Conditions of Hire
1. Regular bookings (weekly, fortnightly, monthly): Details to be notified to the Events Manager by telephone, writing or email, well in advance of the required dates. A contact name, address and telephone number is required. Regular users will usually be invoiced termly. Payment by BACS transfer is preferred. Cash will not be accepted.
Cancellations of single bookings more than 14 days in advance will not be charged. A 50% charge will be payable for cancellations of single bookings made 14 days or less from the time of the booking. 28 days notice is required of ceasing regular bookings at the Centre, and 28 days full fees will be charged if notice is not given. In the event of the Management Committee cancelling the booking, all fees for missed bookings will be refunded.
2. Single bookings: We will confirm your booking on receipt of the completed booking form, together with full payment. In addition, a damage deposit of £100 is required for all large events. This should be paid in the form of a separate cheque, which will be returned to you following an inspection to ensure that the premises have been left in a clean and satisfactory condition (cleaning materials can be found in the corridor or through the door next to the fire exit on the car park side of the School Hall).
Cancellations.
For single bookings: cancellations more than 28 days in advance will not be charged. A 50% charge will be payable for cancellations made 28 days or less from the time of the hiring.
For bookings of the whole Centre: a £100 deposit will be required at the time of booking. For cancellations more than 28 days before the time of hiring, 50% of your deposit will be retained; for cancellations less than 28 days before the time of hiring, the whole deposit will be retained.
3. Acceptance of Bookings. The management committee will determine whether any request for hire be accepted or rejected at its absolute discretion. The committee reserves the right to cancel or amend any booking in the event of any failure to comply with the conditions of use or if there has been a failure to disclose any details of hire that could in their view adversely affect other hirers or jeopardise the reputation of the centre.
4. Use of rooms. The Hirer must ensure that only that part of the building that has been hired is used and must observe any instructions given by the Management Committee concerning the area available. The hiring does not entitle the Hirer or anyone on his behalf to enter the premises at any other time than the specific hours for which the premises are agreed to be hired, unless prior permission has been obtained from the Management Committee, or the Bookings Manager.
5. Capacity of Rooms:
A: School Hall 100 theatre style 70 seated at tables
B: Sawbridge Hall 100 theatre style 70 seated at tables
C: Fursland Room Seats a maximum of 30.
D: Spaul Room. This room is carpeted therefore no craft activities are allowed. Seats a maximum of 20.
E. Crofts Lounge. This room is carpeted therefore no craft activities are allowed. Seats a maximum of 20.
6. Audiovisual. Please inform the Events Manager if you wish to use projectors. Training will be given, so please notify us at least a week ahead. The hirer / group leader is responsible for using these appropriately and with care. Any problems should be reported to the Events Manager immediately. Wireless Internet is available on application to the Events Manager. This is strictly for use in connection with your hire and not for private use. Large downloads are prohibited.
7. Tea / Coffee Making Facilities. There is a sink unit and water boiler located in the corridor for the use of all hirers. The water boiler will supply 90 cups instantly. Cups can be found in the cupboard above. Please wash up cups after use and return to cupboard.
8. Kitchen Hire. The kitchen catering equipment must not be used unless specifically included in the hiring. If the kitchen is to be used then the Hirer must observe the requirements of health, safety and hygiene required by law. Users of the catering equipment will need to sign a Kitchen Hire Agreement.
9. Sole use of building. Where a hire necessitates sole use of the building, a charge for the whole of the building will be made accordingly.
10. Proper use of facilities. The Hirer will be entirely responsible for the proper use of the facilities and must take all reasonable care to ensure that no damage is caused to buildings, furniture, fittings, contents, decoration or any equipment. No stiletto heels, bicycles, roller skates, skateboards etc. to be used in the building. Low level soft ball games only are permitted in the Halls. No bolts, nails, tacks, screws, wires shall be driven into, or any sellotape or Blu-tac (or equivalent) stuck onto the premises. No craft activities are allowed in the carpeted areas. Any decorations must be non-combustible and removed on the day of hire.
Disposal of rubbish. We expect hirers to make proper use of the waste bins provided and to put large items in the external dustbin. Nappies must be taken home or bagged and placed in the external dustbin. No nappies to be deposited in internal bins, including those in the toilets.
The notice board inside the main entrance is not to be used by hirers. The corridor notice board may, however, be used for publicity for groups currently using the centre.
11. Car Parking. We cannot guarantee that a car parking space will always be available, and no compensation will be paid should you be unable to park.
12. Church Activities Priority. It should be noted that church activities will always have priority over bookings and occasionally we will be unable to confirm a booking until a later date because of a proposed church function. The Management Committee may refuse to let any part of the Centre at any time without any reason being given.
13. Conditions of hiring will be strictly adhered to. Any additional expenditure (arising from the failure of the Hirer to comply with these conditions) must be remitted by the Hirer.
14. Safeguarding Policy and Risk Assessment. Where appropriate, hirers should have a Safeguarding Policy in place. A risk assessment should also be carried out, both for your own use of the premises, and where your use of the premises may relate to other hirers.
15. Bye Laws and Fire Regulations. The Hirer is legally responsible for the performance and observation of all regulations and statutes laid down by the Local or other Authorities, Licensing Justices and the Fire Authority. Fire notices are posted by all doors in each room. No naked flames, including candles.
16. Alcohol is not be allowed on the premises.
17. Public Entertainments Licence is not held on this building. The facilities are available for private functions only.
18. Insurance. The Hirer shall be responsible for making arrangements to insure against any third party claim against him and/or his organisation whilst using the Centre and its facilities.
19. The Hirer shall not sub-let.
20. Lawful use of premises. The Hirer shall not use the premises for any unlawful purposes or in an unlawful way. They shall not do or bring anything on to the premises that may endanger the premises, its users or its reputation, or contravene any insurance.
21. Good order and supervision. The Hirer is responsible for ensuring that good order and supervision is kept and that a proper number of attendants for the supervision of persons attending the hiring, as agreed with the Management Committee, and the protection of the premises, is maintained at all times.
22. Loss or damage to property: The Management Committee shall not be responsible for any loss or damage to property, however caused, belonging to persons using the building or the car park.
23. Smoking is NOT allowed in the building or in the area around the main door. A cigarette bin is located on the end of the School Hall outside the building. This is a designated smoking area.
24. No exits shall be blocked, chairs or obstructions placed in passageways, nor fire appliances removed or tampered with.
25. Oversight of the premises. Officers of the Church, members of the Management Committee, officers of the Borough Council, police officers and fire-service personnel and appliances shall be allowed free access to the building at any time and may terminate, forthwith, any hiring not properly conducted.
26. Centre reputation: The Hirer shall not imperil the reputation of the Centre as a Christian resource as defined in our User Policy.
27. Consideration for other users and the neighbourhood: The Management Committee requests that you act considerately towards any other hirers and people in the neighbourhood by keeping doors and windows closed and the volume at a reasonable level when music, live or otherwise is played.
28. Vacating the premises. Premises to be vacated by 11:00pm. At the end of the hiring, the Hirer must ensure that they leave the premises and the site in a clean and tidy condition (you should check all areas that may have been used by your group, including toilets). All rubbish must be placed in the bins provided or the dustbins. Any furniture which may have been moved must be replaced in its original position. ALL WINDOWS in the hired area(s) must be CLOSED and made SECURE, ALL LIGHTS are to be SWITCHED OFF, and the internal room door(s) should be locked. If you are the last person out you should CLOSE AND LOCK the car park gate. All cars are to leave the car park.
29. Termination of use of the building by the Management Committee may be called without notice, or compensation of the Hirer, if any breach, non-observance, or non-performance of these conditions is committed.
In the event of the building being found to be unfit for use, the Management Committee reserves the right to terminate this Agreement without notice or compensation.
Updated May 2024