Meet the non-stop live music marvel that is set to turnover £9m

Business Leader recently sat down with Alan Lorrimer, founder and Managing Director at The Piano Works, a group of nightclub companies based in London.

The company is set to hit £9m turnover this year, and Lorrimer talks to BLM about their unique concept, bringing live music with a twist, offering an inventive menu of non-stop live music based on audience requests passed to a six-piece band, accompanied by premium drinks and food.

Can you give me an overview of The Piano Works?

In July 2015, The Piano Works Farringdon opened following an initial £850,000 investment for the business. Over the years the concept has grown stronger and along with The Piano Works West End, we are still London’s only non-stop live music venues playing an audience requested repertoire.

We employ over 160 entertainers and performers, where no two nights are ever the same – something we are really proud of!

The Piano Works is targetted at the 25 to 35-year-old market, as this generation have the highest expendable income, and are most likely to go on a night out.

What sets you apart from other entertainment companies/venues?

Our audience requests the songs they want to hear, our live music is non-stop from opening to close, we employ over 65 highly talented musicians, we serve really good drinks and food, the customer experience and space is designed to be frictionless from booking a table to getting drinks served quickly in an environment that is clean, well ventilated and welcoming with state of the art production equipment.

We do not have a dress code, VIP areas or guest lists. In our house all are equal.

How have you grown to a £9m turnover business?

By giving our target market a differentiated experience consistently each time they return, musically no two nights are ever the same, the audience decide the playlist. Total strangers bond by singing along to the soundtrack of their lives and share that experience with friends on their phones. The indoor communal experience is unique today.

We have grown internally and have a home-grown management team that passionately embrace our belief that every customer is special, and they, in turn, train their people to do the same.

What are the main challenges facing your sector?

The industry talks about harsh statutory regulations, increased business rates, rising food and staff costs, the difficulty of getting staff and falling customer optimism. I believe that the experience The Piano Works offers will remain relevant for generations to come resulting in great turnover, good profits and resilience to the clickbait predictors of doom and gloom.

Is London still an attractive destination for entertainment companies?

Our target market is continually refreshing with new residents, London is the most visited city in Europe, music history and diversity is a key reason to visit or stay. Our customers are highly discriminating and deserve good value and service. Live music provides a universal language for people to sing along to, feel connected within a shared community.

However, we are now looking at expanding into Glasgow, Manchester, Leeds and Bristol in the near future.