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Job description

Contract Brief: Walworth Living Room Courtyard Programme and Operations

Brief Published: 15.5.2026

Pembroke House Deadline for expressions of interest: 1.6.2026

Pembroke House is a centre for social action and residential community based in Walworth, SE17. We are seeking a dynamic freelancer to activate our newly opened outdoor Courtyard at the Walworth Living Room, while also maximising the use of capacity within the main building.

Contract Focus

Our focus is to establish the Courtyard at the Walworth Living Room as a premier summer destination through a vibrant social events programme and a high-quality local food offer, while developing a sustainable business model for courtyard activities.

Our focus times for the first stages are Friday evenings and Saturday daytimes/evenings, and we are particularly interested in attracting those living and working locally who are not available during the currently daytime opening hours of the Walworth Living Room, including young professionals and families.

You will have strong foundations to build on, including a strong programme of activities already underway at the Walworth Living Room, a semi-regular pop-up from Kaieteur Kitchen and growing local awareness of the Walworth Living Room as a venue.

Walworth Living Room

The Living Room offers a comfortable and welcoming space where people can drop in, have a cup of tea, and connect with their neighbours. We host a wide range of regular activities—from collage to ESOL classes to brunch to chess/board games—providing accessible and enjoyable ways for people to build relationships.

This regular programme is complemented by workshops, discussions, and creative sessions on topics such as sustainable food systems, local social services, housing rights, community art projects, and responses to current social issues.

The Courtyard

We now have an exciting opportunity to take the Walworth Living Room to the next stage by activating the spacious courtyard through new landscaping, introduction of a new food hatch (created from a converted shipping container) and new connections through to the large activity spaces within the main building. This development will extend the use of the site beyond the building itself, creating a more vibrant and inclusive environment for the community.

The courtyard can be integrated with the indoor spaces - including a large main hall (100 sqm) and a smaller lounge area (45 sqm) - allowing for flexible and simultaneous use across the site. Together, these spaces can support a wide range of activities and events.

The overall aim of this contract is to use these enhanced facilities to attract a broader and more diverse community, establish the Walworth Living Room as a well-known local destination, and create a space where there is always something happening for everyone.

Contract Terms

● Duration: 4 months (with potential for extension).

● Total Fee: £14560 (e.g. 3 days @ £280 per day).

● Location: On-site at Pembroke House estate, Walworth, SE17.

● Budget: There will be a small working budget to cover the costs related to this work.

Deliverables

We are looking to award a contract to an individual to deliver the following specific project outputs:

● Deliverable 1: Summer Events Programme. Design and execute social and cultural events on Fridays and Saturdays to attract various target audiences.

● Deliverable 2: Marketing & Audience Strategy. Produce and implement a marketing campaign utilizing free resources (Google Ads, Eventbrite) and targeted local outreach to build a consistent audience.

● Deliverable 3: Food & Beverage (F&B) Setup. Oversee the kit-out and setup of the shipping-container as a point of sale and service hatch, in coordination with the existing Walworth Living Room kitchen.

● Deliverable 4: F&B model. Establish a collaborative model with a pool of local food partners, including the setup of the shipping-container point-of-sale and kitchen kit-out.

● Deliverable 5: Operations & Compliance Pack. Create a suite of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for kitchen use, including food safety vetting for food vendors , and on-site fire evacuation procedures.

● Deliverable 6: Financial Viability & Data Report. Produce a final report supported by performance data (footfall, revenue, community reach) and recommended business models for future sustainable seasons.

● Deliverable 7: On-site Execution. Lead the safe and compliant operation of all scheduled events, acting as the primary premises supervisor and fire warden during activation.

Experience Required

The ideal candidate will have:

● Operational Leadership: Proven experience running or supporting commercial/semi-commercial event spaces or F&B operations.

● Strategic Mindset: Ability to develop and test business models based on data and community feedback.

● Compliance Rigour: Minimum Level 2 Food Safety certification (Level 3 desirable) and a strong understanding of H&S and licensing. Current Personal Licence holder, or willing to obtain one, in order to oversee the sale of alcohol onsite.

● Community Engagement: Experience working with diverse communities and a passion for the vision of Pembroke House.

Payment Terms

● Invoices: Submitted monthly

● Terms: We will issue a contract for services.

● Expenses: Total fee is exclusive of direct project costs; travel expenses to the site are excluded.

Application process

To apply, please follow this link to the application form: https://airtable.com/app13lUKnDKVysQUs/shrSiYaRzSBQMxoPP As part of the application process, you will be asked to:

● Submit your CV

● Submit examples or links to relevant previous projects, events, venues, or campaigns

Application information

Application process

To apply, please follow this link to the application form: https://airtable.com/app13lUKnDKVysQUs/shrSiYaRzSBQMxoPP As part of the application process, you will be asked to:

● Submit your CV

● Submit examples or links to relevant previous projects, events, venues, or campaigns

To find out more about the role, visit our Freelance oportunities page:  Freelance opportunities

 

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