Royal Festival Hall

Beautiful hall with seats that are slightly more comfortable that the average theatre seats. Leg room isn't great for those that are taller though. We were sat in the balcony area J which is located on the 6th floor and we saw everything perfectly on the big screen and the orchestra area. It was exceptionally clean throughout the areas and ample toilets on most floor that cater for men, women and inclusive bathrooms. They also have a couple of cafes/restaurants on the ground floor and a couple of floors above that do hot drinks, cakes, sandwiches etc. Not bad pricing for London. 2 coffees and 2 brownies cost just over £16.

I went there for a graduation service. It was stunning. We had a great view from row F. It was a little tight but we managed. The views of outside from floor 4 were stunning. The decor was impressive. We had tea and cake, it was a bit pricey but you don't go every day. The South Bank is my hot spot in London. I'll be back in the summer!

The Royal Festival Hall is a landmark concert hall in London, offering a superb experience for music lovers. The iconic Grade I listed building boasts excellent acoustics and comfortable seating, ensuring an immersive experience for any performance. The venue presents a wide range of classical, contemporary, and world music concerts by renowned artists and orchestras. While undergoing refurbishment, the Southbank Centre complex where it's located offers a variety of restaurants and bars, making it a great destination for a night out. The staff is si lovely and professional. I love this place

Went here as P&O guests for the 2024 BAFTA Awards ceremony. Venue has pluses and minutes. Lots of steps and lifts not operational did not help. Nice outdoor spaces (used for the red carpet and photos). We were in the balcony that offered a good view of the proceedings but the screens need to be bigger. The seats were comfortable but the access steps without handrails are not for the fainthearted. The skylon were exceptional but the security and ushers need more customer skills. We had a warm welcome when entering the Sylon Restaurant. It has lots of vantage points, seating, drinks stations and wonderful food. A good not great venue.

Very friendly staff, clean and very well kept. Over priced drinks, snacks and food. To be expected. If you’ve never been before it’s a bit confusing to find the right entrance. The ticket shows you the row letter but that doesn’t necessarily correspond to the right door. The auditorium itself is fairly cramped. Be prepared to get up to let people into their seats. If there were an emergency I would be surprised if it didn’t end up in a stampede crushing people. The place isn’t built to let out the large number of people it’s made to seat. If you have tall people in front of you, be prepared to compromise on view. Facilities in and around are outstanding.

A grand old place, but rather concrete. That said, alot is done, not to hide it, but blend it in. The decor inside and out is all vibrant and invigorating. It sits beautifully on the Thames in the South Bank area with lovely view ls all round. There are 6 levels, but some are kind of mezzanine. It has a few bars, lots of toilets, and lifts. The whole place is well laid out and fairly easily accessible, but can be awkward in a wheelchair to get from one side to another on certain floors. That said the staff are great and so helpful. The lift with a view to outside also makes a noise which turns out to be a song as you listen and then arrive on your floor so it rather entertaining. The building seems so look it between a blue side and a green side. This is because it is so big and so helps visitors find their way around easier. The hall itself is very big with great acoustics, but you really would hope for that in a place called the Festival Hall:) Nearest train station is Waterloo which is right across the road from it (you need to come out the main entrance, cross the road and go through the passage underneath the rail bridge... Then you are there. As you do that, if you need wheelchair access, look for the lift which is on the left side of the building as you look at it. Nearest tubes are Waterloo, Westminster and Embankment (if you arrive at Victoria). The London Eye and London Aquarium are right by it. The Houses of Parliament, Big Ben and the Mall leading to Trafalgar Square are just across the bridge. Enjoy

Amazing building and fun place to go for shows... However, it is showing its age and not sure how much money is being put back into it's maintenance and up keep: broken and unsafe seats, but still being used, dirty hand rails on the stairways (hands were disgustingly filthy after using), glass lifts were jam-packed, not enough staff to say or point out that there were other lifts available and carpet looking a bit worse for wear in places!! Overall, a venue that should be experienced but not sure with the seemingly lack of proper facility management and maintenance for how long the positive enjoyment of such a great venue will last!!

I know that the architecture is like marmite, well I love the building, both internally & externally. It’s a wonderful arts facility with an diverse & exciting programme. The seats are comfortable & at 6’4” it’s one of the few London venues I can sit down in.

I love this place. It's huge. 5 levels. On the weekend they have free chamber music in the foyer and outside the Southbank food festival. I recently went to see Brian Tyler perform with the Philharmonica Orchestra. It was the first time he ever conducted an orchestra live. So there was alot of staff filming him and taking photos. It was breathtaking to hear the orchestra & choir perform. The drinks were slightly pricey. £1 for 250ml bottle of water, £3 for cola. Breathtaking place. Well worth going to see a musical event.

I came here to listen to Cornish fishermen sing sea shanties (say that five times fast!) I mean, I moved to another country to have wildly different experiences to home and this was, indeed, wildly different. And free! Situated in the Southbank Centre (which includes Queen Elizabeth Hall and the Hayward Gallery), the Royal Festival Hall is a massive performance space. And should you need it, there's wifi on the second floor.

Great sound quality and comfortable seating. Great on a sunny day when you can finish off the afternoon/evening with a walk along the South Bank

Such a huge great space. I adore it here. A wonderful place to make a stop for a lychee juice and read a book. And a fantastic gig venue. Amazing views of the Thames! Another reason why South Bank is pretty darn special!

In 2012 and in 2013, the Royal Festival Hall was used for the Arqiva BAFTA Television Awards. It's an ideal location/venue to hold such a prestigious event, like the BAFTAs, and I quite like the Southbank Centre, because it feels to be less touristy for some reason. The surrounding area of the Royal Festival Hall, is quite pleasant and if you are overlooking the north-side of the River Thames, it has an amazing scenery for urban landscape photography of London.

I went here last night to see the World Press photography exhibition and it was brilliant. The whole place is open until 11pm so you can go at night time when there is a really good buzz around. The place was busy because the bar was packed and there was a performance on in the main hall too. The exhibition wasn't too crowded though so was a pleasure to attend. It was really nicely laid out near the bar so there was loads of chatting and noise. Also I though it was nice that they had the pieces exhibited on large boards instead of framed high up on walls because some people had their children and they were able to see what was going on too.

The Royal Festival Hall hosts some fantastic free jazz and classical music concerts on the weekends. Its great to spend an afternoon by the Thames, and then warm up inside with a drink and listen to some music. The concerts are always fantastic, and its one of my favorite places to visit on the weekend. I saw some great bands playing there on Saturday for the London Jazz festival. There is a cafe as well as a bar near the open theater, and most people were having a drink and some were dancing on the sides. The events are widely ranged as well - the World Press Photography exhibition was a great browse, although it was a little crowded. There is a great vibe here on the weekend, and culture vultures would certainly enjoy it.

Attended an Apocalyptica concert on 3/1/17 here. Nice venue with great acoustics. Great location - it's in the Southbank Center. There are lots of restaurants and some shops nearby. The Waterloo tube station and London Eye are within walking distance. Took off one star due to a ticketing error. I bought tickets back in November 2016. I inadvertently reserved a seat in the special access area. However, I was only notified of the error one day before the concert. Fortunately, the concert wasn't sold out and I was able to get a seat closer to the stage in the general seating area.

The Royal Festival Hall on the South Bank is, I suppose, one of the more prestigious concert locations in London. It recently got a £91 million renovation, which improved the acoustics. The inside of the hall feels a little odd as it is sort of an upwards rectangular box with some balcony seats emerging from the sides of the walls (vaguely reminiscent of the Senate in the new Star Wars movies). I went there to see Yellow Magic Orchestra in the summer (as part of the Massive Attack curated meltdown festival). It remains the best gig I've ever seen by quite some way (they had Christian Fennesz on backing!), and the hall did its job well. The acoustics were good and the visuals were displayed across a cinema sized screen on the wall. If someone you admire is playing here try your best to go.

Bisi Yelp London Tour Two The Vintage Festival, Royal Festival Hall, Southbank The kids may only just have broken up from school just last week, but if you are already running out of ideas to keep them distracted, or you just want to take advantage of one those oh so rare hot days, then look no further than the Southbank Centre. You still have the chance to catch the last day of the Vintage Festival, which fortunately has events running from 12noon to 1am (now that's what you call a proper Festival schedule!) The brainchild of Red or Dead founders Wayne and Gerardine Hemingway, the Vintage Festival pays a loving homage to all things vintage from clothes and music to some absolutely gorgeous retro furniture. If money's no object then buy a ticket (£30) which buys you entry to the main stage - which is actually split over the Festival's six floors and grants you access to hours of music, fashion, film, art, design, and dance. If the best things in your life are free, then go to the Vintage Market alongside the Festival Hall. The stalls are a bright, lively diverse mix of both original and some reconditioned vintage clothing, accessories, furniture and homewares. I chilled out in the Crown Paint sponsored tea tent for a cheeky brew and a rather large piece of cake - it would have been wrong not to ! On the right hand side of the market at the back, you'll find Festival brand partners Cath Kitson, Oxfam, Benefit, Crabbies (not apples used as conkers, ginger beer for grown-ups!). Then nestled in the far left-hand corner of the market is a mini-fairground where kids and grown-ups looked liked they were having a great time. Just like I did !

There's a lot of extras to the Royal Festival Hall. As well as being a concert venue there's a library, bar, terrace, restaurant, shop and performance spaces. There's also loads of free events, so keep your eyes peeled and you can enjoy some arts and culture on the South Bank even on a budget. I found the concert venue itself frustrating as the seats aren't on much of a slope and are all directly behind each other, rather than being staggered. So instead of seeing the performers i had paid for, i had to look at the back of someone's head or crane my neck. Slightly diminished the experience really.

I love the openness of Southbank Centre... Come here for free music on the weekends and stick around for a while! The lunch concerts attract a hodgepodge of stay-at-home moms, old people, and people who work in the area. There's free wifi, a bar, a cafe, plenty of seating, and sometimes you'll catch a bit of a rehearsal out on the stage. Concert tickets usually start at around £9 but there are always a few 1/2 price student tickets if you're early enough. They also have a ton of cool events: not just traditional concerts, but late nights, spoken word performances, themed series... As for the performance hall itself, the acoustics are amaazing. Like swimming in sea of auditory silk.

Absolutely beautiful and comfortable venue for concerts! I've been here a couple of times now to see the London Philharmonic Orchestra and the experiences have never disappointed. First of all, the location is really hard to beat, and it's always a joy to get to, whether you're walking along the Thames or across the Waterloo or Hungerford bridge in the evening. Getting a pre-booked ticket is simple and fast, and it's not confusing at all even for first timers to figure out where to go. The venue is clean and the chairs are very comfortable. I also appreciate that there are very affordable tickets available that offer quite good views and audio. It's a bit quieter, yes, but the audience is usually very considerate and will stay quiet so hearing isn't an issue. That said, if you need to get the cheaper tickets, I would say it is worth a few more pounds for the the second cheapest tickets so you aren't sitting all the way in the back. If you do get those, though, you'll still have a comfortable seat, so don't let that prevent you from seeing that concert you've been hoping to see! Book early, though, so you can have more choice of where to sit for the same price.

A friend of mine decided to throw a potluck, asking everyone to bring wine, cheese and others munchies. But rather than hosting it at home, we convened at the Royal Festival Hall. I thought the RFH might object to a bunch of people bringing outside food and booze on their property - but nobody cared. Note that we weren't in the actual auditorium, but in the 2nd floor of the atrium. And there seemed to be a lot of other people not there for any formal event, but just chilling, reading, on a date, etc. So the bottom line is you can enjoy the hall without actually attending a paid event. Think of it as another city park... but with a roof!

A very cool venue!! While in London on vacation, a friend of ours from home just happened to be in town too on business (she and her husband work in concert production). Thanks to her, we got backstage passes to the Brian Wilson show here. The stage is big with plenty of space for creativity with backdrops and lighting and the place is set up very well for overall sound quality. The seats are also situated in such a way that you can still see everything on stage well, even if there's a tall-ass ogre sitting in front of you. And the design of the concert hall is really neat -- the boxes along the circumference are arranged in an attractive pattern that's interesting to look at. Although, all I could really think of the whole time was Statler & Waldorf from the Muppet Show....

Depending on what you are there to see/do, this venue is pretty top. I went with a friend to the Hitch Hikers guide convention, cue a few hundred people walking around in dressing gowns quoting nonsense about the number 42 and a depressed robot called Marvin. Now I like the Hitchhikers guide but i wouldn't consider myself a geeky fanboy of the franchise so when it came to the book signing I went and got beer whilst my friend stood in line to get his "limited edition something or other" scrawled by an original member of the radio cast. When I returned my nonchalance was vapourised and replaced by girlish excitement as I found myself introduced to Andrew Sachs (Whom I love from Fawlty Towers) and got him to sign one of my band's flyer, he even added a little "Ole" to the procedings (What a gent!!). Back to the venue, the bar is reasonably priced with quite a good range given it's location. The seating in front of the bar consists of tables/chairs and some odd shaped sofas which are very nearly comfortable yet also manage to be slightly too small to sit on with a friend without feeling just a little too close to eachother. The coffee was awful (truely a measure of any establishment) but I'm assured there's a bar dedicated to coffee at the front and it's good. The outside seating area is wonderful with a good view of the Thames and the eye looms large to the left ensuring you have a good view in any direction. My only regret of the day was not getting to meet Harry Shearer who was also around, THEN I would've turned into a fanboy! So, even if you are of sound body and mind, in the land of geeks, the man wit Andrew Sach's signature is king!

Bit too Sovietesque in appearance to be really classy, but the staff are friendly and efficient and 'The Russian Masters' classical music concert that I won tickets to from The South London Press was delightfully easy on the ears. Quite spacious, comfortable seating with a roomy feel. I found it quite a complicated building to navigate around but there are some nice shops downstairs and I enjoyed the 1951 'Festival of Britain' exhibition with memorabilia.

Pretty, pretty slinky... this has got to be one of the finest up-market venues in London, like, good for orchestras kind of place. And good for 'rock' gigs too, I do remember Squarepusher and the like play this auditorium (it's clearly more than a venue). Well, kind of good for rock gigs, it does dwarf the band a bit, and make everything seem classical. But, that's ok when an auditorium sounds this good. The acoustics are really really good, so the sound is pristine, lush and accurate. No muffle, no glare. And it's been done up of late, so it looks even better. That is if you like post-WWII festival of Britain style modernist venues. Auditoriums, whatever. I don't like the way they've covered the front of the Royal Festival Hall with shops, kind of lowers the tone a bit. Bad sides, the gigs are expensive. And quite high-brow, y'know, the audience drink champagne, 'at the interval'. Y'know how it gets to be. But, we can ignore that. To witness very very good gigs - or recitals, whatever- in such surroundings. Thoroughly, thoroughly recommended...

The Royal Festival Hall is a breathtaking venue. Hosting several shows per month you can find anything from classical to swing, disco to turntablism blasting within these walls. Randomly, a couple of weeks ago, I was lucky enough to find that RFH was hosting an annual international photography awards' exhibit. I was able to see stunning images of 2008's events by some of the most talented professional and emerging photographers. It was free. Actually, many events held here are free. If you want art on a budget stop by RFH, you never know what you might find.

2001: A Space Odyssey featuring The Philharmonia Orchestra and The Philharmonia Chorus at The Royal Festival Hall. Directed by Stanley Kubrick in 1968 and co written by Arthur C Clarke, 2001: A Space Odyssey is one of the most famous science fiction films of all time. Kubrick, who first met Clarke in 1964, told him he was searching for the best way to make a film about Man's relation to the universe. I saw 2001 last year at a drive in cinema at Pinewood Studios on the largest projected green screen in Europe. Though this was very impressive, there was something magic about hearing the music played live by a full orchestra. The stirring soundtrack with includes Johann Strauss's Waltz, On The Beautiful Blue Danube, is brought to life by the London Philharmonia Orchestra which can't help but make you sway in your seat. This is a very luxurious way to watch a film but it really will make your experience - out of this world! http://www.itsnosmallthing.weebly.com

A favourite part of London since as a child I was introduced to the Hayward Gallery. The South Bank Centre was always a cultural centre for the arts but the south bank used to be almost empty of people. But then London in the late 70's and early 80's was a very different place. It seemed slightly desolate, dull and depressing. Perfect for a teen. I loved it. And this supreme modernist example commissioned by Hugh Casson was important in developing my love for architecture, though at the time it was just another building. Rightly popular now and listed, when back then most used to hate it for it's uncompromising concrete and if it were not for it's use it may well have been lost in the post modernist 80's dislike for the modernist. But here we all are and now we all love it and concrete.

The 5th floor roof terrace is awesome :) It's also the home of the London Philarmonia Orchestra, and they do some really nice performances in a 'modern' (I mean compared to the grand old stuff rather than actually modern' environment that spacious and environmentally controlled (heated when it's cold and cooled when it's heated). There are also some nice cafes in the venue and you can't really beat the location either :)

Had a drink outside on a warm summers evening. Whilst the view is nice, the choice of drinks is limited and slightly over priced and being outside meant plastic cups for our wine and cider. That aside we sat there in a noisy but nice atmosphere until it was dark, and then moved on to somewhere else. A good spot for a drink if you're seeing something there, but not so much for just passing by.

Saw Regina Spektor here a little while back The venue is definitely specifically designed for live music

ooooh they won me over on Friday. My last experience of this place was awful loud music that made it impossible to enjoy the inside bar (which by the way I think looks like a hospital cafeteria). And then we went to see The Wizard of Oz. And it was brilliant. The theatre is huge and the acoustics are brilliant. The chairs are perfectly spaced so you can see everything no matter where you are. the show was fabulous - everything from costumes to lighting and stage was brilliant and a credit to them. There was cabaret in the bar that evening, but it was warm so we decided to sit outside and drink wine. the friendly barman convinced us that bottles of wine was a better idea and after chatting lots and buying more than one, i missed my train home as they stay open late. I don't think it was his fault that I kipped on my mate's sofa though shame I didn't have my red shoes on. Then I could have just clicked my heels together three times.

I will always remember this place as it looks in the 2nd photo. However I have only ever been on the stage, in a production my class did at school, in about 1997 or '98! A wonderful venue, the acoustics are fabulous and it's very versatile - suitable for the variety of performances held there.

The RFH is never the first place to spring to mind when musing on favourite venues, but every time I return here I'm reminded that it's among the best in London. The acoustics and sight lines here are superb, and it's a particularly great space for watching audiovisual performances that make the most of the massive stage. I've seen all sorts of acts here from classical to pop bands and musicals, and each has been a great experience. A visit here is far more enjoyable since they re-vamped and modernised a few years ago, and its bars and cafes are spacious and pleasant.

The Royal Festival Hall is great part of the South Bank Centre arts complex. It's a massive hall that provides a venue for mid-size musical and theatrical acts that attract a more sit-down, gentrified, or avant-garde crowd. It's essentially two large, very wide, tiers of seats. The acoustics are quite good for music. There's a café (http://www.southbankcentre.co.uk/visiting-us/food-and-drink/qeh-foyer-bar) in the outer part of the Hall. I've seen acts as varied as Sigur Ros (earlier in their career, with Coil opening) and the Soweto Gospel Choir here.

great new look after the face lift loads more places to eat and drink good place to chill out. Also inside has events during most weekends. The bar inside is a good place to meet and have a drink also a good place if you are seeing a show around the area. At night the place come alive and during events it's a good vibe. If you attend a show then they have a bar on the 2nd floor which you can go outside on a balcony and it has great views of the Thames and south bank and at night with all the lights looks great

Since the multi million squillion pound makeover, the Royal Festival Hall has really carved quite an impressive stature on the South Bank. Where I used to simply walk on by and head to the bfi and national theatre, I now find myself propelled straight to the Royal festival Hall. In the summer, the terrace above the restaurants is magical - pure London brilliance, with perfect views over the river. The schedule itself is always inspiring, and there is something for everyone from literature, to dance, to theatre to politics. I agree with other reviewers that the cafe is slightly clinical, but at the same time - this venue allows people to just congregate with friends, groups, meetings - and aks nothing in return. A real community hub.

Definitely there for one of the best venues I have been to. We went to see Nigel Kennedy playing Jimmy Hendrix and it was a bizarre show but rather good. The royal festival hall though was a great venue. Lovely seating. Great theatre for seeing events in and really good acoustics although the music was played a bit loud. Also a nice view of the Thames for a drink. Only issue was the lack of staff .

Came here to watch the LPO play here and while the hall is visually impressive maybe i was sat too far back but i just felt expansiveness of the hall was too much for the Orchestra it just didnt fill the room well enough to be moved.

on a friday night whim in london, waited in the cue and picked up some affordable tickets to see the london philharmonic orchestra. the symphony that night was not 100% amazing, but regardless we had a great time and the view from the balcony was superb. go out and get your classical on!

It was a pleasure to sing there. Not the prettiest venue, but still one of London's "great" venues for all sorts of music. If you're visiting or a resident, it is definitely worth checking out what they have to offer (and often they have 50% off concessions, but in limited quantity!).

great place to visit for kids and family, music, dance, exhibits,theatre and cinema all in one lace. A huge social event every day and always something happening.

Great event space, I saw Tim Berners Lee talk here and got fantastic seats at a really reasonable price. I've also knitted here as part of a group who make the most of all the free space in the foyers. Great place to get people together - also there is a balcony area with great views over the water (think it's on the 3rd floor?).

i came to see a gig here last night. as a regular gig goer at the smaller venues dotted around london, the auditorium in here came as a surprise to me and i found the atmosphere slightly bizarre. that being said, they have obviously put a lot of money into making the acoustics in this venue very, very good, and the gig was excellent - i was mesmerised from start to finish. most of this is down to the performer, who has similarly blown me away in tiny venues right up to the royal albert hall, but excellent acoustics really lend itself to his performance, and the royal festival hall was, in the end, a great venue for this gig. in addition to the auditorium, the southbank centre in general is just a nice space to be in. you can come here at any point in the day, find a space to chill out in, grab some free wi fi, eat your own snacks that you've brought in with you, and you would never be disturbed. there are also multiple cafes and bars from which you can buy your own food and drink if you haven't come pre prepared. there is always stuff on here - so many different performances and shows - it's definitely worth checking out their website, and seeing if there is anything that catches your fancy.

This review is for a performance by the London Philharmonic Orchestra. The place is AMAZING! We had seats front row center, could literally hear the main cello soloist breathing. The architecture is beautiful, and the performance was worth every penny.

I saw the London Philharmonic here. I would say from the outside the building doesn't look very impressive compared to some of the other beautiful venues in the city, but inside it's much nicer. The acoustics are really good- I was in the way back cheap seats and the sound was clear. During the intermission you can go onto the outdoor balconies and see a beautiful view of the Thames at night.

I really liked the concert I saw here. It was a free event celebrating the Wizard of Oz musical, held in the bar area just behind the main entrance. The atmosphere was reminiscent of a cruise ship lounge, but a lot more modern. The sofas were lightweight foam constructions covered in fabric, which could be moved about to suit the event. There were a number of smaller sofas and foam blocks, presumably for children, however they were just about OK for adults in the absence of small people to occupy them. The set up on the South Bank is great, and the Royal Festival Hall fits right in.

Saw Cirque du Soleil here, and found the staff to be extremely thorough and helpful. Excellent venue, clean and brilliant acoustics - looking forward to many more events at this beautiful hall!

Just been here fore the first time, and really enjoyed it. Of course I don't have clue what it looked like before the refurbishment, but the festival hall has a look and feel that can position it well into Wallpaper, the acoustics are great and on a warm summer night, you can really enjoy life outside on the south bank. The cloak room is free, the ticket price for our venue (Carmen Jonas) was very reasonable. I will come again.

Great venue,nice'n airy with plenty of people milling about, and always something different goin on...

I am ashamed to say of all the years I have lived in and around London, it has taken me 30 years to finally venture to the Royal Albert Hall. We decided to pop in to see the amazing free '2008's photographs of the year' exhibition on Friday night. The place was buzzing, people in every direction - using the cafe, the bar, the live music area, waiting for the evening's performance to start etc It's a vast area with a great atmosphere. Everyone seems super relaxed and enjoying themselves. A definite must when in London and not much cash!

This place has a lot to offer. Of course, there's the usual mixture of entertainment including plays, musical recitals which you pay for but you can also stumble upon freebie entertainment which seems to be going on a lot of the time. The building itself, having been recently refurbished is definately worth taking in and there are several bars, cafes, comfy sofas and shops. It's situated right on the river front so is perfect for soaking up both the sun and atmosphere.

the cultural heart of London, offering a great mix of entertainment. really, the above have said it all. however, if you are into art, music and dance it is definitely worth taking out membership to the Southbank. apart from the obvious benefits this grants you access to the top floor bar in the Royal Festival bar with breathtaking views across some of London's most favourite sites. long gone are the days when this complex was being described as a concrete eyesore

I love the feel of the Royal Festival Hall and dropped by several times during the London Jazz Festival as it hosted many of the performances. It's easy to forget what a funky place it is for hanging out, and I'll definitely have to drop by more often if only to enjoy its funky space.

I can't actually remember the last time I went to the Royal Festival Hall, but I think it revolved around being hungry, cramped and hot. The I-don't-know-how-many-million-pound makeover that has just been unveiled was however as impressive as it is sensitive in its maintenance of the RFH's original signature themes. From the selection of nouveau-high-street eateries on river level (Strada, Wagamama, Eat) to the many bars and cafes within the RFH itself, there was no danger of going hungry. The open space inside the hall itself has been largely untouched, but the massive picture windows onto a dramatic London skyline are breathtaking. Having sat through an intense hour of music, I was suitably blown away by the picture window you see walking down the stairs from Door B. The acoustics has apparently been improved in the hall; my untrained ear only noticed that they are pretty good. The seating was spacious and comfortable and as a venue, it is one of the best I have been to for a long time. Many return trips are being planned......

we went to watch love cooking and had a wonderful time watching ainsley cooking some lovey jamaican food.

I went to see Glen Campbell here recently and was struck by how comfortable the seats are. Despite the recent refit the Royal Festival Hall doesn't have the same atmosphere as other concert halls, but it's clean, comfortable, well run and has a great programme. The bars are expensive (but no more than you'd expect) and the views from the terrace onto the river are lovely. Definitely worth a visit