Retirement parties sit awkwardly between a company event and a family one, and the guest list reflects it. The room has to work for people who have known each other for thirty years and people who have just met.
What helps is a layout with somewhere to stand and somewhere to sit, a bar that does not become the only destination, and a clear place to speak from — because there will be speeches, and there will be more of them than planned.
Weekday evenings work
These are one of the few events that genuinely suit a Tuesday or a Wednesday, which is the most open and least expensive part of our calendar. If the company is paying, we can invoice — ask when you enquire.
Three to four hours is usual. Food is normally a buffet, because people are moving around rather than sitting through a meal.