Every office has sat through a team building day that missed the mark — a stilted icebreaker, an "escape room" nobody wanted to solve, or a generic activity that felt like homework with a pizza at the end. If you're planning a work social, an away day or a client thank-you and want something your team will actually talk about afterwards, here are the team building ideas in London that hold up, and why we think a private brewery tour is one of the best options going. We've run these for offices of every size since 2014, so this is based on what genuinely lands, not just what looks good on a brochure.
Why most team building ideas fall flat
The trouble with a lot of corporate activities is that they're built around the exercise rather than the people. Trust falls and trivia quizzes can feel forced, especially with a mixed team of introverts, extroverts, new starters and long-serving colleagues who already know each other well. Add awkward small talk over warm sandwiches and it's easy to see why "team building" has a bit of a reputation. What works better is something with a natural flow — an activity people would choose to do anyway, that happens to also get colleagues talking, moving and laughing together.
What actually works for work socials
The best work socials tend to share a few things: they get people out of the office and off their phones, they don't require anyone to perform in front of the group, they leave room for real conversation, and they end with everyone glad they came. A guided food or drink experience ticks all of these — there's a shared focus (the tasting, the walk, the guide's stories) that takes the pressure off small talk, natural breaks between stops for people to mix, and a clear end point so the day doesn't drag.
Our pick: a private brewery tour team day
We run a guided Bermondsey Beer Tasting Tour through four independent taprooms in the railway arches of South East London — 2–3.5 hours, beer included, £49 per person on our public tour, meeting at Southwark Brewing Co, 46 Druid St. For work groups, we run it as a private tour: your own guide, your own pace, and a route built around your numbers. It's sociable without being cringeworthy, gives people something genuinely interesting to talk about (how the beer in their hand was actually made), and — crucially — runs itself, so nobody in your office has to play events manager on the day. We've been doing this since 2014, so we've hosted just about every kind of work group there is.
Add a tasting for something extra
If you want to dial the occasion up a notch, add our cheese, meat & beer tasting to the day. It's a more relaxed, seated format that pairs well with a walking tour beforehand — ideal for client entertaining or a smaller senior team where you want a bit more polish and a proper sit-down moment. It also works nicely as a standalone session if a full afternoon on your feet isn't practical for your group.
Team building ideas by group size
- Small teams (6–15): a private Beer Mile tour with a single guide is easy, intimate and lets everyone actually chat with everyone else.
- Mid-size teams (15–30): we tailor the route and pacing so the group stays together comfortably at each taproom.
- Large groups and whole-office days (30–60+): we split larger parties across multiple guides so service stays quick and nobody's left waiting around.
Whatever your headcount, tell us the numbers and we'll build a day that fits — see corporate & group tours for the details.
Team building ideas by budget
Not every work social needs a big spend. A straightforward group booking on our standard tour, at £49pp with beer included, already compares well with a day of separate activities, lunch and drinks bought individually — everything's wrapped into one clear price with no surprise bar tab and no one left holding a stack of receipts to expense afterwards. For a bigger occasion or client day, adding the cheese, meat & beer tasting or a bespoke itinerary pushes the budget up but adds real polish. If money's tight, a shorter private slot or a smaller group can still deliver the same atmosphere for less. We're happy to work backwards from a per-head budget and suggest what fits, rather than pushing you towards the most expensive option.
Remote and hybrid teams: make the office visit count
If your team is spread across the country and only gets together a few times a year, it's worth making those days count rather than defaulting to a meeting room and a working lunch. Bringing a hybrid team into London for a beer tour gives remote colleagues a proper reason to travel in, a shared experience to bond over, and a much better memory of "the day everyone was in the office" than another all-hands presentation.
Client days and networking
A brewery tour also does double duty as a client entertaining idea, not just an internal team day. It's low-pressure, gives you a couple of hours of genuine conversation away from a boardroom, and leaves a much better impression than yet another lunch at the same restaurant near the office. Add the cheese, meat & beer tasting if you want a slightly more formal finish for a smaller client group, or keep it to the walking tour for a livelier, larger gathering. Either way, it's an easy "yes" for clients who'd rather do something memorable than sit through another pitch deck over coffee.
Inclusive options for non-drinkers
A good work social shouldn't hinge on how much everyone drinks. We keep soft drinks and lower-alcohol options available throughout, so colleagues who don't drink are never left standing at the bar with nothing to do — see our guide to non-alcoholic beer for what's actually in a 0.5% pint these days. The walking, the taproom stories and the company are the point as much as the beer itself, so non-drinkers get just as much out of the day.
A sample corporate itinerary
- Midday: meet at Southwark Brewing Co, quick briefing and first beer.
- Early afternoon: guided walk between taprooms, tasting and hearing how each beer is brewed.
- Mid-afternoon: optional break for street food at Maltby Street Market.
- Late afternoon: final taprooms, wrap-up around 6pm — or carry on independently as a team.
Want to extend the day? Bolt on our free self-guided heritage walk through Southwark's brewing history, or see our roundup of things to do near London Bridge for more to build around it.
How to book a team building day
Tell us your headcount, preferred date and roughly what you're after, and we'll come back with a plan and a quote — usually within a working day. Corporate bookings can be invoiced, and we take deposits so you're not chasing individual colleagues for cash. It's the same private-tour format we use for stag and hen groups, just with a work hat on, and if you'd rather say thank you individually, our gift vouchers (never expire) make a good add-on for a stand-out team member.
Round off the day nearby
The link below is an affiliate link: if you book through it we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. We only suggest experiences we'd recommend anyway.
- Borough Market Food Tour (6 tastings) — a good option if part of your team would rather start (or extend) the day around food a short walk from Bermondsey.