire Clerkenwell teams book for a Christmas party usually means a pickup well after midnight. Some firms also send people home from the office after a late working night, such as a pitch or a launch.
Sadler's Wells and evenings out
Sadler's Wells, on Rosebery Avenue, is one of the world's leading dance theatres, with ballet, contemporary dance and flamenco through the year. Dance schools, school groups and corporate guests book us for performances there. Shows usually finish between half past nine and half past ten. Its other venues, the Peacock Theatre near Holborn and Sadler's Wells East in Stratford, host more of the programme.
The Charterhouse, a former monastery and almshouse on Charterhouse Square, opens for tours, and the Museum of the Order of St John at St John's Gate tells the story of the order and of St John Ambulance. Both suit history groups and school trips. The Marx Memorial Library on Clerkenwell Green opens for group visits too.
Away days and client events
Clerkenwell firms book us for away days in the country, client visits, conferences and photo shoots on location. A creative team with equipment, props and a stylist's rails needs a vehicle with space in the back, and we'll check what fits when you book. Shoots often start early to catch the light, and the driver can collect the crew at six or earlier.
For client events, we can run several trips between the office and the venue, or collect clients from stations and hotels. Farringdon station, with the Elizabeth line and Thameslink, is a few minutes away, and many visitors arrive there.
City Airport and Heathrow
London City is about twenty to twenty-five minutes from Clerkenwell outside the rush hour, and it suits short business trips to Europe. Heathrow is about fifty minutes to an hour, Gatwick about an hour and a quarter, and Stansted and Luton about fifty minutes to an hour.
The Elizabeth line from Farringdon reaches Heathrow directly, which is quick for one or two people. A team with cases and equipment often prefers a minibus from the office door.
Clerkenwell Road and the Congestion Charge
Clerkenwell Road and Farringdon Road are busy with buses and cycle lanes, and stopping on them is limited. Many side streets are narrow, cobbled in places, one-way and lined with loading bays. For pickups, we'll agree a point on a side street near the office or the restaurant.
Clerkenwell is inside the Congestion Charge zone and the ULEZ. Weekday trips in charging hours have the charge added to the quote, and evening pickups after six fall outside it. All our vehicles meet the ULEZ standard.
For minibus hire in Clerkenwell, call 020 7183 0567.