By proceeding with your booking you are deemed to have accepted the following terms and conditions for the hire of the hall.

TERMS & CONDITIONS OF HIRE

Agreements with the Trustees of Bitterley Village Hall (“the Village Hall”) for the hire of Bitterley Village Hall or any part thereof (“the Premises”) are subject to these Terms and Conditions of Hire (“the Hire Conditions”).

Undertaking of the Hirer

The Hirer undertakes to ensure that they have an understanding of the Hire Conditions for the time being in force.

Supervision by the Hirer

The Hirer undertakes to be present, or arrange for sufficient adult representatives to be present, throughout the hiring to ensure compliance with the provisions and stipulations contained or referred to in these Hire Conditions and any relevant licenses.

Responsibility of the Hirer

The Hirer shall be responsible during the period of hire for:-

• Being familiar with, and complying with, the guidelines provided for the use of the Village Hall

• Ensuring that the Premises are kept secure for the duration of the hire

• Supervision of the use of the Premises and the care of its fabric and contents

• Ensuring that the Premises (including foyer, kitchen, kitchen appliances and toilets as appropriate) are left clean and tidy with rubbish removed from the site at the end of the hire, and using the recycling boxes and bins provided.

• Ensuring that all equipment, chairs and tables have been returned to their storage positions safely, the Premises are cleared of people, all lights switched off, and the building secured.

• Ensuring that any temporary fittings and fixtures comply with Health and Safety guidance, and in particular ensuring that any decorations used are not a fire hazard

• Ensuring that any equipment or electrical appliances brought onto the Premises and used there shall be certified safe and in good working order, and used in a safe manner

• Ensuring that no animals (including birds), except assist dogs are brought into the building, without permission of the Village Hall on the occasion of a special event or hire agreed to by the Village Hall

• Ensuring that NO animals whatsoever enter the kitchen at any time

• Ensuring that no Barbecues, LPG appliances or highly flammable substances are used in the Hall, and if used outside on the Premises, they are fully supervised.

• Ensuring that they and their attendees recognise the fact that the Premises are situated in a residential neighbourhood and conduct themselves accordingly by, for example, taking care not to slam car doors, especially late at night, and not playing music or making other sounds at inappropriate levels

Bookings which may be refused

The Village Hall booking administrator, on behalf of the trustees, has the right to refuse any booking for whatever reason, including concern over potential noise levels and other nuisances especially to neighbours. 

Payment terms

1. For a single booking, payment is due before the event, or cash on key collection

2. For regular bookings, payment arrangements can be made with the Booking Administrator

A deposit maybe required for a party. If the hall is not left in an acceptable state deductions will be made before the deposit is returned. The Booking Administrator will advise accordingly

Fire Regulations

The Hirer shall:

• Ensure that the Fire Brigade is called to any outbreak of fire, however slight, and details given to the Village Hall Booking Administrator

• Prior to the start of an event indicate the fire exits and Evacuation Meeting Place to the persons attending the event

• Ensure that all fire exits are kept clear at all times

• Ensure that the hall entrance halls are not blocked with items such as buggies, wheelchairs or mobile scooters

The Evacuation Meeting Place is the Car Park of The Hall. No person may re-enter the Hall without the permission of the Fire Brigade.

Use of Premises

The Hirer shall not:-

• sub-let or use the Premises for any purpose other than that described in their Booking Application

• use the premises or allow the Premises to be used for any unlawful purpose or in any unlawful way

• do anything or bring onto the Premises anything which may endanger the Premises or render invalid any insurance policies in respect thereof

• allow the use of drugs on the Premises

• allow smoking in the Premises, or in the vicinity of the entrances.

Car Parking

Vehicles are parked at owner’s risk

Alcohol

The Hall does not have a license for alcohol to be sold on the premises

The Hirer is responsible for:

• Providing their own License to sell Alcohol if appropriate

• Alcohol can be consumed on the premises which has been provided free or by donation

• Ensuring that Alcohol is not served to any person under the age of 18 years.

• Ensuring no excessive noise occurs, particularly late at night or early morning, with a minimum of noise being made by any person on arrival or departure

Music

The Village Hall have a Music License with permits the performance of live music, playing of recorded music and the performance of dance. This operates between the hours of 8am to 1am Monday to Saturday, and 8am to 2am Sundays and Xmas Eve.

Compliance with legislation relating to children or vulnerable adults

For all bookings involving children or vulnerable adults, except private parties where the Hirer is a family member, the Hirer is required to have their own safeguarding policy and must ensure that those who work with young people or vulnerable adults hold a current DBS certificate.

The Hirer shall ensure that any activities at the Premises for children or vulnerable adults comply with current legislation in that regard and that only fit and proper persons have access to children or vulnerable adults.  Child Protection Policies are the responsibility of the Hirer.

Indemnity

The Hirer shall indemnify and keep indemnified each of the Trustees of the Village Hall and their employees, volunteers, agents and invitees against:

• the cost of repair of any damage done to any part of the Premises including the curtilage thereof or the contents of the Premises

• against all actions, claims, and costs of proceedings arising from any breach of the Hall Conditions

• all claims in respect of damages, including damage for 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

As directed by the Village Hall, the Hirer shall make good or pay for all damage (including accidental damage) to the Premises or to the fixtures, fittings or contents and for loss of contents

Insurance

The Hirer is responsible for ensuring that any third party such as a catering company or operator hired to bring equipment such as bouncy castles onto the Premises has relevant and appropriate insurance, which shall include public liability insurance.

If the Hirer is operating as a business they are responsible for ensuring that they have relevant and appropriate insurance, which shall include public liability insurance.

Accidents and Dangerous Occurrences

The Hirer must report all accidents involving injury to the public to an authorised representative of the Village Hall as soon as possible, and complete the relevant section in the Village Hall’s Accident Book. The hirer shall ensure the appropriate medical assistance is sought, or an ambulance is called.

Any failure of equipment, belonging to the Village Hall, must be reported as soon as possible.

Stored equipment

The Village Hall may provide storage space, for regular users, and may charge a deposit for the use of a key to these storage spaces.  These keys remain the property of the Village Hall, and, on request, must be returned to the Village Hall.

The Village Hall accepts no responsibility for any stored equipment or other property brought onto or left at the premises and all liability for loss or damage is hereby excluded. All equipment and other property, other than that stored on the premises by agreement, must be removed at the end of each hiring or storage period. The Village Hall may dispose of any such items 7 days thereafter at its discretion, by sale or otherwise on such terms and conditions as it thinks fit

No alterations

Decorations may be hung from the ornamental/hooks provided on the picture rails of the Halls but not elsewhere. No Blu-tack, drawing pins, adhesive tape or similar may be used.

No other alterations or additions may be made to the Premises, and no fixtures may be installed, or placards, or other articles be attached in any way to any part of the Premises without the prior written approval of the Village Hall.

Interruption of Regular Bookings

If a Hirer is a regular weekly user, the Village Hall reserves the right to cancel all, or part of, certain bookings in favour of exceptional one-off bookings.

Cancellation by the Village Hall

The Village Hall reserves the right to cancel a hiring in the event of a national emergency, or similar force majeur situation that requires the Premises to be closed, or of the Premises being required for use as a Polling Station for a Parliamentary or Local Government election or bye-election or referendum or if the Village Hall reasonably consider that:

• such hiring may lead to a breach of the licensing conditions, or other legal or statutory requirements, or

• unlawful or unsuitable activities may take place at the Premises as a result of the hiring, or

• the Premises have become unfit for the use intended by the Hirer

In any such case the Hirer shall be entitled to a refund of any deposit or hire fees already paid, but the Village Hall shall not be liable for any resulting direct or indirect loss or damages whatsoever.

Acceptance

These Terms and Conditions will have been made available to the Hirer at the time of making the booking.  By proceeding with the booking the Hirer is deemed to have accepted these terms and conditions.