Hawkesbury Parish Hall

Terms and Conditions for the letting of Hawkesbury Parish Hall

GENERAL

1	    These regulations apply to the letting of all, or part of Hawkesbury Parish Hall, which is the responsibility of the Hall Management Committee.	
			
2			You must apply for a letting on the form we provide. By signing the application form, you will be personally responsible for ensuring that the letting fee/charge is paid and that the Terms and Conditions are complied with. The hiring agreement constitutes permission only to use the premises and confers no tenancy or other right of occupation of the Hirer. 

3	The Hirer shall not use the premises for any purpose other than that described in the hiring agreement and shall not sub-hire or use the premises or allow the premises to be used for any unlawful purpose or in any unlawful way nor do anything or bring onto the premises anything which may endanger the same or render invalid any insurance policies in respect thereof.

4	Your letting will be provisional until approved by the Hall Management Committee. If it is not confirmed for any reason, you will be given that reason.

5	The Parish Hall Management Committee may impose special conditions on a letting, or authorise other people to do so. This may include requirements as to fire precautions, security of persons or premises, the exclusion or admission of any person, animal or item of equipment, or arranging insurance.

6	Use of the kitchen and/or stage is restricted for reasons of Health and Safety. Failure to comply with Health and Safety regulations may result in you being criminally liable and subject to prosecution. If you wish to use either of these areas during the period of letting, please request permission from the Hall Management Committee, and ask to see a copy of the conditions. The Hirer shall, if preparing, serving or selling food, observe all relevant food health and hygiene legislation and regulations.

7	The Committee reserves the right to entry for itself or its agent at all times.

8    The hirer shall be responsible for the security of the building during the hire period and at the end of the letting.

CHARGES AND REFUNDS

9	The hire charge is payable no later than the time of the event, and by the method required by the Booking Secretary on the approval form. Setting up is to be done within the hours booked and paid for.

10	In addition, a holding fee of £25 is requested with every booking and must be submitted with the completed booking form.  This will be set against any damage or additional work resulting from unreasonable behaviour, outstanding debt or late cancellation of booking. It will be refunded in full or part (subject to additional costs incurred by the Hall Management Committee as a result of your function), following checks made after your event.

11	The Committee reserves the right to cancel future bookings in the event of:
(a)	 Charges remaining unpaid 14 days after the due date.
(b)	 The premises being required for use as a Polling Station for a Parliamentary or Local government election or bye-election
(c)	 The premises becoming unfit for the use intended by the Hirer
In any such case the Hirer shall be entitled to a refund of any deposit already paid, but the Village Hall shall not be liable to the Hirer for any resulting direct or indirect loss or damages whatsoever.

12	The Committee retains the discretion to refund in special circumstances. In normal circumstances, the Committee does not undertake to refund any charge on cancellation of a booking by the hirer.

SALE OF GOODS

13 	The Hirer shall, if selling goods on the premises, comply with Fair Trading Laws and any code of practice used in connection with such sales. In particular, the Hirer shall ensure that the total prices of all goods and services are prominently displayed, as shall be the organiser’s name and address and that any discounts offered are based only on Manufacturers’ Recommended Retail Prices.

CARE OF PREMISES

14	You must ensure that there is a responsible adult present and able to supervise at all times during the letting.  In the event of any function organised by or for persons less than 18 years of age the booking must be made by and will be the responsibility of the responsible adult.

15  The Hirer shall, during the period of the hiring, be responsible for: supervision of the premises, the fabric and the contents; their care, safety from damage however slight or change of any sort and the behaviour of all persons using the premises whatever their capacity; including proper supervision of car parking arrangements so as to avoid obstruction of the highway

16  You must clear away any rubbish and leave the premises and/or grounds in the condition in which they were found. You will be responsible for reimbursing the Committee for any additional costs incurred in cleaning the premises or clearing the grounds after a letting.

17	You may not use furniture, equipment or stock on the premises without the approval of the Hall Management Committee. Where decoration or additional fixtures are required, you may use only surface fixings that cause no damage to the premises. Any special request with regard to tables, chairs, etc. should be made known in advance.  Please note that it will not always be possible to comply with such requests.

18	You may not connect to, add to or alter the electrical and/or mechanical installations of the premises or install any equipment such as public address systems, disco equipment, projectors, lights etc, except with the approval of the Hall Management Committee. Any such electrical equipment that is used should only be connected to 13A socket outlets protected by Residual Current Devices [RCDs].

19	At functions taking place in the late evening the hirer is responsible for ensuring security of access to the building.

20	Before leaving the hall, to comply with insurance requirements, the hirer shall inspect those parts of the hall used by them (or the whole building if they are the last to leave), for signs of any smouldering matches smoking, and other flammable materials. If these are found, they must be removed from the premises and safely disposed of. In addition, the hirer must ensure that all internal fire doors are closed, and that all external windows, doors and skylights are closed and locked. The hirer shall sign the log located in the foyer before leaving to confirm that this has been done.

EMERGENCY PROCEDURES

21	The Hirer will be provided with a copy of the emergency procedures in the event of fire. It is the Hirer’s responsibility to ensure that they have received a copy prior to the start of their event.

22	The Committee provides a first aid kit for hirers, located in the kitchen, but it cannot guarantee access to the public telephone system for calling assistance during lettings.  You should make your own arrangements.

CONDITIONS OF PREMISES

23	Whilst the Committee is unable to guarantee the fitness, suitability or conditions of the premises or grounds at the commencement of the letting, every effort will be made to see that they are in a reasonable state.

INSURANCE

24	The Hirer shall indemnify and keep indemnified each member of the Parish Hall management committee and the Parish Hall’s employees, volunteers, agents and invitees against (a) the cost of repair of any damage done to any part of the premises including the curtilage thereof or the contents of the premises and (b) all claims in respect of damage or loss of property or injury to persons arising as a result of the use of the premises (including the storage of equipment) by the Hirer. Any damage must be reported to a Hall Management committee member, and then you will be required to make good the damage.
The Hirer shall take out adequate insurance to insure the Hirer and members of the Hirer’s organisation and invitees against all claims arising as a result of the hire and on demand shall produce the policy and current receipt or other evidence of cover to the Hall Secretary. Failure to produce such policy and evidence of cover will render the hiring void and enable the Booking Secretary to re-hire the premises to another hirer.
(The Parish Hall is insured against any claims arising out of its own negligence).

LEGAL REQUIREMENTS

25	The hirer shall comply with the legal requirements concerning consumption of intoxicating liquor, music, singing and dancing licences or any other permissions required, always providing that no such application shall be made without prior approval of the Committee.

26	The hirer shall comply with the current child legislation specifically in respect of supervision of children. There shall be a sufficient number of adults in attendance, and only fit and proper persons should have access to the children. Be aware that permission should be sought from parents/carers before photographs or videos are taken of any children. 

27	The hirer will to best of his/her endeavours ensure that the requirements of Race Relations Act 1976 and the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (in particular the need to promote good relations between persons of different racial groups) be observed at all times throughout the letting.

28	The hirer shall not carry on any activity so as to cause nuisance or annoyance to other users of the premises or neighbouring or adjoining premises.

COMPLIANCE WITH REGULATIONS

29	Failure by the hirer to comply with any or all of the foregoing regulations, whether intentionally or not, may be deemed by the Committee to be just cause for the immediate cancellation of any letting or series of lettings.
SMOKING
30	The Hirer shall, and shall ensure that the Hirer’s invitees, comply with the prohibition of smoking in public places provisions of the Health Act 2006 and regulations made thereunder. Any person who breaches this provision shall be asked to leave the premises
ADDITIONAL
		
31	It is the responsibility of the hirer to ensure that all parties likely to attend their function will be able to access the area of the building that has been hired.

Conditions of Use of Stage and Kitchen Facilities

Stage

1	Any scenery on the stage is the property of Hawkesbury Drama Group, and is not to be touched/moved without their permission.

2	The spotlights mounted on the rails in the hall are the property of the Drama Group, and again may not be used without the Drama Group’s prior permission.

3	The fire door behind the stage may be used to allow access of equipment, but must be securely closed at the end of the period of hire.

4	Hirers may not leave anything on the stage.

5	At the end of the period of hire, ensure that the lights are switched off, and that the stage curtains are closed.

Kitchen

1.	Children (under the age of 16 years), may not be allowed unsupervised in the kitchen or 
     servery areas.

    2.	Hirers are expected to leave the kitchen in a clean and tidy state: Surfaces and sinks must be wiped over, and any equipment used (i.e. cooker, microwave, fridge, dishwasher etc), must be left in a clean condition. Floor should be mopped if necessary.

	3.	Any users of the kitchen facilities must comply with current Health and Safety regulations. See Clause 6 in the Terms and Conditions for the letting of Hawkesbury Parish Hall document.