Eltham has one of the most unusual wedding venues in London. Eltham Palace is a medieval royal palace with a 1930s Art Deco mansion built onto it, and couples come from all over the south-east to marry there. Minibus hire Eltham families book is shaped by that and by the area's quieter suburban life, with weddings, school runs, airport trips and family celebrations.
From our base in SE1, Eltham is about thirty-five to forty-five minutes outside the rush hour, along the A2 or the South Circular.
Weddings at Eltham Palace
Eltham Palace, run by English Heritage, combines a medieval great hall with an Art Deco house and gardens. It hosts weddings and receptions, and guests often come from across London and Kent.
For a palace wedding, a minibus from a hotel or a meeting point to the venue, and home at the end of the night, keeps guests together. The palace sits on a narrow approach, so we'll agree the drop-off and the waiting point with the venue in advance.
Well Hall Pleasaunce, a park with a moated garden near Eltham station, is another popular spot for photos.
Palace weddings often run late into the evening, with guests heading home in different directions. Some are local, some are going back into central London, and some are heading into Kent. Give us the addresses or the stations they need, and we'll plan the runs at the end of the night so nobody is left waiting on the drive.
Minibus hire Eltham for school runs
Eltham has a lot of schools, from primaries to well-known independent schools such as Eltham College, and they book us for trips, fixtures and regular runs. The University of Greenwich's Avery Hill campus, on the eastern edge of Eltham, brings students and staff who book us for field trips and events.
Avery Hill also has sports facilities used by local clubs and schools. For regular runs, like fixtures or swimming lessons, we can book the dates for the term.
Gatwick via the A20 and the M25
From Eltham, Gatwick is around fifty minutes to an hour outside the rush hour, via the A20 to the M25 at Swanley, then round to junction 7 and down the M23. London City Airport is about twenty-five minutes, via the A2 and the Blackwall or Silvertown tunnels. Stansted is about an hour, via the Dartford Crossing and the M11.
For an early Gatwick flight, a pickup around 4am for a 6:30 departure is usually right.
Eltham High Street and the town centre
Eltham High Street has shops, restaurants and pubs, and it's the centre of the area's evening life. Groups book us for birthday dinners and nights out, both locally and further into London.
The roads around the High Street are busy with buses, and stopping is limited. We'll agree a pickup point on a side street nearby.
Mottingham and New Eltham, to the south, are quieter suburbs with plenty of family bookings for weddings and airport runs. Kidbrooke, to the north, has been rebuilt with thousands of new homes around its station, and the roads there are wider and easier for a minibus.
Local sport and days out
Local clubs play football, rugby and cricket across south-east London and Kent, and a 16-seater with room for kit is the usual booking for an away fixture. Eltham Park and Oxleas Wood, on the eastern side of the town, are used for cross-country running and school field work. The Kent countryside starts a few miles to the east, and day trips to the coast, castles and gardens are a short run down the A20 or the A2.
The South Circular and Well Hall roundabout
The South Circular, the A205, runs through Eltham, and the Well Hall roundabout where it meets the A2 is one of the busiest junctions in south-east London. At peak times, it can add a lot to any trip.
The thing to know about minibus hire Eltham residents book for weekday morning pickups is the South Circular. For airport runs or trips into central London, we'll plan the pickup for the slower version of the road, and use the A20 or the A2 where that's quicker.
Eltham is also a good starting point for trips into Kent. Bluewater shopping centre is about twenty-five minutes down the A2, Leeds Castle around forty minutes, and the coast at Whitstable or Margate a little over an hour. For a club day out or a family celebration, the driver waits at the destination and brings everyone home. Give us the date, the numbers and the plan, and we'll send back a vehicle, a pickup time and a written price.
Weekend mornings are the easiest time for a pickup in Eltham, with the South Circular at its quietest.
For minibus hire in Eltham, call 020 7183 0567.