A CASE STUDY FOR

Shakespeare North Playhouse

Three unique performance spaces serving diverse audiences across theatre, events, and community programmes.
Complex, multi-service hospitality operation spanning café service, pre-theatre dining, event bars, mobile sales points, and in-house catering.
Opened in July 2022 following a two-and-a-half-year capital build in Prescot, Merseyside.

Background

Shakespeare North Playhouse, located in Prescot, Merseyside, opened in July 2022 following a two-and-a-half-year capital build. The venue features three performance spaces: The Studio, The Sir Ken Dodd Performance Garden, and The Cockpit Theatre.

Its mission is to bring people together through a unique programme of performances, activities, and conversations inspired by Shakespeare and relevant to contemporary audiences.

The venue’s food and beverage operations are highly dynamic, encompassing daytime café service, pre-theatre restaurant dining with table service, event bars, mobile sales points, and numerous in-house catered venue hires. No two days are the same at Shakespeare North Playhouse.

The Challenge

Prior to adopting pointOne, the venue faced several operational inefficiencies:

The existing POS system lacked essential features, creating unnecessary busywork.
The stock control system was unusable, requiring reliance on error-prone spreadsheets.
Mobile handsets were temperamental and prone to crashing.
Terminal software was clunky, requiring multiple training sessions to onboard new staff.

As the catering offer expanded and the venue grew in confidence, it became clear that the EPOS system needed to evolve with it.

“It wasn’t just a case of pointOne ticking every box for features but it also had a great reputation for reliability. The handheld devices from pointOne are much more reliable than our previous devices and that increased reliability has meant we have greater scope to introduce pop-up bars and additional sales points.”

James Duckworth, Visitor Experience Manager

The Solution

Shakespeare North Playhouse selected pointOne due to its strong reputation for reliability, theatre sector expertise, and robust feature set.

The solution delivered:

Accurate, easy stock control – Real-time tracking and robust features mean stocktakes now take hours instead of days, and reporting is simple and reliable.
Reliable handheld devices – Mobile “hawker” points and pop-up bars now run smoothly, without crashes or interruptions.
Integrated payments and ticketing – Faster transactions with Dojo and smooth interval ordering through Spektrix make upselling easier and queues shorter.
Faster, simpler staff onboarding – The system is intuitive and supported with on-site training, so new team members are confident from day one.
Built-in compliance and safety – Allergen prompts help staff serve safely while maintaining speed and accuracy during service.

Onboarding and Setup
The onboarding experience was highly positive. pointOne provided comprehensive documentation ahead of the ‘go-live’ date, allowing management to get ahead on learning. On-site training ensured staff confidence, providing a superior alternative to generic online tutorials.

Operational Streamlining

How pointOne has helped improve daily operations at Shakespeare North Playhouse:

Faster stocktakes – What once took several days now takes just a few hours.
Clear, efficient reporting – Real-time insights make managing operations simple and transparent.
Easy product management – Updating menus and maintaining the catalogue is quick and straightforward.
Improved food safety – Built-in allergen prompts help staff serve safely and confidently.
Quicker staff onboarding – New team members get up to speed faster, allowing more focus on delivering an exceptional visitor experience.

“Switching to pointOne was a fantastic decision and continues to pay-off in ways that we would never expect. The team have been incredible and their support is second-to-none. We would (and have) recommend them to any venue who is struggling with an outdated, bloated, inefficient EPOS who wants to make a change and end their EPOS nightmares.”

James Duckworth, Visitor Experience Manager

Measurable Results

While changes in revenue, average transaction value, and customer satisfaction are intertwined with a concurrent rebranding of the catering offer, operational benefits are clear:

Staff efficiency has improved significantly.
Interval ordering has increased due to greater staff confidence.
Customer experience is smoother, with reliable mobile points and faster service.

The Future

With a scalable and reliable EPOS system in place, Shakespeare North Playhouse is well positioned for continued growth. While measurable revenue changes are intertwined with a concurrent catering rebrand, operational efficiencies and increased interval pre-orders are already evident.

The team is particularly excited about further leveraging its Spektrix integration to incentivise additional spend from its large membership base and support fundraising initiatives. With improved reporting, stronger stock control, and a confident front-of-house team, the venue now has the operational foundation needed to expand its catering offer and enhance customer experience across every performance and event.

“The pointOne team deeply understands the complexity of an operation like ours, and often give insights and knowledge picked up from other similar organisations. Working with a provider that truly understands your challenges has been a great help and a night/day difference to before.”

James Duckworth, Visitor Experience Manager