🎪 Hospitality

Compliance Management for Event Venues

From weddings to conferences, ensure your venue is safe and compliant for every event with comprehensive digital management.

The Challenge

Event venues face unique compliance challenges with constantly changing configurations, variable guest numbers, and multiple concurrent events requiring different safety setups. One weekend you might host an intimate wedding for 80 guests, and the next a corporate conference for 500 - each with different fire safety requirements, catering arrangements, and contractor teams. Paper-based systems cannot keep pace with rapid event changeovers, and critical safety checks get missed in the rush between setup and guest arrival.

How Assistant Manager Solves Event Venues Compliance

Each module is designed to address the specific challenges event venues businesses face every day.

Checklist Management

Event venues need dynamic checklists that adapt to event type (wedding, conference, exhibition, party), scale with guest numbers, track multiple contractor activities, and ensure nothing is missed in rapid changeover periods

The Problems

Why This Matters for Event Venues

  • Pre-event setup checks are rushed or skipped when back-to-back events leave minimal changeover time between bookings

    Fire exits remain blocked by decorations from the previous event, electrical installations go unchecked, and safety hazards from setup are missed - creating serious liability when guests arrive

  • Different event types require different safety configurations, but staff use the same generic checklist for weddings, conferences, and parties

    Event-specific hazards are missed - a conference with staging needs different checks than a wedding with candles and decorations, but the one-size-fits-all approach covers neither properly

  • Multiple contractors (florists, decorators, caterers, DJs) work simultaneously during setup with no coordinated safety verification

    Each contractor assumes someone else has checked overall safety - cables run across walkways, heavy equipment blocks exits, and fire hazards accumulate without anyone taking responsibility

The Solution

How Checklist Management Helps

Event-specific digital checklists triggered by booking type, with contractor sign-off requirements, photo verification of safety-critical items, and real-time progress tracking across all setup teams

Every event has the right checks for its specific configuration, all contractors contribute to a unified safety record, and venue managers can see setup progress and outstanding issues before guests arrive

Use Cases:

  • Pre-event fire safety verification with photo evidence of clear exits
  • Event-specific setup checklists (wedding, conference, exhibition, party)
  • Contractor arrival and safety briefing sign-off
  • Post-event breakdown and security checks
  • Changeover checklists between same-day events
  • Licensed bar opening checks for event-specific bar setups
  • Capacity configuration verification per event layout

Feature Screenshot

Checklist Management

Real-World Examples

Example 1: Pre-event setup checks are rushed or skipped when back-to-back events leave minimal changeover time between bookings

Real Scenario

"A Saturday wedding finishes at midnight. Sunday morning, the team rushes to set up for a christening at noon. Nobody checks that the fire exit near the bar has been cleared of the wedding florist's leftover equipment. Fire officers arriving for a routine check find the exit blocked."

Example 2: Different event types require different safety configurations, but staff use the same generic checklist for weddings, conferences, and parties

Real Scenario

"A corporate event brings in a large LED screen and staging. The standard event checklist doesn't include electrical load checks or stage stability verification. During the event, a lighting rig shifts because anchor points weren't verified."

Example 3: Multiple contractors (florists, decorators, caterers, DJs) work simultaneously during setup with no coordinated safety verification

Real Scenario

"The florist's delivery van blocks the fire assembly point. The DJ runs cables across the main entrance. The caterer props open a fire door for access. Each contractor focused only on their task - nobody ensured the venue remained safe during the entire setup process."

Scheduling

Event venues need scheduling that works around specific event bookings rather than fixed shifts, with the flexibility to handle everything from a midweek meeting to a weekend wedding marathon

The Problems

Why This Matters for Event Venues

  • Multiple events on the same day require careful staff scheduling to ensure adequate coverage for setup, service, and breakdown - but manual rotas lead to gaps

    Events start without sufficient trained staff, safety supervision is inadequate during busy periods, and overtime costs spiral when last-minute gaps are filled with agency workers

  • Seasonal demand swings between empty weekdays and fully-booked weekends make efficient staffing nearly impossible to plan

    Weekday events are overstaffed and unprofitable, while weekend events are understaffed and service quality suffers - damaging reputation and reviews

The Solution

How Scheduling Helps

Event-driven scheduling that automatically suggests staffing levels based on event type, guest numbers, and service requirements, with visual conflict detection for overlapping events

Right-sized staffing for every event, clear visibility of coverage across overlapping bookings, and labour costs controlled without compromising service quality

Use Cases:

  • Event-based staff scheduling linked to booking calendar
  • Multi-event day coordination with handover management
  • Setup and breakdown crew scheduling separate from service staff
  • On-call and standby staff management for busy periods
  • Agency staff integration and tracking
  • Seasonal demand planning and recruitment triggers
  • Event-specific role requirements (bar staff, waiting staff, security)

Feature Screenshot

Scheduling

Real-World Examples

Example 1: Multiple events on the same day require careful staff scheduling to ensure adequate coverage for setup, service, and breakdown - but manual rotas lead to gaps

Real Scenario

"Saturday has a morning conference and evening wedding. The conference overruns, and staff scheduled for the wedding setup are still serving coffee. The wedding room isn't ready, the bride is furious, and you're paying overtime to staff who should have gone home hours ago."

Example 2: Seasonal demand swings between empty weekdays and fully-booked weekends make efficient staffing nearly impossible to plan

Real Scenario

"A quiet Tuesday corporate meeting has three staff standing around with nothing to do. That Saturday, a 200-person wedding has the same three staff run ragged trying to cover setup, service, and bar - guests wait too long for drinks and the couple complains about service."

Time & Attendance

Event venues rely heavily on casual, part-time, and agency staff with irregular schedules that need careful tracking to ensure both compliance and fair payment

The Problems

Why This Matters for Event Venues

  • Event staff work irregular hours - early starts for breakfast conferences, late finishes for evening functions - making Working Time Regulations compliance difficult to track

    Staff regularly exceed working hour limits without anyone noticing, leading to fatigue-related mistakes during events and potential enforcement action if investigated

  • Casual and agency staff working events clock in and out informally, leading to disputes about hours worked and payments owed

    Payroll disputes with casual staff, agency invoices that don't match records, and no audit trail when disagreements arise

The Solution

How Time & Attendance Helps

Mobile clock-in/out for all staff including casuals and agency workers, with automatic Working Time Regulations monitoring, break tracking, and rest period alerts

Accurate records of all hours worked by all staff types, automatic flagging of compliance issues before they become problems, and undisputable evidence for payroll

Use Cases:

  • Event-specific clock-in for casual and agency staff
  • Working Time Regulations compliance monitoring
  • Break recording and verification
  • Overnight event rest period tracking
  • Split shift management for setup/service/breakdown
  • Timesheet approval workflows for payroll
  • Agency staff hour verification for invoice reconciliation

Feature Screenshot

Time & Attendance

Real-World Examples

Example 1: Event staff work irregular hours - early starts for breakfast conferences, late finishes for evening functions - making Working Time Regulations compliance difficult to track

Real Scenario

"A senior events coordinator works 14 hours on Saturday for a wedding, then returns at 6am Sunday for a breakfast event setup. Nobody tracks that she's had less than 11 hours rest. She makes a critical error in the room setup that delays the event start."

Example 2: Casual and agency staff working events clock in and out informally, leading to disputes about hours worked and payments owed

Real Scenario

"An agency worker claims they worked 10 hours at a wedding. Your records show 7 hours. Without proper clock-in/out records, you have no evidence to dispute their claim - and the agency sides with their worker."

Training & Development

Event venues need to rapidly onboard casual staff while ensuring they have essential safety knowledge, plus maintain visibility of certified fire wardens and first aiders across variable team compositions

The Problems

Why This Matters for Event Venues

  • Casual and seasonal staff join for busy periods without time for proper training - they learn on the job during actual events

    Untrained staff don't know emergency procedures, can't answer guest questions about allergens, and make mistakes that damage the venue's reputation

  • Event venue staff need diverse skills - fire warden duties, first aid, food hygiene, bar service, manual handling - but training records are scattered or non-existent

    When the fire alarm activates during an event, nobody knows who the trained fire wardens are. When a guest collapses, staff don't know who has first aid training. Critical incidents are handled badly.

The Solution

How Training & Development Helps

Digital training platform with role-specific learning paths, competency tracking for safety-critical skills, and automatic certification expiry alerts

Every staff member has documented training for their role, fire wardens and first aiders are always identifiable, and casual staff complete essential training before their first shift

Use Cases:

  • Fire warden training and certification tracking
  • First aid certification management
  • Food hygiene training for catering staff
  • Personal licence holder refresher tracking
  • Manual handling training for setup crews
  • Customer service and emergency response inductions
  • Venue-specific safety briefings for all new staff
  • Annual refresher scheduling and completion tracking

Feature Screenshot

Training & Development

Real-World Examples

Example 1: Casual and seasonal staff join for busy periods without time for proper training - they learn on the job during actual events

Real Scenario

"A casual bartender starts on a busy Saturday. Nobody has time to train them properly. A guest asks if the cocktails contain nuts - the bartender guesses rather than checking, because they don't know where to find allergen information. The guest has a reaction."

Example 2: Event venue staff need diverse skills - fire warden duties, first aid, food hygiene, bar service, manual handling - but training records are scattered or non-existent

Real Scenario

"During a 300-person conference, the fire alarm sounds. Staff look at each other - nobody knows who should take charge of evacuation. Guests mill around confused. The fire service arrives to find a chaotic scene and issues an improvement notice."

HR Management

Event venues with large pools of casual, part-time, and agency staff need HR systems that work for irregular employment patterns while maintaining full compliance

The Problems

Why This Matters for Event Venues

  • High turnover of casual and seasonal staff means constantly onboarding new people, with paperwork scattered across filing cabinets and email

    Right-to-work checks are missed, emergency contact information is outdated, and when HMRC or immigration asks for records, you can't find them

  • Managing a pool of casual workers who may not work for weeks at a time, then appear for a single event, makes maintaining current records nearly impossible

    Staff return after months away with expired certifications, changed personal details, or lapsed right-to-work status - but they're scheduled to work before anyone checks

The Solution

How HR Management Helps

Centralised employee records with right-to-work tracking, document storage, certification monitoring, and automatic alerts when reviews or renewals are due

Complete, accessible records for all staff including casuals, automatic flagging when documents expire or need renewal, and instant access during inspections

Use Cases:

  • Right-to-work documentation and expiry tracking
  • Emergency contact information management
  • DBS check management for staff working with children
  • Personal licence holder register for bar operations
  • Casual staff pool management and availability tracking
  • Document storage and quick access during inspections
  • Return-to-work compliance checks for long-absent casuals

Feature Screenshot

HR Management

Real-World Examples

Example 1: High turnover of casual and seasonal staff means constantly onboarding new people, with paperwork scattered across filing cabinets and email

Real Scenario

"Immigration officers visit during a large wedding reception and ask to see right-to-work documentation for three casual bar staff. Two have documents on file somewhere, but you can't locate them quickly. One was never properly checked - they started during a busy period and paperwork was 'going to be done later'."

Example 2: Managing a pool of casual workers who may not work for weeks at a time, then appear for a single event, makes maintaining current records nearly impossible

Real Scenario

"A bartender who worked Christmas events returns for summer weddings. Their personal licence expired in March but nobody checked before scheduling them to supervise the bar. Licensing officers visiting the event find an unlicensed supervisor."

Risk Assessment

Event venues need dynamic risk assessment that adapts to different event types, accounts for temporary installations and variable guest numbers, and captures contractor activities within the overall venue safety picture

The Problems

Why This Matters for Event Venues

  • Every event configuration creates different risks - a concert with standing guests needs different controls than a seated dinner - but venues use one generic risk assessment

    Event-specific hazards aren't identified or controlled. When an incident occurs, investigation reveals the risk assessment didn't address the actual event type or configuration

  • Temporary installations (staging, lighting rigs, decorations) create new hazards for each event but aren't systematically risk assessed

    A lighting rig falls, staging collapses, or decorations catch fire - and there's no documented risk assessment showing the hazard was identified and controlled

The Solution

How Risk Assessment Helps

Event-specific risk assessment templates triggered by booking type, with AI-suggested controls for common event hazards, contractor installation assessments, and review reminders for recurring event types

Every event has a risk assessment appropriate to its configuration, temporary installations are systematically assessed, and the venue can demonstrate due diligence for every booking

Use Cases:

  • Event-specific fire risk assessments based on layout and capacity
  • Temporary structure and staging installation assessments
  • Crowd management risk assessments for standing events
  • Wedding-specific hazards (candles, decorations, fireworks)
  • Conference and exhibition risk assessments
  • Contractor activity risk assessments
  • External caterer kitchen operation assessments

Feature Screenshot

Risk Assessment

Real-World Examples

Example 1: Every event configuration creates different risks - a concert with standing guests needs different controls than a seated dinner - but venues use one generic risk assessment

Real Scenario

"A venue hosts its first large standing event after years of seated dinners. The risk assessment still describes seated events with table service. A crush incident near the bar injures three guests - investigation finds no crowd management controls were in place because nobody assessed the standing event risks."

Example 2: Temporary installations (staging, lighting rigs, decorations) create new hazards for each event but aren't systematically risk assessed

Real Scenario

"An external production company installs staging for a corporate event. Nobody assesses the installation risks. During the event, a speaker trips on an unsecured cable running from the stage. Investigation finds no risk assessment was completed for the temporary installation."

Incident Reporting

Event venues see incidents involving their own staff, contractor staff, and guests - all need unified reporting to identify patterns and demonstrate due diligence across all activities

The Problems

Why This Matters for Event Venues

  • Incidents during events are handled in the moment but documentation is rushed or forgotten in the pressure to keep the event running smoothly

    When compensation claims arrive months later, incident records are incomplete or missing - the venue can't prove what happened or what response was taken

  • Different events bring different contractors, each with their own incident reporting - or lack of it. There's no unified record of what happens at the venue

    When patterns emerge - multiple trips in the same area, repeated equipment failures - nobody connects the dots because incidents are scattered across different systems and contractors

The Solution

How Incident Reporting Helps

Mobile incident capture for venue staff and contractors, with structured forms, photo evidence, witness details, and automatic escalation based on severity

Every incident is properly documented at the time it happens, patterns are visible across all events, and the venue has complete evidence when claims or investigations arise

Use Cases:

  • Guest injury documentation with photo evidence and witness details
  • Contractor incident reporting within unified venue system
  • Near-miss reporting to identify hazards before injuries occur
  • Post-event incident review and follow-up actions
  • Trend analysis across event types and venue areas
  • RIDDOR determination and reporting for serious incidents
  • Insurance claim support with complete documentation

Feature Screenshot

Incident Reporting

Real-World Examples

Example 1: Incidents during events are handled in the moment but documentation is rushed or forgotten in the pressure to keep the event running smoothly

Real Scenario

"A guest trips on a cable during a wedding and claims their ankle is 'a bit sore'. Staff help them to a chair and the event continues. Six months later, a solicitor's letter claims 25,000 pounds for a serious ankle injury. The venue has no record of the incident, no photos of the scene, and no witness statements."

Example 2: Different events bring different contractors, each with their own incident reporting - or lack of it. There's no unified record of what happens at the venue

Real Scenario

"Three guests trip on the same threshold over six months, but each was at a different event with a different caterer. Each caterer noted the trip in their own records, but the venue never saw them. The venue only discovers the pattern when an injury claim prompts investigation."

COSHH Assessments

Event venues must manage chemicals from multiple sources - in-house cleaning, external contractors, production companies, and event-specific applications - all requiring COSHH coverage

The Problems

Why This Matters for Event Venues

  • Multiple cleaning contractors service the venue between events, each bringing their own products without the venue tracking what chemicals are being used

    When a staff member or guest has a reaction to cleaning residue, the venue can't identify what product was used or assess its safety

  • Event setup involves various substances - fog machines, paint for backdrops, adhesives for decorations - that aren't assessed for safety

    Staff and guests are exposed to substances without proper risk assessment. When someone is affected, the venue can't demonstrate they took appropriate precautions

The Solution

How COSHH Assessments Helps

Comprehensive COSHH management covering venue products, contractor chemicals, and event-specific substances, with AI identification and automatic Safety Data Sheet retrieval

Complete visibility of all hazardous substances used at the venue regardless of source, proper assessments for event-specific substances, and quick identification when reactions occur

Use Cases:

  • Venue cleaning product assessments and PPE requirements
  • Contractor chemical product registration and assessment
  • Fog/haze machine fluid safety assessments
  • Event decoration adhesive and paint assessments
  • Bar cellar gas cylinder safety documentation
  • Kitchen cleaning chemical management
  • Post-event deep clean product tracking

Feature Screenshot

COSHH Assessments

Real-World Examples

Example 1: Multiple cleaning contractors service the venue between events, each bringing their own products without the venue tracking what chemicals are being used

Real Scenario

"A guest at a morning conference complains of breathing difficulties and eye irritation. The room was deep-cleaned by external contractors at 5am. Nobody knows what products they used - the venue's COSHH folder only covers their own cleaning products, not contractor chemicals."

Example 2: Event setup involves various substances - fog machines, paint for backdrops, adhesives for decorations - that aren't assessed for safety

Real Scenario

"A production company uses a theatrical haze machine during a corporate event. Several guests with asthma have reactions. The venue has no COSHH assessment for the haze fluid and can't prove they assessed the risk of using it indoors with 300 guests."

Results Event Venues Businesses Achieve

100%
Pre-event compliance
Every event starts with complete safety verification
90%
Faster setup verification
Digital checklists speed up pre-event safety checks
0
Compliance incidents
Thorough checking prevents event-day issues
5min
Caterer verification
Quick digital verification of external caterer compliance

Other Hospitality Solutions

Ready to Perfect Your Event Compliance?

Join UK venues using Assistant Manager to deliver safe, compliant events every time.

Copyright © 2026 Assistant Manager. All rights reserved.