Terms and Conditions of Hire – Updated November 2024

If the hirer is in any doubt about the meaning of the following, the booking clerk should be consulted immediately. For the purpose of these conditions, the term hirer shall mean an individual or, where the hirer is an organisation, the authorised representative.

1. Supervision

The hirer will, during the period of the hiring, be responsible for the 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 the obstruction of the highway.

2. Payments

Payment is required in full within five days of booking. Regular classes are required to pay one month in advance. Wedding payments are required six weeks before the event. Any event or class that has not been paid for in full may not go ahead and the booking will be cancelled.

3. Deposits

Bookings for parties, weddings, family celebrations and all other events will require a deposit of £100. This deposit will be refunded in full after the event providing that no damage has occurred to the fabric of the building and its furnishings. For Weddings an additional deposit of £250 is required to secure the booking, this is non refundable.

4. Cancellations

A charge of 50% of the hire fee will be made if a booking is cancelled less than four weeks before the event unless it is possible to rehire the premises. If a cancellation is made with one weeks notice or less the charge will be 100% of the hire fee unless it is possible to rehire the premises. The deposit will always be refunded.

5.Use of the premises

The hirer shall not use the premises for any purpose other than described in the hiring agreement and shall not sub hire 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, nor allow the consumption of alcohol thereon without the correct legal steps being taken and confirmed. Charging for admission to any event will be deemed as commercial and cost of hire will be as for any commercial event.

6. Licences

The hirer shall be responsible for taking out any licences appropriate to the kind of use being organised. (The trustees will provide assistance in identifying the appropriate licences). Note: the hall (BUT not the grounds) is licensed for playing of music and consumption of alcohol by private parties only. LN/2007/00481. The broadband connection shall not be used to watch or record live television under any circumstance. Such use is illegal and the hirer indemnifies the trustees against the payment of any fines that may result from breaking this law.

7. Gaming, betting and lotteries

The hirer shall ensure that nothing is done on, or in relation to, the premises in contravention of the law relating to gaming, betting or lotteries.

8. Public safety compliance

The hirer shall comply with all conditions and regulations made in respect of the premises by the Fire Authority, the Local Magistrates Court or otherwise, particularly in connection with any event which includes public dancing or music or other similar entertainment.

9. Health and hygiene

The hirer shall, if preparing, serving or selling food, observe all the relevant food, health and hygiene legislation.

10. Health and safety

The hirer will take note that bouncy castles (outside the hall), bubble machine, fireworks, Chinese lanterns, fire pits, BBQ’s or open fires are NOT allowed at the hall or the recreation ground and no structure may be erected on the grounds without prior consent.

11. Electrical appliance safety

The hirer shall check that all electrical appliances are in good working order and that they are used in a safe manner. (The trustees are responsible for an annual check on all electrical equipment).

12. Indemnity

The hirer shall indemnify the trustees for the cost of any damage done to any part of the property, and including the land immediately surrounding the hall, or the contents of the building which may occur during the period of the hiring as a result of the hiring. The HIRER shall be responsible for making arrangement to insure against any third party claims which may lie against her/him (or the organisation if acting as a representative) whilst using the village hall. (The village hall is insured against any claims arising out of its own negligence).

13. Accidents

The hirer must report all accidents involving injury to the public to a member of the trustees as soon as possible. Certain types of accidents must be reported on a special form to the local authority. A trustee will give assistance in completing this form. This is in accordance with the Executive Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulation 1995.

14. Animals

The hirer will ensure that no animals, including birds, except guide dogs are brought into the hall, other than for a special event agreed with the trustees. And no animals whatsoever are to enter the kitchen at any time.

15. Compliance with the Childrens Act

The hirer shall ensure that any activities for children under eight years of age comply with the provisions of the Children Act of 1989 and that only fit and proper persons have access to the children.

16. Refusal of a booking

The trustees reserve the right to refuse a booking without notice or to cancel the Hiring Agreement at any time either before or during the term of the agreement upon giving seven days notice to the hirer. The hirer shall be entitled upon such notice to reimbursement of such monies or a proportion of the same as have been paid by the hirer to the trustees but the trustees shall not be liable to make any further payments to the hirer.

17. The keys to the hall

It is the responsibility of the hirer to return keys to windows and doors to the hook in the kitchen and the main door key to the hall keysafe.

18. End of the hire

The hirer shall be responsible for leaving the premises and the surrounding area clean, tidy as per our cleaning checklist and instructions that can be found in the hall kitchen (also available on request via email beforehand) and properly locked and secured and ready for immediate re-use; otherwise the trustees shall be at liberty to make an additional charge. The hirer may not access the hall any more than 10 minutes before the start of the booking and may not leave the hall any later than 10 minutes at the end of the booking, any hirer going over the allocated times will be charged for all extra time used. No hirer may return the next day to clean and tidy unless they have purchased an overnight package. Any hirer found returning the next day will be charged the full overnight payment. The hirer will remove all waste materials, bottles, cans etc. from the hall and the grounds using the appropriate outside bins provided.

19.Public access

The Hirer understands that the premises are located in a recreational park which is at all times open to members of the public. Hire of the premises (including permission to erect a marquee or similar structure under a weekend package wedding hire) does not permit the hirer to exclude or attempt to exclude members of the public from access to any part of the park and/or the children’s playground.

20 Regular Hirers

Regular Hirers are responsible for obtaining the correct Public Liability  Insurance and  must produce this on request.

21.Safe Guarding

Hirers for organised events and activities for children must have in place a Child Protection/Safeguarding policy. The Manager reserves the right to inspect or request a copy of this.


CHECKLIST FOR HIRERS OF BEECHWOOD HALL

  • Do not erect any structure in the grounds without prior permission from the Trustees.

  • Do not light any bonfire, fireworks, fire pit, charcoal BBQ or chinese lanterns in the grounds.

  • Turn off music and vacate the hall quietly at 11pm (10pm Sunday).

  • Camping overnight is not allowed.

  • Bouncy castles are not allowed in the hall grounds only inside the hall. The park is at all times open to members of the public. You are not permitted to attempt to exclude members of the public from access to any part of the park and/or the children’s playground.

  • Before your event always check the following:

    • All exit doors are unlocked. Check the push bar mechanism on the fire door.

    • Escape routes are free from obstruction and available for use.

    • All fire doors are closed and not wedged open or propped open.

    • Fire fighting equipment is in place and unobstructed.

    • Exit signs are clearly visible.

    • There is no obvious fire hazard in, or near, the building and if necessary the bucket of sand (kept in the store room) is placed outside the door for cigarette butts. Keep Barbeques off the ground and away from the building. Remove all Hog Roast waste from the site and place drip trays to catch any spilt fat.

      At the end of the function check the following:

    • Kitchen: wipe all work surfaces and mop floor, clean and dry all equipment and tidy away. Empty bins.

    • Hall: Sweep floor and clean any spillages or marks. Mop where necessary.

    • Toilets: Check that they are left clean and tidy, sweep and mop where necessary. Empty bins.

    • Note: Brooms/mops etc are kept in the store room, cleaning products can be found under the sink in the kitchen.

    • Check that all electrical appliances including the water heater, cooker and microwave are off.

    • Check all the taps, including those in the toilets, are turned off.

    • Remove all rubbish and put in the relevant bins in the carpark. Remove all rubbish, especially glass, from the grounds and children’s play area.

    • PLEASE do NOT leave used nappies in the bins. Bin liners are under the sink in the kitchen. Please leave one in the kitchen bin for the next user.

    • Leave the shutter to the kitchen hatch down and close the kitchen door and the store room door (Fire regulations). Make sure the light is switched off.

    • Secure all the outside doors and windows. Note: the fire exit door must be pulled to firmly before it will lock. Return the keys for doors and the windows, to the hook in the kitchen.

    • Return and stack all chairs and tables in the store room. Wipe clean if they have been soiled during use.

    • Switch off all lights. Double check the main lights are off, particularly if you have been using the dimmer switch. Switch off the canopy lights – there are automatic PIR lights for your exit to the car park. Note: the lights in the toilets switch on and off automatically.

    • Vacate the hall and car park at the agreed time and return the key to the key safe.

    • Music must cease at 11pm (10pm Sunday) and the hall vacated quietly.

The hall must be left ready for immediate use by the next hirer unless you have purchased an overnight package and are returning to clean up.