Plan the routine around your site
Reference the auditorium or performance space, date and operational round. Opening the foyer, resetting a room and preparing a later performance are different activities. Assign each within the venue’s approved procedures and access arrangements. A useful cinema opening checklist makes an unavailable area visible instead of treating it as inspected. Keep specialist stage, projection, electrical, crowd and emergency arrangements with the competent people and processes responsible for them. The general premises record should describe the task completed, the observation and the next action, without implying permission to open a performance.
Agree the assigned role, due window, expected record and escalation route with the people who do and review the work. Include an honest outcome for work that could not be completed, with a reason and a next action.
What to include in the checklist
These are planning examples. Adapt the questions and timing to your approved procedures and the person’s responsibilities.
| Routine | Work to define | Useful record |
|---|---|---|
| Duty handover | Read outstanding premises restrictions. | Room and issue reference. |
| Foyer preparation | Complete agreed front-of-house tasks. | Area and actual outcome. |
| Room changeover | Follow the approved housekeeping routine. | Room, task and completion time. |
| Shared facilities | Record assigned cleaning and supplies work. | Completion or explained exception. |
| Fixture findings | Escalate visible defects within authorised areas. | Precise location and recipient. |
| Next performance | Pass operational actions to the next lead. | Owner and review window. |
Record the room and the actual round
A completed foyer check cannot establish that every auditorium was reset. Name the room and task window so each completion has a clear scope.
Give the next shift enough context
A loose trim is observed on a staff-area storage fitting before a performance. The team identifies the room and position and informs the duty lead under the venue procedure. Maintenance records its work and the duty lead reviews the outcome. The premises report remains separate from the authorised performance-opening decision.
Identify the area or asset, the observation, the actual result, the immediate action and who was informed. Attach useful evidence where safe and permitted. A photograph supports a finding without establishing its cause.
- Keep the original observation and time.
- Assign a specific next action and agree when it will be reviewed.
- Record the later outcome and authorised verification beside the finding.
Read the guide to writing a useful fault report for a closer look at the evidence record.
Review the work still needing attention
Compare exceptions across room changeovers, rather than treating every performance as the same work window. Check whether the next duty lead can identify outstanding actions before assigning the following round.
Review completion and outstanding actions together. A missing routine and a completed routine with a failure need different follow-up. The weekly manager review guide explains how to move from the summary to the source record.
For the wider workflow, explore opening & closing examples and planning and manager reporting examples and planning.
Try the routine in CheckControl
Start with an existing routine, add its questions and instructions, and agree the assignment and due window. Staff can record answers and findings on their phones; managers can review the record and follow-up. Use the relevant PDF or Excel export for your authorised review. The public demo uses fictional people, findings and evidence.
Common questions
Can a venue reuse a checklist between performances?
Yes, with a distinct room, date and due window for each assigned round. Carry unresolved premises findings into the next handover instead of copying earlier results.
What is the scope of this guide?
Keep performance-opening decisions, crowd management, emergency plans, projection or stage procedures and specialist equipment examinations in the appropriate competent processes. General readiness records do not certify those activities.
Sources and scope
CheckControl wrote these record-design and handover examples. Use your organisation’s approved specialist procedures and the relevant authoritative guidance: HSE: entertainment and leisure. Source checked 5 October 2026.
Keep performance-opening decisions, crowd management, emergency plans, projection or stage procedures and specialist equipment examinations in the appropriate competent processes. General readiness records do not certify those activities.