Case Study: How Tagvenue Helped The Skinny Kitchen Get More Event Bookings in London

Already an outstanding venue for adult-themed parties and celebrations, London’s The Skinny Kitchen saw a sizable opportunity going underutilized. 

Through their relationship with Tagvenue over the years, the esteemed London space was pulling in bookings for birthdays, summer and Christmas parties, corporate events, bachelor and hen parties, and more.

Yet there was one aspect of the venue that was going underutilized as they would learn through a Tagvenue inquiry, which is resulting in a burgeoning opportunity and even more event opportunities. 

Earlier this year, The Skinny Kitchen opened up the doors to host its very first Bat Mitzvah to resounding success and rave reviews.

As TSK’s venue manager Rianna Clark told Tagvenue in a one-on-one interview recently, using the diversity of offerings and inquiries available through Tagvenue created this unique opportunity that blossomed in a hurry.

Turning to Tagvenue has made landing leads and booking events more fruitful for The Skinny Kitchen, and the ongoing relationship is still bearing fruit, even in unforeseen ways such as Bat Mitzvahs. 

“(We had a) wonderful client who loved it so much, she couldn’t believe we didn’t push ourselves out there as a Bat Mitzvah venue, because we are very pink and very appealing for birthdays as well,” Clark said. 

Unseen Opportunities Await Venues of All Kinds 

Clark realized right away that this one inquiry through the Tagvenue platform could help them build an even more diverse base of offerings to grow their inquiries and bookings. 

“(She was right,) we are a perfect venue for that,” Clark said. 

From the start of their presence on Tagvenue, The Skinny Kitchen quickly gained a name for booking all sorts of events, and the inquiries started coming for dates further and further out. 

They host a weekly brunch that “is a sellout every week,” helping showcase the space for people to push their imaginations to the limit when considering what they could do in their space. 

“It was great when we started working with Tagvenue,” Clark said. “(The Skinny Kitchen is) such a versatile space, it’s used for so many different things. 

“When we started working with Tagvenue we got everything from birthdays to Christmas parties, summer parties to corporate events, loads of different things. It’s even great for presentations and board meetings, things like that.”  

— Rianna Clark, The Skinny Kitchen Venue Manager (London)

Once the idea was out there, it seemed like this type of event was out there waiting in the ether, waiting for someone to bring it to life. 

“Because we have that very pretty pink, tropical vibe, it’s very appealing to that demographic,” Clark said. 

Showing Off Every Side of Your Venue

That’s where this unique inquiry came in. Seeing the way The Skinny Kitchen presented itself through photos and their descriptions on their Tagvenue homepage, and by extension their own website and social media, the plan for a Bat Mitzvah seemed obvious. 

Because the client was looking for a Bat Mitzvah space, but did a bit broader search, she was able to come across The Skinny Kitchen on Tagvenue. Because of the ingenuity in which a venue can present itself on our platform, opening up that creative space to consider a variety of bookings can help when people are looking for something specific. 

It’s a huge help when the venue manager is in on the fun, and brings an engaging communication style to the inquiry that makes them feel comfortable and excited to confirm their booking.

“I enjoy the creative side of things,” Clark said. “So we got along really well. I understood her vision of what she wanted even though we hadn’t hosted a Bat Mitzvah before. 

“We are very vibrant, we have our own entertainment and a whole production team we can bring in, too.” 

Bringing That Personal Touch to Every Event

Never underestimate the power of that personal touch, as Clark exemplifies. Because she opened the venue up to one Bat Mitzvah, they’ve already had several more inquiries and a booking to the table. 

The success of putting on the event during the day-of impressed the kids and adults alike. Clark said other parents with upcoming Bat Mitzvahs wanted to start the process with her right away, while the magic of smiles on every kid’s face was all the feedback needed to support this flourishing new direction. 

“All of her friends were there telling me, “we have ours coming up…we’ll be in touch,” Clark said with a laugh. “

Even though The Skinny Kitchen does not have a Kosher kitchen, Clark emphasized how important it is to make sure people are aware of that so everyone can be on the same page, whether they decide to book with them or not. 

“Some people will absolutely not be thinking about coming where they don’t have a kosher kitchen, and that’s ok,” she said. “As soon as I get an inquiry I put it out there because I don’t want to waste anyone’s time.”

Coming full circle, the best way to not waste time on either side is to be engaged, to maintain great communication, and to keep an open mind, because you never know what potential a venue can have that you hadn’t considered before. 

Take The Skinny Kitchen and Clark as a perfect example of that golden opportunity laying in hiding. 

Their Tagvenue page is perfectly curated, a wonderful example of how to present the diverse array of offerings as well as including all the necessary details upfront. 

“I listen to what they wanna do, what their plans are, and in my head I’m already thinking how this can work, and how can I elevate this event,” she said. 

Building and Tailoring Offerings Through Tagvenue

“It’s all about building the relationship with the client and trying to suss them out to figure out what they want from the get-go really,” Clark added. 

After receiving the initial proposal and questions from an inquiry, Clark said she works diligently to send a well-rounded proposal, as well as a 3D tour of the venue space, menu options, costs, terms and conditions, as well as other amenity options that could match the event request. 

Sometimes, an inquiring person knows exactly what they want. Other times, they know a creative space can take a small idea and run with it to make it something grand. 

“If they are not really sure what they want—maybe they want a saxophone player that does house music—there are so many different elements we can bring to the restaurant and an event,” Clark said. “I can see what’s the best option for what people are looking for, even if they’re not sure what they’re looking for.” 

Once the client had touched base through Tagvenue, and the conversation grew to a truly comfortable place, the two started to talk on the phone to gain another level of personal touch. 

From there, an in-person visit helped solidify everything, even some details that didn’t seem to naturally fit at first (as you’ll see in a moment). 

“People aren’t always able to envision it right away, if you can put it forward to them and bring it to life, that’s the best part really. And of course, getting great feedback afterward.” 

Listening to what the client is actually saying, and what lies underneath what they’re searching for is vital to making sure the offer and the follow-through match what’s brewing in their mind. 

For instance, that first Bat Mitzvah ended up with an inflatable photo booth, a dancing area, and food offerings that fit what the younger crowd attending the Bat Mitzvah would want. 

Yet, on top of that, because the event took place during the UEFA Euro 2024 Championship—which pitted England against Spain—several attending members on the adult side were struggling with how to come to the special day and still keep tabs on the match. 

Clark and her ops team helped make sure that wasn’t an issue. 

“She really didn’t want a TV,” Clark laughed, “but it was off to the side and it worked out. 

They had the first section for the adults, that’s where the adult food and drinks were. Then the other side was for the kids.” 

Thinking Ahead Helps Customers and Venues Alike

A common theme with event planning and finding a perfect venue space is figuring out your options. 

One way to make sure things can fit together seamlessly is to simply start the inquiry process as early as possible. 

Even if you aren’t sure about the exact details, or precise date, find what fits you and go ahead and say hi, and let the process start. 

“(For the Bat Mitzvah) she just booked really far in advance,” Clark said. “It’s a big help when it’s things like this, not run of the mill… Then everything is just fine tuning the details after that really.”  

That way, the ideas have time to evolve, and the spot on the calendar can be saved, even if things need to change later on. 

It especially holds true for corporate events or clientele that want a special celebration, because those inquiries start to come into venues as soon as the new financial year opens up. 

“Christmas parties, people have started looking now. And it’s getting earlier and earlier every year now,” Clark said. “My earliest request was in the new financial year, in April, because the new budget is opening up.” 

Find Your Perfect Venue -or- List Your Amazing Space, All on Tagvenue

Now that the inspiration is flowing, if your venue isn’t on Tagvenue like The Skinny Kitchen, you are missing out on more inquiries and more effortless bookings coming into your space. 

And if you’re here to find that perfect venue for your next event, you know you can count on TSK for a variety of options. 

And even if that’s not your perfect match, that’s totally ok as well. As Clark concludes, the point is for both sides to feel the success of the event from the planning stage all the way through the event. 

“We are a sort of love it or hate it venue, because we are not a blank space. We are very out there with what we are,” Clark said. “But we try and make anything work, really.”