Originally the Ladies’ Reading Room for the Library, the Upper Hall is a versatile space full of natural light.

A blank canvas, the space can be configured in a variety of ways, and is often used in conjunction with the Great Hall.

Staying safe

The safety of our visitors and staff is our priority. Here’s what we’re doing to keep everyone safe. Please talk to us if you’d like to know more.

Image gallery

A gallery slider

A photograph of the Upper Hall with natural light coming through. The floor is laminate and the walls are white with white beams in the centre of the room. — The Upper Hall

A photograph of the Upper Hall with natural light coming through. The floor is laminate, and the walls are white. — The Upper Hall

A photograph of the Upper Hall with natural light coming through. There are large windows on the white walls, and the floor is laminated. — The Upper Hall

A photograph of the Upper Hall, which has laminate flooring and white walls. Rainbow coloured uplighters are on. — The Upper Hall

A photograph of the Upper Hall, with has a wooden floor and white walls. The uplighter are on, which are projecting rainbow colours up the wall. — The Upper Hall

A photograph of Bishopsgate Institute's Upper Hall with single tables lined up with chairs, done in an exam-style layout. — The Upper Hall
Credit : Kathleen Arundell Photography

A green tiled wall with a wooden sign with gold writing that says: "Upper Hall" — The Upper Hall

The landing to the Upper Hall at Bishopsgate Institute. There are yellow tiles on the walls and green tiles along the staircase. There are also wooden bannisters on either side of the staircase, which leads up to a landing. — The Upper Hall landing
Credit : Kathleen Arundell Photography

A staircase at Bishopsgate Institute. The stairs are black with gold bannisters. There are red tiles on the wall leading up to another staircase with green tiles. — The Upper Hall staircase
Credit : Kathleen Arundell Photography

Capacities

Layout Style	Capacity
Theatre	120
Cabaret	120
Reception	220
Examination	200

Access information

Whether you’re coming to an event or visiting the venue, we aim to be as accessible and inclusive as possible within the restraints of our Grade II* listed status.

Seating is always available and we provide fully accessible gender-neutral toilets.

Floor plan

The Upper Hall floor plan
67 KB PDF

#FROMTHE ARCHIVES

Married in 1950, Chris and Betty Birch have been involved in political, trade union, and LGBTQ+ activism for over 60 years. Sharing similar interests, they were both Communist Party Members and involved with organisations such as the Aid to Spanish Youth Committee. After the death of his friend, Mark Ashton, Chris became involved in forming the Mark Ashton Memorial Trust, which was created to raise money for individuals living with HIV. The archive includes the truncheon taken from the police by Mark Ashton, correspondence, personal scrapbooks, press cuttings, and various other papers relating to the couples activism.