Royal Festival Hall London
Royal Festival Hall Tickets
Sorry we do not have any upcoming shows at this venue.
About the Royal Festival Hall
The Royal Festival Hall is the largest of three performance venues situated within the Southbank Centre complex. The venue was built in 1951 as part of the Festival of Britain and was originally funded and managed by the London County Council, before it became an independent arts organisation in 1988. The venue was designed by Robert Matthew and Leslie Martin in the modernist style.
The Royal Festival Hall was refurbished in 2005 following a £15 million grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund. The refurbishment aimed to improve poor acoustics from some parts of the auditorium and the overall building layout. Situated within the Southbank Centre, there is a range of bars, cafes and restaurants on-site, including the Central Bar, Riverside Terrace Café and Skylon Restaurant.
The Royal Festival Hall hosts a varied programme of live events, from large-scale classical and orchestral performances and live music concerts, to conferences, awards shows and graduation ceremonies. This varied program of events, as well as its location on the Thames, attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors to the venue every year.
Plan Your Visit
The Southbank Centre complex opens at 12 noon every day, patrons can visit the Shop, Riverside Terrace Cafe and National Poetry Library. Doors open for shows at the Royal Festival Hall around 90 minutes prior to the start time.
There is no specific dress code for shows at the Royal Festival Hall. Visitors should wear clothing that is comfortable, appropriate and allows you to enjoy the event.
Yes, the Royal Festival Hall has air-conditioning.
There are cloakroom facilities at the Southbank Centre, items cost £1 to check. Occasionally the cloakroom can become very busy and items can only be checked on a first-come, first-served basis, so it's recommended to arrive in plenty of time.
Upon entry to the Southbank Centre, security staff may check your bags. As you enter the Royal Festival Hall a further back and ticket check will occur.
There are many bars, cafes and restaurants within the Southbank Centre complex, from chains including Pret a Manger, Giraffe and wagamama, to the Food Market at the rear of the building and bars on every level of the auditorium.
There's no need to travel far when seeing a show at the Royal Festival Hall. Downstairs on the lower ground level, there are a range of chain restaurants perfect for grabbing a pre-show dinner. Alternatively, the Southbank Food Market has an excellent range of street food available from every corner of the globe. This can be accessed at the rear of the building.
For those on a budget, consider booking the Novotel Blackfriars and Holiday Inn Express Southwark, which are both just a short walk away from the Royal Festival Hall. For a higher-end experience, the Park Plaza Westminster Bridge is a popular choice due to its well-connected location and excellent spa facilities.
The Royal Festival Hall is located within the Southbank Centre and was officially opened in 1951 as part of the Festival of Britain, a major national exhibition organised by London County Council. The Royal Festival Hall underwent a £111 million refurbishment in 2007. Several major orchestras are residents of Royal Festival Hall, including the London Philharmonic Orchestra, the Philharmonia Orchestra and the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment.
Help Booking Tickets
Tickets are held at the box office for collection on the day of your performance. Patrons should try to arrive as early as possible to avoid queues and allow enough time to enter the auditorium. Please ensure you bring your confirmation email and a form of ID.
The Southbank Centre box office is open from 10am until 8pm on Monday-Saturday for in-person bookings and collection for shows at the Royal Festival Hall.
The Southbank Centre box office can be contacted directly on 020 3879 9555 or by emailing customer@southbankcentre.co.uk.
Always check the STAR (Society of Ticket Agents and Retailers) ticket seller database to ensure the company that you are booking with is registered and conforming to STAR practices. When buying tickets online, also check that the padlock in your browser URL bar is present to ensure the connection is secure.
The Southbank Centre has a range of spaces available for private hire and corporate functions, for further information and pricing please email events@southbankcentre.co.uk.
