The London Tavern Hotel has been part of Richmond’s pub landscape for more than a century. Sitting proudly on one of the suburb’s most iconic corners, the venue has built a reputation as a true neighbourhood local, a place where friends gather for casual drinks, long lunches and big sporting moments. Known as a “country pub in the city,” the London Tavern blends traditional pub charm with a vibrant social atmosphere that keeps locals coming back.
The venue features multiple dining spaces and a large courtyard equipped with a giant big screen and several televisions, making it one of Richmond’s go-to spots for live sport. From casual midweek dinners to packed AFL game days, the London Tavern is rarely quiet. The pub is proudly privately owned by award-winning publican Bill Perry, who has long been recognised for his commitment to the Australian hospitality industry.
Now Book It caught up with General Manager Gina Cimarosti, who leads the team in delivering the relaxed yet high-quality service the venue is known for. With such a diverse mix of guests, from locals dropping in for a quick drink to groups booking tables for major sporting events, managing reservations and guest enquiries requires systems that support both flexibility and efficiency.
As the venue continued to grow in popularity, one operational challenge became increasingly clear – the volume of incoming phone calls.
Constant Phone Calls During Peak Service
For a busy pub like the London Tavern, phone enquiries are a daily reality. Guests call to book tables, check availability, organise group gatherings or simply confirm details before heading in. While every call represents a potential booking, answering them all during peak service can quickly become difficult.
“In hospitality the phone never really stops ringing. During busy periods our team would be serving guests, running food, managing the floor and at the same time trying to keep up with incoming calls,” said Gina.
The pressure is particularly noticeable during peak dining hours or major sporting events. When the venue is full and service is moving quickly, stepping away to answer the phone can interrupt the flow of operations.
“At those busy times our priority has to be the guests who are already in the venue, but at the same time, every phone enquiry is important because it could be someone trying to make a booking.”
If a call goes unanswered, there’s always the risk that potential guests will simply try somewhere else or forget to follow up later. In hospitality, timing matters, and if the booking process isn’t easy, people often move on.
The London Tavern was also receiving a steady stream of enquiries outside normal operating hours, when no one was available to answer the phone. Without a system in place to capture those after-hours calls, many of those booking opportunities could slip through the cracks.
When the Phone Rings, Sadie Answers
To manage the growing volume of calls without putting extra pressure on the team, the London Tavern introduced Sadie, Now Book It’s AI receptionist.
Sadie answers incoming phone calls automatically, speaking with guests and helping them make reservations directly through the Now Book It system. Instead of ringing out or diverting to voicemail, every call is answered instantly.
“In one month, Sadie answered more than 450 calls for the venue, that’s a huge number of enquiries that would otherwise have needed staff to step away from the floor.”
Rather than replacing the team, Sadie works alongside them, acting as a digital receptionist that handles bookings and enquiries while staff focus on in-venue service.
“It’s been incredibly helpful having Sadie there to handle those calls, our team can stay focused on looking after guests instead of constantly being pulled away to answer the phone,” Gina said.
For guests, the experience is also smoother. Instead of encountering busy signals or waiting on hold, callers can speak naturally and secure their booking immediately.
“The fact that every call gets answered makes a big difference, It gives guests a simple, reliable way to book.”
The Game Day Rush: Calls, Bookings and Packed Courtyards
Richmond is synonymous with AFL culture, and the London Tavern is right in the heart of it. When game days roll around, the venue fills quickly with fans looking for a place to watch the action. During major matches, finals series and big sporting events, the pub experiences some of its busiest trading periods.
“With the big screen and multiple TVs, we’re a popular spot for live sport, on big footy days the venue gets extremely busy.”
Those events also bring a surge in phone enquiries, as guests call to check availability or secure a spot before the crowds arrive. Handling that spike in calls while simultaneously managing a packed venue can be challenging.
“Game days are already high energy and fast paced, adding a constant stream of phone calls into the mix can make things even more hectic for the team,’ explained Gina.
This is where Sadie AI has become particularly valuable for the London Tavern. Instead of staff juggling both service and phone enquiries during busy events, Sadie answers calls instantly and assists guests with their booking requests.
“Knowing Sadie is there to answer those calls takes a lot of pressure off the team, it means we don’t have to worry about missing enquiries when the venue is packed.”
Because Sadie integrates directly with the Now Book It reservation system, confirmed bookings are recorded automatically and appear in the venue’s booking dashboard in real time. That means the team maintains full visibility over reservations without needing to manually manage each phone call.
“It all flows straight into the system, which makes it really easy for us to stay organised. We can see exactly what’s coming in and manage our capacity accordingly.”
The impact extends beyond operational efficiency. By ensuring every call is answered, the venue captures bookings that might otherwise have been missed.
“Every enquiry is an opportunity; Sadie helps make sure those opportunities aren’t lost.”
Balancing Bookings with the Classic Pub Atmosphere
While reservations are important, the London Tavern has always been committed to maintaining the casual, welcoming atmosphere that defines a great pub. Unlike traditional restaurants, pubs thrive on spontaneity. Guests often drop in for a drink without planning ahead, and many of the venue’s most memorable moments come from those unplanned visits.
“The bar is always kept for walk-ins because we want to maintain that classic pub atmosphere. It’s part of what makes the London Tavern feel like a real local.”
This meant any reservation system needed to support flexibility rather than forcing the venue into a rigid structure.
“We’re not a typical restaurant, some areas of the venue are bookable while others aren’t, and some days we switch entirely to walk-ins depending on what’s happening,” explained Gina.
The Now Book It platform provides the flexibility the London Tavern team needs to manage bookings in a way that suits their style of trade. The system allows the team to control which areas accept reservations and when bookings are available. For major event days like the AFL Grand Final, the venue can easily create a clos block out on Now Book It with a clear message to let customers know they have switched to walk-ins only for that time.
“The platform gives us the flexibility we need to manage the way we trade, we can adjust availability across different areas of the venue and shut down bookings when needed.”
That flexibility allows the venue to maximise bookings during quieter periods while maintaining the lively walk-in culture that defines a great pub.
“As a busy venue, anything that helps streamline operations while improving the guest experience is a huge win, Now Book It & Sadie has definitely made a difference for us.”
Book a table here at The London Tavern
Now Book It tip: If you’re going to watch the sport, make sure to tick “View of Screen” when booking and let them know which game you’re hoping to watch so they can seat.