Reservations Manager/ Events Assistant - Big Penny Social

Big Penny Social is a beer hall, events space, and community hub located in Blackhorse Lane, Walthamstow, with a capacity of up to 2000 attendees.

I’m proud to have been part of this project since its very first week in July 2020, right in the middle of the pandemic. We initially welcomed guests outdoors in the garden while the indoor spaces were still under refurbishment. Since then, the venue has grown into a fully operational space running events across multiple spaces, covering 26,000 square feet.

The versatility of the venue has allowed us to host an incredible variety of events, from early family-friendly cabarets and discos, to live music, corporate functions, and even television and radio shows like MasterChef. We’ve also held comedy nights with acts like Phil Wang and Ed Gamble, and large-scale sports screenings, especially during the Euros and World Cups, when we had packed crowds for every England match—complete with live music, DJs, and pyrotechnics.

Our New Year’s Eve parties have a special place in my heart. In 2023 we rang in the new year with Artful Dodger, and in 2024 with E17. That night in particular stands out as one of my favourites, the venue transformed into a giant club with 2000 people dancing across multiple rooms.

Some skills that I have developed during my time at BPS are:

• Coordinating teams of up to 50 members between staff, security and freelancers.

• Manage more than 300 events annually, accommodating from 100 to 2000 attendees.

• Operating all the VA systems like screens, PA's, lighting and sound during the events.

• Managing booking process, fees and ticketing for live shows and private hires.

• Prepare invoices for artists and partners, scheduling event plans, and keeping track of the logistics before and after the events.

• Production management (liaising and managing suppliers - sound, lights & visuals, temporary structures etc.)

• Manage reservations using Collins software and CRM systems to respond to customer service inquiries across multiple channels, including email, phone, social media, and Google reviews.