Cheltenham Ladies College

Cheltenham Ladies' College uses Little Box Office to manage ticketing across a range of impressive event spaces, including a standalone 311-seat theatre and Princess Hall, which can accommodate up to 800 people.

Little Box Office provides one consistent way to manage bookings, reserved seating and event-day sales.

For many years, external organisations hiring the venues managed their own ticketing. When Matt Nolan joined the team, he saw an opportunity to provide a more straightforward in-house box office service through one platform.

Why the college chose Little Box Office.

Matt reviewed several providers before selecting Little Box Office. Cheltenham Ladies' College needed reserved seating for its theatre, but he could also see that the college's ticketing requirements were likely to become more varied over time.

"We had clients using different platforms, and there was no centralisation," Matt explains. "There was no consistency."

Princess Hall, for example, can be adapted for weddings, dinners, corporate events and other formats beyond a traditional theatre layout. Little Box Office can support table-based seating, meal selections, pre-orders and other event requirements as those plans develop.

"I feel like the platform can grow with us," says Matt. "I think that's qu ite an exciting proposition."

Little Box Office does not require any upfront payment, so the college could introduce the event ticketing software gradually and add more events as the team became familiar with the platform.

Straightforward setup and ongoing support.

The Little Box Office team initially assisted with seating plan setup and training, and remains available as Matt and the wider team begin using more of the platform.

Training videos and help resources provide practical guidance whenever the team wants to explore a feature or refresh its knowledge.

Matt describes the platform as intuitive. "I found it quite straightforward," he says. "I'm learning as I go."

A flexible box office for event teams.

Little Box Office has also made everyday customer service more flexible. Matt can take bookings over the phone, find existing orders and send customers payment links from wherever he is working, without needing to be based at a physical box office.

"I feel like I'm a box office on the move," he says.

On event days, staff use the Little Box Office app to scan tickets, find customer bookings, and manage on-the-day sales. Team members can be trained on the functions relevant to their roles, helping the college manage arrivals efficiently.

Supporting new events and audience growth.

With the core implementation well under way, Little Box Office is now being used for events beyond the college's traditional theatre programme. This includes the recent introduction of public heritage tours of the historic campus, which allow small groups to book tickets and explore the college with a guide.

The team has also launched its own production of A Christmas Carol and is considering a recurring Christmas programme and a summer comedy festival.

Bringing more bookings into one online box office also gives the college a clearer view of the people attending its venues. As the programme develops, the team can keep audiences informed about relevant performances, tours and new events, giving them more reasons to return.

Cheltenham Ladies' College is still relatively early in its use of Little Box Office, which is part of what makes the project interesting. From reserved theatre seating and heritage tours to dining and corporate events, the platform gives the college a practical way to manage different event formats as its programme and audience grow.