Finding the Right Space for Wagamama
Nine training dates. Twenty people per session. One very clear brief: no corporate boxes.
The brief
Wagamama needed a central London venue for a programme of training and team-building sessions, with nine dates to secure.
But this wasn’t simply about finding a room with enough chairs.
They wanted to move away from traditional corporate meeting spaces and create an environment where people could feel comfortable, connect and engage with the programme.
Their requirements were specific:
- Plenty of natural daylight
- Access to outdoor space
- Comfortable, informal furniture
- Flexible areas for breakout activities
- Freedom to bring in their own food
For a restaurant group, catering flexibility was particularly important.
The challenge was finding somewhere that delivered on all of those requirements while remaining practical for a recurring training programme.
Our approach: finding the right feel, not just the right room
Before starting the venue search, we focused on understanding what Wagamama wanted participants to experience.
How should the space feel when people arrived? Where could smaller groups gather? Would the environment encourage people to relax and participate?
Because a venue can tick every box on paper and still feel completely wrong when you walk through the door.
We explored non-traditional venues around Liverpool Street and Old Street, checking the essential requirements early, particularly catering flexibility and outdoor access.
We also visited potential spaces to assess the layout, atmosphere and practicalities firsthand.
A photograph can show you what a room looks like. A site visit tells you how it actually works.
The solution: a loft, not a lecture hall
We found a light-filled, loft-style venue near Old Street that offered something very different from a conventional training suite.
Natural light, relaxed furniture, flexible breakout areas and outdoor access created an environment that felt more like a creative retreat than a corporate meeting room.
Crucially, the venue also allowed Wagamama to bring in their own catering.
Once we’d established that the space met the brief, we negotiated and secured all nine programme dates.
That meant the client had one consistent venue for the programme, without needing to repeat the search and booking process for every session.
Client voice
Julia just got it. The space felt right from the moment we walked in – nothing corporate, everything easy. We knew we could hand the logistics over and concentrate on our people.” —
Victoire Galtress, Head of Leadership + Culture @wagamama
The results
9 training dates secured
20 participants per session
One consistent venue aligned with the brief
The space provided the informal, welcoming environment Wagamama had been looking for.
Participant feedback described it as bright and relaxing — simple words, but important ones when you’re trying to create the right conditions for people to learn.
And with the venue arrangements in place across the programme, the Wagamama team could concentrate on delivering their training rather than repeatedly managing venue logistics.
Why the environment matters
The right training venue does more than accommodate the people attending.
It influences how they feel when they arrive, how easily they interact and whether the surroundings support what the session is trying to achieve.
For Wagamama, that meant looking beyond traditional meeting rooms and finding a space that reflected the experience they wanted to create.
The venue wasn’t the end goal. It was what made the right kind of training day possible.
Planning a training programme or team event?
Whether you’re organising a single workshop or a series of events across several months, we’ll help you find a space that works for your people, your programme and your practical requirements.
Less time searching. More time focusing on what matters.
Get in touch: [email protected]