Searcys at The Gherkin

What Searcys at The Gherkin does

Searcys at The Gherkin was a premium hospitality venue located on the upper floors of 30 St Mary Axe (the Gherkin) in the City of London, offering fine dining, a Champagne bar, private dining, and event space hire with panoramic city views. It was operated by Searcys, a UK hospitality company founded in 1847 that runs a portfolio of more than 20 restaurants, Champagne bars, and event venues across London and other UK locations. The venue served three primary use cases: corporate receptions and private dining, individual diners and celebratory meals, and weddings and special occasions, drawing on Searcys' longstanding Champagne expertise and seasonal menus to position the site as a prestige hospitality address.

From 1 January 2026, Searcys at The Gherkin closed for the foreseeable future due to renovations at 30 St Mary Axe, with Searcys explicitly redirecting enquiries to Horizon 22 — its higher-altitude venue across from the Gherkin described as the highest event space in London and Europe. The broader Searcys portfolio continues to operate sites including 116 Pall Mall Brasserie, St Pancras Bar & Brasserie, the Barbican, the Portrait Restaurant at the National Portrait Gallery, the Pump Room in Bath, and event venues at Carlton House Terrace, Gray's Inn, Vintners' Hall, and other historic London halls. Revenue mechanics combine cover-driven dining, exclusive venue hire for corporate events and weddings, and ancillary streams such as catering, branded merchandise (Searcys London Dry Gin, Champagne gifts), afternoon tea experiences, and the Club 1847 membership program. There is no proprietary technology platform underpinning the business, no mobile app, and no public pricing — event and venue pricing is quote-based via a dedicated events sales team.

Name

Searcys at The Gherkin

Legal name

Searcys

Website

https://searcysatthegherkin.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1847

Operating status

Closed

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Searcys at The Gherkin was a premium fine-dining and event venue in the Gherkin at 30 St Mary Axe, London, serving corporate event clients, private diners, and wedding parties. Operated by Searcys (founded 1847), the venue closed from 1 January 2026 for building renovations with no reopening date disclosed.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Premium Hospitality and Event Venues

NAICS

Restaurants and Other Eating Places (72251)

SIC

Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810), Retail-Eating Places (5812)

akta.pro primary industry

Beachfront & Coastal Full-Service Hotels (THAGAAAI)

Keywords

• Fine dining restaurants
• Event venue hire
• Champagne bars
• Private dining experiences
• Corporate event catering

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Searcys operates a portfolio of premium restaurants, Champagne bars, and event venues across London and the UK, providing fine dining, Afternoon Tea, private dining, corporate events, weddings, and off-site event catering. The flagship Searcys at The Gherkin closed for building renovations on 1 January 2026, with Horizon 22 promoted as the principal alternative venue. The brand is also monetised through Club 1847 membership and an online gift shop selling branded merchandise and experience vouchers.

Product overview

Searcys is a collection of restaurants, Champagne bars, and event venues across London and the UK, offering fine dining, private dining, event catering, and Afternoon Tea experiences. The flagship Searcys at The Gherkin venue is closing from January 2026 due to renovations, with Horizon 22 positioned as the primary alternative. The portfolio includes Art Deco brasseries, Europe's longest Champagne bars, historic event halls, and exclusive membership offerings, unified by seasonal menus and Champagne expertise.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Horizon 22: The highest event space in London and Europe, offering panoramic views and contemporary setting for private and corporate occasions.
• St Pancras Bar & Brasserie
• Club 1847 by Searcys
• Searcys Champagne Bars

Products and services

• Searcys at The Gherkin Fine dining and Champagne bar at the iconic Gherkin building at 30 St Mary Axe, London, offering panoramic city views and premium hospitality. Now closed for the foreseeable future due to building renovations.
• Horizon 22 Premium event space located just across from The Gherkin, offering floor-to-ceiling views and contemporary interiors for private and corporate events, evening receptions, and private celebrations.
• St Pancras Bar & Brasserie Art Deco-style brasserie and Europe's longest Champagne bar at King's Cross, serving relaxed lunches, after-work drinks, and celebratory dinners in a landmark setting.
• Searcys Champagne Bars Collection of Champagne bars across London including 116 Pall Mall, Battersea Power Station, and St Pancras, offering Champagne expertise and signature hospitality.
• Private Dining Private dining experiences across Searcys venues including historic halls, contemporary spaces, and restaurant settings for intimate dinners and corporate occasions.
• Searcys Event Catering Full-service off-site event catering providing food, beverages, and hospitality staff for events throughout London at various venues.
• Afternoon Tea by Searcys Afternoon tea experiences offered at locations including The Pump Room in Bath, featuring seasonal menus and Champagne pairings.
• Club 1847 by Searcys Exclusive membership club offering curated Champagne and culinary experiences across the Searcys venue portfolio.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Coq d'Argent: Premium rooftop French restaurant and bar in the City of London with panoramic views and private dining. Closely comparable to Searcys at The Gherkin on City of London skyline views, corporate clientele, and special occasion dining.
• Galvin at Windows: Premium French fine dining restaurant on the 28th floor of the London Hilton on Park Lane with skyline views. Comparable to Searcys at The Gherkin for high-floor landmark dining, premium event hire, and London luxury clientele.
• Duck & Waffle: 40th-floor restaurant at 20 Fenchurch Street offering all-day dining and event hire with panoramic London views. Directly comparable to Searcys at The Gherkin in terms of high-rise landmark dining, City of London corporate clientele, and panoramic-setting premium positioning.
• The Wolseley: Iconic London all-day grand café/restaurant operated by Corbin & King, serving premium breakfast, lunch, dinner and private dining in a landmark setting. Highly comparable to Searcys in heritage positioning, premium pricing, central London landmark location, and corporate/private event clientele.
• Scott's Restaurant (Caprice Holdings): Luxury Mayfair restaurant and seafood specialist within the Caprice Holdings portfolio (The Ivy, Sexy Fish, Le Caprice). Comparable to Searcys for premium London dining, private dining rooms, and high-end celebratory clientele.

Broad incumbents

• Brown's Hotel (Rocco Forte Hotels): Historic Mayfair hotel with Charlie's Restaurant, afternoon tea, and private event spaces. Comparable to Searcys for heritage London venues, premium afternoon tea, and private/corporate entertaining.
• Claridge's (The Foyer & Reading Room): Mayfair luxury hotel famous for its Foyer and Reading Room dining, afternoon tea, and private events. Overlaps with Searcys on premium dining, afternoon tea, and landmark London event space.
• Maison Assouline / The Connaught: Luxury Mayfair hotel with Hélène Darroze at The Connaught and The Connaught Bar. Comparable to Searcys for ultra-premium London dining, afternoon tea, and prestige private/corporate entertaining.
• The Ritz London: Iconic luxury hotel with flagship restaurant, afternoon tea, and grand ballroom for private events. Competes with Searcys for premium London dining, corporate entertaining, and lavish private occasions at landmark addresses.

Others

• Event catering companies (e.g.,/social caterers like Zafferano): London event catering operators serving weddings and corporate functions. Adjacent competitor to Searcys Events for off-site premium catering contracts and corporate hospitality.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/searcys-the-gherkin

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Searcys at The Gherkin