A new network of dedicated venue consultants has been created by the co-founder of the Roundhouse Trust to support venues with targeted and impartial advice and support.

The invenue Network – developed by Caspar Norman, co-founder of Roundhouse Trust and the London venue’s first events director – aims to help venues of all sizes to maximise their revenue streams, increase their resilience, and realise their potential.

The invenue Network matches venues, their operators, and stakeholders, with independent experts who have run venues, launched them, founded them, managed them, or supplied them.

Caspar Norman, director of invenue Network, said: “Across the UK, there are thousands of wonderful venues, large and small. They host incredible organisations – arts, sports, community, social, heritage, municipal, and cultural – which sit at the heart of our communities, delivering unquantifiable support and opportunities to the people they serve. However, these venues are under huge pressure. How do they find the right advice and where do they get their support from? This is where we can help.”

In the late 1990s, Norman found himself trying to generate revenue from a dilapidated steam engine shed in Camden – the iconic Roundhouse. Maximising the income generated from the space helped underpin the Roundhouse Trust’s charitable aims. Now, he hopes to pass valuable experience and knowledge onto other venues through the invenue Network.

He added: “invenue is a growing network that is not only for venue people but is run by venue people, who understand all the nuances that come with venue management, and venue operations. invenue exists to offer these incredible venues the right advice and support, ensuring such amazing spaces remain flexible, operational, and agile.”

The invenue Network is guided by an advisory group including Fiona Price (Fiona Price Events), Neil Ormondroyd (Jono Events), Lucy Gemmell (Rhubarb), Michael Aldridge (Unique Venues Consultancy), Jack Franklin (Spectra), Mary Griffiths (The Project Hub Venues and Hospitality), Susan Morrissey (Venue Doctors) and Peter Kerwood (Venue Doctors).

Lucy Gemmell, food artist and founder of Rhubarb, the high-profile catering company, sits on the advisory group. She said: “Marketing and sales, strategy and planning, catering, health and safety – whatever the challenges that venues face, the invenue Network is passionate about giving venue operators the tools and support they need to maximise their resources and power their primary objectives. It’s a much needed and timely resource.”

invenue is already looking to expand the invenue Network across the UK and would welcome conversations with independent venue consultants and freelance professionals, who would like to see UK venues thrive.