Wapping High Street runs between tall Victorian warehouses that once held spices, tea and tobacco from all over the world, and between them, narrow stairs lead down to the river. Pirates were hanged at Execution Dock here, and the Prospect of Whitby, one of London's oldest riverside pubs, has looked out over the Thames since the sixteenth century. Today the warehouses are flats, restaurants and event spaces. Minibus hire Wapping customers book is mostly riverside weddings, corporate dinners and events at Tobacco Dock, along with nights at the old pubs and airport runs.
Wapping sits on the north bank of the Thames between St Katharine Docks and Shadwell, in the south of Tower Hamlets, with The Highway along its northern edge. From our base in SE1, it's about fifteen minutes outside the rush hour, over Tower Bridge.
Minibus hire Wapping for riverside weddings
Couples marry in Wapping's converted warehouses, in riverside restaurants and in the churches nearby, and the river, the old wharves and the view of Tower Bridge and the Shard make the backdrop for photographs. Receptions follow at the same venues or across the river in Bermondsey and Rotherhithe.
The minibus collects guests from hotels and homes, drops at the ceremony, carries on to the reception and takes everyone home at the end of the night. Wapping High Street is narrow, with parked cars and limited turning space, so we'll check the venue's access and agree a drop-off and a waiting point in advance. Minibus hire Wapping couples book often includes a stop at St Katharine Docks for photographs among the boats. Some couples arrive by boat from Tower Pier, with the minibus bringing the rest of the guests by road.
Tobacco Dock and corporate events
Tobacco Dock, a Grade I listed warehouse built in 1811 to store tobacco, is now one of London's larger event venues, hosting conferences, product launches, awards nights, festivals and Christmas parties. Thousands of guests can attend a big event, and many arrive and leave at the same time. Festivals and club nights there bring big weekend crowds, and the streets around it fill when they end.
Firms book us to bring teams from the office, collect guests from stations and hotels, and run them home at the end. For a big event, we can run several trips. We'll agree the drop-off with the venue, because The Highway outside has very limited stopping.
Corporate dinners and the riverside pubs
Wapping's riverside restaurants and private dining rooms host firm dinners and client evenings, often for teams from the City and Canary Wharf, both a few minutes away. The old pubs, the Prospect of Whitby, the Town of Ramsgate and the Captain Kidd among them, all within a few minutes of each other, draw groups for long evenings with river views. Their riverside terraces are packed on summer evenings, so for a big group it pays to book.
For a dinner, the driver collects from the office, drops at the restaurant and comes back at the agreed time. For the end of the evening, send the home addresses and we'll route the drop-offs.
St Katharine Docks and the river
St Katharine Docks, by Tower Bridge, has a marina full of yachts and old Thames barges, with restaurants and bars around the water. The Thames Path runs along the river through Wapping, and the riverside parks, Wapping Woods among them, make a quiet walk between the restaurants on a summer evening.
Groups visiting the Tower of London and Tower Bridge often finish with dinner at St Katharine Docks, and the driver can collect from the dock entrance on East Smithfield.
Airports
London City Airport is about fifteen to twenty minutes from Wapping outside the rush hour, along The Highway and the Limehouse Link. Stansted is about forty-five minutes, Heathrow about fifty minutes to an hour and Gatwick about an hour and a quarter.
Wedding guests flying in from abroad often land at City or Heathrow and want collecting together, usually the day before the wedding. Send us the flight numbers and the hotel, and we'll plan the runs. For an early departure, The Highway and the Limehouse Link are clear and the run is very quick.
The Highway and Wapping High Street
The Highway, the A1203, is a busy dual carriageway along the northern edge of Wapping, with few places to turn and very limited stopping. Wapping High Street and Wapping Lane are narrow, with cobbled sections, parked cars and tight corners between the warehouses, and some roads are one-way. A larger vehicle can reach most venues, but it needs a planned approach. Give us the venue or the address, and we'll plan the route in and the place to stop. Wapping sits just outside the Congestion Charge zone.
For minibus hire in Wapping, call 020 7183 0567.