Events & Celebrations Host (seasonal, part-time)
| Company: | PADHARO UK LTD (trading as Padharo) |
|---|---|
| Salary: | £12.71 |
| Hours: | Part-time |
| Location: | Southampton, SO14 3HH |
| Working pattern: | On-site |
| Job type: | Contract |
| Posting date: | 7 Aug 2026 |
| Closing date: | 21 Aug 2026 |
Summary
Padharo means "welcome". This autumn, Southampton's award-winning vegetarian Indian restaurant is hiring one warm, confident, organised person whose whole job is welcoming people in: filling our dining room with office Christmas parties, Diwali gatherings, birthdays, family get-togethers and full-venue events from September to New Year.
You'll be out in the city and on the phone rather than stuck at a desk. You'll introduce Padharo to offices, business parks, community and cultural groups; turn enquiries into confirmed bookings; know our menus and group options inside out so you can answer anything on the spot; keep every lead and booking organised; and sell the occasion, not just the table.
You'll need to be comfortable walking into a business or community space you've never set foot in and starting a warm conversation (the one thing we can't teach). Warm and likeable, never pushy. Organised and reliable. Clear, friendly spoken and written English, and confidence on the phone. Genuinely at ease with people of every community, including approaching the local Indian and Hindu community about Diwali and family celebrations. Some weekday daytime availability, because that's when offices answer the door.
Helpful but honestly not required: a background where you approached people (charity fundraising, promotions, events, recruitment, lettings, retail, hospitality), your own way around the city, existing local contacts, curiosity about Indian food and the festive calendar.
Pay: £12.71 an hour, guaranteed, plus £1.50 for every guest you book in (uncapped, on group bookings of ten or more that dine with us), plus milestone bonuses. In a busy December week our own sums put a good host at the equivalent of £25 to £35 an hour. Holiday pay and staff meals on shift included.
Hours and dates: 16 hours a week to start, rising towards 20 as the festive season builds. Fixed-term PAYE contract, mid-September to early January. Based at Padharo, 100-102 East Street, Southampton, with your patch being the city around us.
How to apply: email a CV and a short note (a paragraph is enough) telling us about a time you approached someone cold and won them round, to jobs@padharo.co.uk by Friday 21 August. We read and reply to every application. Interviews happen the following week.
Padharo is an equal opportunities employer. We welcome applications from everyone, and we hire on warmth, organisation and confidence, nothing else.