The Golden Rule: Locations vs. Spaces
Before you begin, it is critical to understand how lo:live is structured. You do not book a location. You book a space within a location.
Location: The overarching venue (e.g., Somerset House or Battersea Power Station).
Space: A specific, individually bookable area within that venue (e.g., the Embankment Galleries within Somerset House). Each space has its own dimensions, rules, availability, and pricing.
Step 1: Search for Locations
Your journey begins on the lo:live search page.
Use the Where, What, and When fields to filter by city, space type, and your desired dates.
Browse the search results, which will display matching Locations. Each location card shows the venue name, city, starting daily rate, weekly footfall, and the number of bookable spaces within it.
Click on a location card that fits your campaign to open the Location Page.
Step 2: Explore the Location Page
Once you click into a location, you are viewing the parent venue. Here, you can review the venue's description, browse the photo gallery, and check the Demographics tab to ensure the venue's natural footfall matches your target audience.To progress toward a booking, you need to find a specific space:
Navigate to the Spaces tab (this is the default active tab).
Browse the available spaces, which are grouped into Activation spaces (for brand experiences/pop-ups) and Media spaces (for digital displays/advertising).
Use the filters at the top of the tab (Get dates, Use of Space) to narrow down the options.
Click on a specific space's name or photo to open the Space Page.
Step 3: Evaluate the Space Page
The space page is the most important in the booking process. It contains everything you need to assess the specific area. Read through the detail tabs carefully:
General: Review the opening times, physical dimensions, approved uses (e.g., sampling, retail), specific rules, and applicable VAT.
Additional cost: Check for any extra fees set by the venue, such as council ground fees, parking suspension, or production costs.
Rules of space: Read the full acceptable use policies before proceeding.
Utilities & Operations: Confirm available services (power, water, Wi-Fi) and review setup/derig protocols.
If you have questions at this stage, use the Message button to contact the location provider directly.
Step 4: Select Your Dates, Check Availability, and Get Pricing
On the right side of the space page (or sticky as you scroll on desktop) is the Get availability and price panel. This is where you lock in your desired dates and determine your total cost. First, review the calendar. The colours indicate the current status of the space:
Red (Booked) / Amber (Optioned): These dates are taken or currently held.
Grey (Unavailable) / Closed indicator: The space is blocked by the provider or not operating.
Note marker: The provider has left a specific message about these dates.
Click your preferred start date and end date. Depending on how the location provider manages that specific space, the system will adapt to one of the following capabilities to confirm your dates and provide your pricing:
Live Availability & Pricing: The calendar shows real-time availability. The panel immediately calculates your exact total cost for those dates (including VAT).
Pricing Confirmed, Availability on Request: The system knows the daily rate and calculates your exact cost immediately, but the availability isn't live on the calendar. Selecting dates prepares an availability request for the provider.
Price on Application (POA): Neither pricing nor availability is live. Selecting dates prepares a combined request asking the provider for both a custom quote and availability confirmation.
Waitlist (Registered Interest): If your selected dates overlap with existing bookings or holds, the system allows you to register an interest. If the dates free up, the provider can offer them to you.
Step 5: Choose How to Proceed
How you proceed next depends entirely on the specific capabilities of the space:
If Availability and Pricing are Live: You have full immediate control. You can choose to Add to Campaign, Option (a free 14-day hold to secure client sign-off or budgets), or Book directly from the space page.
If Availability or Pricing is Missing: You will need to request them. Important Note: To send a request, you will be required to add the space to a Campaign. Your Campaign acts as your central workspace. Once the request is sent, the Location Provider (LP) will get back to you with the confirmed available dates and/or pricing.
Step 6: Manage and Book via the Campaign Workspace
Your Campaign is your live planning board and workspace. This is especially vital for multi-space tours or spaces that require LP approval first.
When you add a space and dates here, lo:live creates an Activity.
Progressing Your Requests
If you had to request availability or pricing, monitor your Campaign. As soon as the Location Provider responds with the approved dates and costs, your activity status will update. From within your Campaign, you will now have the option to "Option" or "Book" the space.
Booking Directly from the Campaign
You do not need to navigate back to individual space pages to finalise your plans.
Single Bookings: You can book directly from your activity list. Simply click the Book button next to any "Ready to book" activity to instantly enter the 5-step booking flow.
Bulk Booking: If you have multiple spaces ready to go (including those where a provider has just confirmed your request), use the Bulk book option. Select the relevant activities from your list and push them all through the booking flow simultaneously.
Campaign Communications & Sharing
Messaging: Click the message icon on any activity to chat with the provider directly within the context of that specific campaign.
Sharing: Use the Share button to invite team members, download a PowerPoint deck for clients, or export your entire activity list to Excel.
Step 7: The 5-Step Booking Flow
Whether you click Book from the space page or directly from your Campaign activity list, you will enter a seamless five-step process to submit your formal request to the location provider:
Campaign: Select an existing campaign or create a new one. Review your brand details and upload supporting documents (mood boards, stand designs, floor plans) to help the provider approve your request faster.
Event Info: Detail your activation. Enter your stand dimensions, confirm if you are sampling/retailing/filming, state your power requirements, and list the number of promotional staff. Finally, input your precise setup, live, and derig dates and times.
Billing: Select your invoice currency, input an optional PO reference, and provide accurate billing details (these will appear exactly as entered on your final invoice).
Additional Costs: Review and acknowledge any extra venue fees (e.g., permits, cage removal fees) that may apply to your activation.
Booking Terms: Add any bespoke requests (e.g., out-of-hours access) into the free text field. Download and read the specific Booking Terms, check the mandatory agreement boxes, and click Submit.
Your request now enters Booked pending approval status.
Step 8: Post-Booking Requirements
Once the location provider approves your request and your status changes to Booked, your pre-activation phase begins. You must complete the following before you are granted access on setup day:
Health & Safety: Submit a comprehensive risk assessment covering your activation, staff, and public safety measures.
Public Liability Insurance: Provide a valid certificate that meets the venue's minimum required coverage level for your live dates.
Activation Plan: Submit your final physical layout, branding placements, and staffing plan for the venue's ultimate approval.
Permits: Secure any required local council licenses or venue permits (as previously flagged in the space's rules or additional costs).
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between a location and a space on lo:live?
A location is the parent venue (e.g., a shopping centre or an outdoor plaza). A space is a specific, individually bookable area within that venue. You book a space, not a location.
Do I need a Campaign to book a space?
Yes. If a space has live availability and pricing, you can book it directly from the space page without creating a campaign first (though one will be required to create one during the booking flow). Also, If you need to request availability/pricing, or if you are managing a multi-location tour, adding the space to a Campaign is required to manage the requests.
What is an Option?
An Option is a 14-day hold on a space that comes at no cost and requires no financial commitment. It is designed to give you time to finalize your budget or secure client sign-off. It is only available for spaces that have live availability and pricing (or once a provider confirms your availability/pricing request).
What happens if a space does not have live pricing or availability?
You will need to request it. You do this by selecting your dates and adding the space to a Campaign. This sends a request to the Location Provider. Once they respond with approved dates and costs, the status in your Campaign will update, and the "Option" and "Book" buttons will unlock.
What is bulk booking?
Bulk booking allows you to take multiple "Ready to book" spaces from your Campaign and submit them all through the 5-step booking flow at the exact same time. It is a massive time-saver for national tours or multi-site activations.
What happens after I submit a booking request?
Your booking status changes to Booked pending approval. The location provider will review your event details and supporting documents. They will then approve it, decline it, or propose amended terms (which you can review in your Campaign).
Can I message a location provider?
Yes. You can message them directly from the Location Page, the Space Page, or by clicking the message icon next to any Activity in your Campaign. All conversations are logged in your account's Messages section.