How to plan a company away day in London (the ultimate guide)

Start with the purpose

Before getting into activities or timings, decide why you are bringing everyone together. It might be to reconnect after a busy period, talk through company plans, mark recent progress or give colleagues time together away from the usual routine.

That decision should guide the planning. A leadership session may need privacy and time for discussion, while a wider team event might benefit from shared activities and informal moments. If wellbeing is part of the brief, the pace should give people time to settle in rather than feel hurried through the day.

Trying to fit in too much can make the experience feel cluttered. It is better to build the day around one main reason for gathering, so each part feels as though it belongs.

Choose the right London venue

London is convenient for many teams, but a good away day venue needs to offer more than a postcode. People should be able to get there easily, settle in quickly and feel that the setting gives them some distance from their usual working environment.

Regent’s Events offers that balance well. Set in Regent’s Park, our event spaces give teams a central location with the benefit of green surroundings with indoor and outdoor venues, so the day can feel removed from the usual working environment without making travel difficult.

Our venue is easy to reach from across London and beyond, with Baker Street and Regent’s Park Station both within walking distance, and a 70 space car park on-site (allocated on a first-come, first-served basis) travel for your team feels seamless.

Set guest numbers and budget early

Guest numbers affect almost every decision, from the room layout to the catering style. A small team session will need a different setup from a full-company away day with workshops, lunch and team activities.

The budget should also be set early. It needs to cover the whole experience, including catering, activities, room setup, transport if needed, and any external speakers or facilitators. Once the numbers are clear, it becomes much easier to choose the right space and avoid building an agenda that the venue cannot comfortably support.

Set an agenda people can enjoy

A good agenda gives the day enough structure without making it feel packed. You might begin with a welcome session or company update, then move into workshops, group discussions or planning time before stopping for lunch.

Breaks should not feel like spare time squeezed between sessions. They give people a chance to talk, reset and enjoy the setting, which is part of the reason for leaving the office in the first place.

If you want to include a more active element, a team building venue can help create space for shared activities that feel sociable, relaxed and easy to join.

Plan food, drink and practical details

Catering helps to set the tone of your day, from a relaxed arrival drink to a proper lunch break and an end-of-day reception that gives people time to stay and talk.

The best food and drink choices are the ones that suit the pace of the event, whether that means a working lunch, something more relaxed outdoors, or a reception after the main sessions are done.

It is also worth working through the practical details early, including arrival times, signage, seating, dietary requirements, speaker setup, weather planning and how people will move between spaces. These decisions may sit in the background, but they are often what make the day feel easy for guests.

Create space for connection

A company away day does not need to be packed with activities, but it should give people more to do than sit through sessions. That could mean a team challenge, a creative workshop, a guided discussion, time outdoors or something more restorative.

For teams who want a calmer pace, a wellbeing element can bring movement, fresh air or a more relaxed focus into the day. This can work well when the aim is to help people reset as well as reconnect.

Follow up afterwards

Once everyone is back at work, it helps to keep the conversation going. Share a short note with the main points from the day, any agreed next steps and anything people need to know after the event.

This is also a good time to ask for feedback while the day is still fresh. It can help you understand what worked, what felt useful and what people would like to see next time.

A successful company away day needs a clear purpose, a suitable venue and an agenda that gives people enough time to think, talk and connect. With its central London location, flexible spaces and parkland setting, Regent’s Events offers a strong base for an away day that feels useful, well planned and enjoyable.