THE BUNKER Private hire · Bethnal Green
Behind the bookshelf. Under the railway. All yours.
One Victorian arch with its own bar, its own street door and a PA loud enough to matter. Nobody else on the guest list, nobody wandering through.
The way in
TWO DOORS, NO SIGNAGE
There's a bookshelf at the back of the restaurant. It opens. Behind it is a Victorian railway arch that holds 150 people, and most of your guests won't see that coming.
There's also a street door straight onto Cambridge Heath Road, which is the sensible way to bring in a DJ's flight case, a wedding's worth of flowers, or four hundred party bags. Tell us which one you want your guests using and we'll set it up that way.
Either way, the arch is yours alone for the whole hire. The restaurant carries on without you.
The room
ONE ARCH, FIVE SHAPES
Same brick, same bar, same PA. Cleared for dancing, laid for dinner or set out in rows: how we set it up sets your ceiling on numbers.
- 150all standing
- 80mixed style
- 50theatre
- 50seated dining
- 50kids party
- Exclusive use of The Bunker
- The Love Shack bar, staffed
- Full PA sound system
- Atmospheric lighting rig
- Tables and chairs
- Wifi
No sound engineer, though. If you're running a set, you or your performer drives the PA. Decks, lasers, projector and screen are add-ons, priced below.
Who's it for
WHAT TYPE OF EVENT IS IT?
A door behind a bookshelf,
and nobody you didn't invite.
- DJ & CDJ hire
- Full PA & lighting
- Late licence to 5am
Their party.
Your survival.
- Disco party
- Karaoke
- Circus skills
- Soft play add-on
- Balloon decoration
- Vegan party food
Plug in, sound check,
keep the door take.
- Pro PA system
- Stage area
- Projector & screen
- Keep the door
An away-day
that doesn't feel like one.
- Dry hire £50/hr
- Sharing platters
- Projector & screen
- Fast wifi
- VAT receipts
The call sheet
EVERY NUMBER, IN ONE PLACE
The hire fee buys the room and is paid up front. The minimum bar spend is what your guests need to ring through the till on the day. Different numbers, paid at different times and in different ways.
| Slot | Hours | Hire fee | Min bar spend |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mon–Fri daytimeDry hire, pick your own hours | 11:00 → 17:00 | £50/hr | None |
| Mon–Thu evening | 18:30 → 22:30Access from 17:30 | £150 | £250 |
| Friday evening | 18:30 → 02:30Last track 02:15 | £350 | £1,500 |
| Saturday evening | 18:30 → 02:30Last track 02:15 · late licence available | £350 | £1,500 |
| Sunday evening | 18:00 → 22:30No late licence on Sundays | £150 | £250 |
| Kids partiesSat & Sun sessions. See the kids page | 10:30 → 13:00or 14:30 → 17:00 | £200–£400 | £300 |
All prices include VAT. Pre-ordered food counts towards the minimum bar spend, so it chips away at the number rather than adding to it. If the tab falls short on the day you settle the difference by card before you leave. It isn't held in advance and it isn't a deposit. Spend over it and there's no refund; it's a floor, not a cap.
| Add-on | Price | Who can book it |
|---|---|---|
| CDJ decks + mixer | £150 | Any event except kids parties. Damage cover included. |
| Laser hire | £20 | Any event except kids parties. |
| Projector + screen bundle | £30 | Performances, screenings, talks and comedy only, so party-style events can't add them. |
| Screen only | £15 | Performances, screenings, talks and comedy only. |
| Projector only | £20 | Performances, screenings, talks and comedy only. |
| Early access | £25/hr | Evening slots, from 15:00. Agreed and paid in advance. |
| Late licence, Saturday onlyOne tier per booking, paid in advance | £150 / £350 / £500 | Pushes the curfew to 03:00, 04:00 or 05:00. Not available on Fridays or Sundays, and never added on the night. |
Food is 100% plant-based and made in our own kitchen: sharing platters £30 a head, platters plus a main £45, cakes from £55. Pre-order at least 7 days out, and it's required for groups of 15 or more. See the full menu.
Before you book
THE BITS THAT CATCH PEOPLE OUT
All of it is in the T&Cs. It's up here because these are the six that come up most, usually after someone has already booked.
We don't manage the door
Our front-of-house team are serving the restaurant, so names, tickets and the guest list are yours. If staff have to cover an unattended door it's £25 per 30 minutes plus a £100 compliance charge.
Doors and access
Guests need to be able to get in by 18:30 Monday to Saturday, 18:00 on a Sunday. Your own access starts at 17:30 for setting up. Guests can't arrive before the start time, or wait in the restaurant.
Curfew is a hard stop
Fri and Sat: last track 02:15, everyone out by 02:30. Mon–Thu and Sunday: out by 22:30. Overruns are £50/hr and they're not negotiable.
No outside food or drink
Everything comes from our kitchen and our bar, and all of it is vegan. The exceptions: wine and champagne corkage at £15 a bottle by prior written agreement, and vegan cakes for a flat £50 per cake.
No confetti, glitter or wall fixings
Decorate however you like, but nothing that needs serious clean-up and nothing pinned, taped or blu-tacked to the walls. Take it all down by the end of your hire.
You drive the PA
There's no sound engineer here. The system takes 2 × male XLR, so a DJ on a controller needs RCA-to-XLR cables. Bring your own and test them on arrival.
How it works
HOW A BOOKING ACTUALLY HAPPENS
Five steps between the form and the first drink, in the order they happen.
-
Hold the date
Fill in the form and pay the deposit. That blocks your date for 48 hours while we check everything our end.
-
Get the proposal
We confirm availability, pricing and timings in writing. Nothing is booked on a verbal or a diary note.
-
Pay the balance
Due 28 days before the event, or within 48 hours of confirmation if you've booked inside that window. The deposit amount comes off it.
-
Seven days out
Final numbers lock, and any food pre-order is confirmed and paid.
-
On the day
Access from your agreed time, fire briefing at the start, bar open throughout. The hire is already paid, so it is just the bar tab to settle.
Happy with all that? Check your date and we'll come back with the proposal.
CHECK YOUR DATELast bit
CHECK YOUR DATE
Five quick steps. £50 holds your date for 48 hours while we confirm and send the proposal.
The important bits
QUESTIONS ABOUT THE BUNKER
WHAT IS THE BUNKER?
Our dedicated events space: a raw, atmospheric Victorian railway arch with its own bar, PA sound system, lighting rig and direct street access from Cambridge Heath Road. Completely separate from the main restaurant.
Capacity: 150 standing / 80 mixed style / 50 theatre / 50 seated dining / 50 children.
WHAT'S INCLUDED IN EVERY HIRE?
Exclusive use of The Bunker, the Love Shack bar and bar staff, full PA sound system, atmospheric lighting rig, tables and chairs, and wifi.
WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE HIRE FEE AND THE MINIMUM BAR SPEND?
Two separate things, and people mix them up constantly. The hire fee is the cost of the room, paid up front. The minimum bar spend is what your tab needs to reach on the day, paid at the bar by your guests. They don't overlap. If the tab falls short you settle the shortfall by card on the way out.
WHO LOOKS AFTER THE DOOR?
You do. Love Shack doesn't manage the door: our front-of-house team are serving the restaurant, so names, tickets and guest lists are yours to handle. If the door is left unattended and our staff have to step in, it's £25 per 30 minutes plus a £100 compliance charge.
WHAT TIME'S CURFEW?
Fri and Sat, last track 02:15 sharp, everyone out by 02:30. Mon–Thu and Sunday evenings out by 22:30. Overruns are charged at £50/hr from the agreed curfew.
DO YOU HAVE A SOUND TECHNICIAN?
No. If you're using the PA for a performance or DJ set, you or your performer must be able to operate it. We strongly recommend arriving early for a sound check.
HOW DO I KNOW MY BOOKING IS CONFIRMED?
Your booking is confirmed once your payment has cleared and we've sent you a confirmation email. Verbal conversations and notes in a diary don't hold a date. If you've paid and haven't heard within 24 hours, email us.
IS ALL THE FOOD REALLY VEGAN?
Yes. Love Shack is a fully vegan venue. Every dish is 100% plant-based, with no exceptions and no non-vegan alternatives. Pre-ordered food counts towards your minimum bar spend.
CAN WE SELL TICKETS TO OUR EVENT?
Yes, you're welcome to ticket events. You're responsible for all ticketing, promotion and front-of-house management.