In short
Facility management from Venue North is ongoing operational support for trampoline parks, climbing centres, ninja courses, indoor play centres and similar leisure venues that are already open but underperforming. Paul Brownrigg works with the owner or landlord to reshape the operating model, fix rostering, pricing, programming, maintenance and supplier management, then keeps reporting tight so decisions are based on what is actually happening. It suits owners who need a senior operator in the business without the cost and risk of a full-time manager, and landlords or investors who need an independent party to stabilise or turn around a leisure tenant.
What an underperforming venue actually looks like
Most owners do not call because the roof is falling in. They call because the day-to-day feels harder than it should. Midweek sessions are empty even though the venue is fully staffed. Birthday party enquiries come in but convert slowly or price-shop you down. Staff turnover means good people leave just when you have trained them, and the roster is built around who is available rather than when guests actually want to visit.
Discounting becomes a habit. You run a promotion to fill a quiet Thursday and then the same guests will not book without one. Maintenance is reactive: a pit tears, a harness frays, an air compressor goes and only then does it get budget. Meanwhile the reports from the booking system, the POS and the payroll package do not agree, so every management meeting starts with guessing. If the numbers are the real problem, the work usually starts with an audit rather than a strategy: /services/venue-audits is the place to start.
- Thin midweek trade with labour costs that do not flex down
- Flat or price-sensitive party and group bookings
- High staff turnover and rosters misaligned to demand
- Discounting that trains guests to wait for the next offer
- Reactive maintenance and no forward asset plan
- Conflicting data and no reliable management numbers
What Paul does in an ongoing engagement
I work as an embedded operating partner. The scope changes depending on what the venue needs, but the work usually falls into a few areas. First I look at the operating model: session lengths, pricing, programming, party packages, membership and the way revenue is captured through the week. Then I look at staffing and rostering structure, including roles, induction, training rhythm and supervision ratios that fit the attraction and the actual guest flow.
Guest experience and repeat visits come next. That covers booking flow, arrival, safety briefing, session management, party hosting and follow-up. Maintenance and asset planning are tied in from the start, because a venue cannot trade safely or reliably without a clear inspection, servicing and replacement calendar. I also manage supplier and contractor relationships so work is scoped properly, quoted fairly and completed to standard.
- Operating model: pricing, programming, sessions and packages
- Staffing structure, rostering, induction and training rhythm
- Guest experience from booking through to return visit
- Maintenance systems, asset planning and contractor oversight
- Supplier management and procurement discipline
- Regular reporting for owners and landlords
When to bring in outside operational support
Hiring a full-time venue manager is the right move for some businesses, but it is not the only move. If the venue is at a stage where the problems cross finance, operations, safety, staffing and supplier management, a single manager may not have the breadth or the authority to fix them all. You also might not yet have the revenue or the clarity to justify a permanent senior salary.
Outside support works best when the owner knows something is wrong but cannot pin down exactly what, or when the team is too close to the daily grind to see the pattern. A fresh operator can ask the questions staff have stopped asking, challenge assumptions about what guests want and put a short list of priorities in front of the owner every week. If a venue audit is needed first, I usually recommend a /services/venue-audits or /operational-readiness-audit depending on whether the venue is trading or still preparing to open.
- The problems sit across multiple parts of the business
- You need senior operator input without a full-time hire
- Internal team is too close to the daily noise to see patterns
- You want a defined scope and clear accountability
How landlords and investors use this service
A leisure tenant that is underperforming creates risk for the landlord and the asset. Rent falls behind, maintenance is skipped, guest complaints rise and the lease value declines. In some cases the tenant is trying hard but lacks the operational skill to turn the business around. In others the concept itself was never going to work in that location.
I act as the independent eyes and hands the owner or investor needs. That can mean working with the existing tenant to stabilise operations, reporting back to the landlord on progress and risks, or helping the landlord understand whether the problem is the operator, the market or the venue design. In more advanced cases I can step in to run the venue under a clear mandate while the owner decides on the longer term structure. My advice on standards and compliance is practical, and I engage qualified engineers, inspectors or certifiers wherever formal sign-off is required.
- Independent assessment of tenant performance and risk
- Operational stabilisation with landlord reporting
- Help deciding whether to retain, replace or reposition the tenant
- Short-term operational control under a clear mandate
How the relationship is structured
Every engagement is scoped to the venue, so the shape of the work depends on what is broken and how quickly the owner wants to move. I might spend more time on site in the first month, then pull back to regular check-ins and reporting once the model is stable. Accountability is agreed up front: what I am responsible for, what the owner or manager remains responsible for and what success looks like in plain terms.
I do not sit in an office sending reports nobody reads. The work is practical and the communication is direct. We agree on a rhythm of site time, calls and written updates that matches the pace of the business. I will tell you what I think, including when the answer is not what you were hoping to hear. Every engagement is scoped individually based on the work involved and the time required.
- Scope and accountability agreed up front
- Higher intensity at the start, then regular rhythm
- Direct communication and practical reporting
- Scope agreed per engagement
What the venue needs for the work to stick
Operational support only works if the owner is committed to the changes. I can design the roster, rewrite the pricing and build the maintenance calendar, but if the owner overrides every decision for short-term cash flow the venue will revert. The same applies to the venue manager and senior team. They need to be part of the process, not bypassed by it.
The venue also needs basic systems that can hold the new discipline: a booking or POS system that reports honestly, a payroll system that tracks hours properly, a maintenance log that is actually used and a safety management system that meets WHS obligations. I can help set these up or improve what is already there, and I have guided /guides/team-and-training for operators who need to lift their people capability.
- Owner commitment to follow the agreed operating model
- Manager and senior team included, not sidelined
- Reliable booking, POS, payroll and maintenance systems
- A safety management system that meets WHS obligations
An honest next step
If what you have read matches what you are seeing in your venue, the next step is a conversation. I will ask what is working, what is not, what you have already tried and what the numbers say. If a lighter engagement makes more sense than facility management, I will say so. Sometimes the right first move is an audit, a /guides/venue-not-performing review or a focused piece of work on rostering or pricing.
I am based in Perth and work Australia wide. There is no sales process, just a direct discussion about whether I can help. If the fit is right, I will put a clear scope in writing and we will go from there. If you are weighing up whether the venue is worth the effort at all, /guides/is-it-worth-it is the honest version of that answer.
Questions operators ask
Will you manage my venue outright?
I can operate under a clear management mandate for suitable assets, but I do not take on every venue that is offered. The fit depends on the location, the team already in place, the owner's expectations and the scope of change required. Most engagements start with a defined piece of work rather than full management.
Do you replace our existing manager?
Not usually. I work with the existing manager and team to build structure and capability around them. If the role is vacant or the current structure is not working, I can help design the right role and support the transition, but the goal is to strengthen the internal team rather than remove it.
How long does an engagement typically run?
It varies with the state of the venue. Some engagements run for a few months to fix a specific operating model issue. Others run for a year or more while the owner stabilises the business or prepares for a sale or expansion. The scope and duration are agreed at the start and reviewed as things change.
Do you work with venues interstate?
Yes. I am based in Perth and travel to venues across Australia as needed. Remote support works for some parts of the engagement, such as reporting, pricing review and supplier management, while rostering, training and operational walkthroughs usually need time on site.
Can you help a landlord choose or fix a leisure tenant?
Yes. I can assess an existing tenant's operations and report to the landlord, help stabilise the business, or advise on whether a proposed tenant has the operational capability to run the venue properly. In suitable cases I can also step in to operate the venue for a period.
What does it cost?
Every engagement is scoped individually, because every venue needs a different level of involvement. After an initial conversation I will provide a written scope with clear assumptions.
How do I know if facility management is the right fit?
The right fit is usually an owner or landlord who knows the venue is underperforming, has tried some fixes and now needs an independent operator to diagnose the pattern and drive the change. If you are only looking for a quick marketing boost or a one-off inspection, a different service may suit you better.
What standards guide your work?
My advice is shaped by relevant Australian Standards and state WHS guidance. For trampoline parks that includes AS 5159.1 and the draft AS 5159.2:2026, and for amusement devices more broadly the WorkSafe WA amusement devices guide. I work with qualified engineers and certifiers for matters requiring formal sign-off.
Sources
- WorkSafe WA amusement devices guide for local government. https://www.worksafe.wa.gov.au/amusement-devices-guide-local-government
- Standards Australia AS 5159.1 Trampoline park facilities. https://www.standards.org.au
- Safe Work Australia amusement device guidance. https://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au