Events and Activities at
Freemasons' Hall, London

 

Welcome to the Events page.  This page will be updated to inform you of what has been going on in the building so that members can be informed of anything to watch out for on TV.  The page will also feature images of some past events for you to see how the building has been transformed.

 

Events at Freemasons' Hall

Readers will be well aware that Freemasons’ Hall is used extensively by production companies, film makers, television and media organisations, the fashion industry, and corporate event organisers. After tentative beginnings in 2005 this usage has grown year by year and 2010 is proving to be a record year. The fact that the building is included the Unique Venues of London brochure has undoubtedly increased interest and we have now reached a situation in which we are having to turn away prospective clients.  Whilst we welcome the increase in business, we are careful to ensure that the everyday working of the building is in no way compromised or excessively disturbed. 

As our reputation has grown,  Events in Freemasons’ Hall have become increasingly varied, as our 2010 bookings clearly show. Many are large scale and require a great deal of preparation and management. We have to take into account the numbers attending as well as to give attention to such issues as Health and Safety and security.  In January we hosted a media event to celebrate a 10 year anniversary of an important media company.  800 people attended this event, which proved to be very successful. The Grand Temple was transformed and almost unrecognisable with all the chairs covered in staging so that the guests could enjoy the music of a celebrity DJ.

In February the building was full of an eclectic mix of young people wearing increasingly exotic and trendy outfits when Vauxhall Fashion Scout, which stages shows for all the new designers during London Fashion Week, chose once again to use Freemasons’ Hall as its venue.  Indeed, the fashion industry seems to have found a unique home in the building to showcase their new designers to the fashionista. Vauxhall Fashion has returned again this September.In June, it used our venue to stage a show for De Montfort University students which featured their lingerie designs.  This show attracted very positive national media feedback.

We are also attracting the attention of the television industry. How many of you will spot the interior of the building in such popular programmes as ‘Spooks’ and ‘New Tricks’, both on BBC, together with a new television drama called ‘Any Human Heart’?

We were also pleased to host the first ‘Q Awards’ ceremony here in June.The guest list included many from the world of television and music to celebrate awards given to luxury brands ranging from clothes to travel. This success also meant that The Guardian News & Media Company has chosen us to host their 2010 Observer Food Monthly Awards in October.

We do not only provide facilities for the glamour industry or media.  For example, during August, Hult University, an American University, held its graduation ceremony here. 450 students received their diplomas in front of families who had flown in from all over the world.

Running alongside these major events are the small scale lettings. Many companies and organisations enjoy using the building for their meetings and conferences, which are just as important to us. 

You may ask why we allow the building to be used in this way?   We do so because we think it is important that non-masons feel welcome in this hidden Art Deco gem and we hope that in some small way their attitude towards Freemasonry will be positively influenced. In addition, the income helps to contribute substantially to the upkeep and maintenance of what is an expensive building to run.

This piece was written by Karen Haigh, the Head of Events, for Freemasonry Today. Karen has built up the events tremendously through recent years and the income brought in contributes to the running of Freemasons Hall.

Well done Karen!

September 2010

 

01 Sep 2009 - Events have continued to be held at Freemasons’ Hall:

‘Spooks’ have been back here to film scenes for the new series and in total contrast we are featured in the new Lilly Allen music video for her new single “22”, which was released this month.

  It was a strange day as the whole video was filmed in our toilets!!! If you or your family watch out there is also a one hour programme called ‘Shooting Lilly Allen’ which shows them filming the video and chatting behind the scenes in various areas of Freemasons’ Hall and does not relate in any way to a script from ‘Spooks'.

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Lilly Allen

We all say Christmas gets earlier but ‘Christmas in July’ with Tesco proves it is now an all round business venture. For one whole week the Vestibule area and Tower Cloakroom became Santa’s Grotto and a pretend stylish house full of Christmas decorations.For two days 500 press visited the building to view what they would be selling over Christmas. Eating mince pies in the mini heat wave seemed very surreal indeed. However, the positive feedback on the building from the press was overwhelmingly positive.


Tesco - Christmas in July

One of the most elegant events we have had recently was the London Philharmonic Gala Dinner which had our own Grand Master and Grand Secretary in attendance.   The music and event were stunning, highlighting how beautiful the building is, as well as raising funds for the ‘Bright Spark Charity’.


Philharmonic Gala Dinner

Philharmonic Gala Dinner (the stage)


Keep your eyes open for the Boots TV advertisement for their No. 7 products starring Keeley Hawes which is showing on all commercial channels.

 

 

April 2009

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Events have now become an integral part of Freemasons’ Hall and the success of being accepted into the Unique Venues of London last year has meant that the venue has now become more high profile amongst other iconic buildings within London such as the Natural History Museum and the Imperial War Museum.

Filming has and always will be important to the venue and last year was very successful in being chosen to appear in three Hollywood movies to be released in 2009/2010.  One was ‘The Green Zone’ starring Matt Damon who plays a CIA officer and filming during the year for this movie totalled about 8 weeks.  It became a regular occurrence for many of the staff at Freemasons’ Hall to walk past Matt Damon dressed in his army uniform and say hello as though he were another member of staff.  The other movie was the much hyped Guy Ritchie film called ‘Sherlock’ starring Robert Downey Jr and Jude Law.  For this movie parts of Freemasons’ Hall were completely transformed with one area becoming a very grand bathroom!  The third movie was a film called ‘Shanghai’ starring John Cusack and the building was used to create a very authentic 1930s newspaper office for the Shanghai Herald.  This year filming has included the new series of ‘Spooks’ and an episode of ‘Foyles War’.

 

 

Other events this year have included the Worlds 50 Best Restaurants, the National Magazine Awards and also the P&G Beauty and Grooming Awards”.