Room Hire

Welcome to 185 👋

185 Drayton Road is a warm, inclusive, ground-floor community venue run by The Common Lot CIC, right in the heart of Mile Cross, Norwich.

We coordinate a varied programme of free, creative activities for local people. Outside of our programmed hours, the space is available to hire for meetings, workshops, rehearsals, gatherings and more.

By hiring a room at 185, you’re helping support our community work — thank you 💛

Booking a Room

Booking is easy:

• Book in person, by phone, or by email

We welcome individuals, groups, and organisations whose aims align with The Common Lot’s values.

185 is a working venue, so other sessions may take place at the same time, unless agreed in advance.

How Much Does It Cost? 💸

Prices are per room, per hour (2026):

• £40 – Corporate

• £20 – Funded organisations & individuals

• Free / donation – Local non-funded organisations & individuals

We offer subsidised rates for grassroots and non-profit groups, and we’re always happy to chat if money is a barrier.

185 is a facilitated space, which means someone from our team will be on hand to let you in, look after the space and support your booking. Your hire fee helps cover this.

Our Rooms 🏠

We have two rooms available and can create a variety of seating layouts to suit your event.

Front Room

Size: 15ft x 23ft

Capacity: up to 28 people

Back Room

Size: 13ft x 17ft

Capacity: up to 26 people

* Please note: We’re currently making a new theatre show, so the Back Room may be unavailable in July 2026.

What’s Included ✨

Your hire includes access to:

WiFi

Heating & air conditioning

Accessible entrance ramp (available on request)

Accessible toilet & baby changing facilities

Small kitchen area (microwave, sink, kettle, crockery & cutlery)

Fridge

Projector & electric screen

Film licence & PRS for playing music

4 large tables & 4 medium tables

20 plastic chairs plus a variety of other seating

Laptops (available on request)

Wireless phone charger

Exhibition boards

Moveable bar area

For more details about access, parking and the space, please visit our Plan Your Visit page.

Looking for Something More Hands-On? 🎨

As well as room hire, we can also provide facilitated creative workshops for individuals or groups.

Our artists and facilitators can lead sessions in a range of art disciplines, including:

• Drawing

• Painting

• Printmaking

• Ceramics

• Textiles

• & lots more - tell us what you want!

Workshops can be tailored to your group, interests, and experience level. Prices vary depending on the activity, materials required, session length and numbers of people.

If you’re curious, get in touch for a chat and we’ll help shape something that works for you. 😎