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These standard conditions apply to the hirers of all Thatcham Memorial Foundation facilities. If the Hirer is in any doubt as to the meaning of the following; Thatcham Memorial Foundation herein referred to as The Foundation, should immediately be consulted. Failure to comply with any of the conditions of hire will result in forfeiture of the refundable deposit.
1. Supervision
The Hirer shall, during the period of the hiring, be responsible for the supervision of the premises, 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 the car park. As directed by the Foundation, the Hirer shall pay for all damage (including accidental damage) to the premises or to the fixtures, fittings or contents and for loss of contents.
The Hirer, not being a person under 18 years of age, hereby accepts responsibility for being in charge of and being on the premises at all times when the public/guests are present and for ensuring that all conditions of the Premises Licence are met.
The Foundation requires a minimum of 1 attendant [a responsible person aged 18 or over] for each 30 persons attending the site. The competent attendants on duty at the premises shall assist people entering and leaving. All persons on duty shall have been instructed as to their essential responsibilities by the primary hirer who is responsible for fire precautions and emergency plan in the event of fire or other emergencies, including attention to disabled persons, the location of the firefighting equipment available, how to call the Fire Brigade and carry out the evacuation procedure. All persons on duty will be aware of the risk assessment drawn up by the Hirer for the activities to be undertaken in the building and of the measures to be implemented to minimise any identified hazards.
2. Availability & Hirer Periods
The Hirer will be charged from the time of access to the premises until the time of departure; this must include all setting up and clearing down. No hire period shall be less than two hours duration. The premises must be vacated on expiration of hiring time. Failure to vacate the premises will result in an additional charge being made in accordance with the Foundation’s Schedule of Charges.
Regular hours of opening shall be 07.00 hours to 23.00 hours. Monday to Sunday. Any variation to this condition will be at the discretion of the Foundation. Thatcham Memorial Hall can be hired on Bank Holidays (excluding Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Year’s Day, Good Friday and Easter Sunday) subject to staff availability. Double rate charge will apply.
3. Bookings
All booking enquiries should be via The Foundation’s website using HallMaster in the first instance followed by communication to the office via the advertised contact details.
a. Casual Bookings
Casual hirers shall complete a booking enquiry with the Foundation in order to reserve a date. The refundable booking deposit must be paid to the Foundation at the time of booking. All remaining hire charges shall be paid to the Foundation at least 28 days prior to the date of hire.
The refundable deposit will be repaid to the hirer if the terms of the hire agreement are complied with at the completion of the booking.
Hirers may cancel their booking and obtain a refund of any monies paid if the Foundation are notified of the cancellation in writing at least 28 days before the date of hire.
If cancellation is made within 28 – 15 days 30% payment is required.
If cancellation is made within 14 – 8 days 60% payment is required.
If cancellation is made within 7 – 0 days full payment is required.
b. Regular Hirers
Regular hirers must hold their own public liability insurance policy and provide the Foundation with a valid copy. All hirers must complete and return a risk assessment for their activities. Termination of a regular hire must be made in writing with 1 months notice.
A letting may be cancelled and no fee paid if a minimum of 4 weeks notice is given to the Foundation.
If cancellation is made within 28 – 15 days 20% payment is required.
If cancellation is made within 14 – 8 days 50% payment is required.
If cancellation is made within 7 – 0 days full payment is required.
All invoices for regular hirers must be settled in full within 14 days of receipt. Regular hirers shall be invoiced monthly in arrears. Payment terms are within 14 days of the date of the invoice. At 14 days a reminder will be sent. At 21 days a late payment of charge of 10% per day will be applied. At 28 days further bookings will be cancelled until the account settled.
c. Cancellations by the Foundation
The Foundation reserve the right to cancel a booking if the building is required by the Foundation. In the event of the Foundation exercising this right, as much prior notice will be given to the hirer as possible.
4. Hire charges
Please refer to the latest version of the Foundation’s Schedule of Charges.
5. Capacity
The maximum capacity of the Buller Turner Hall is 160 for a seated audience, other layouts as detailed on our website. The maximum capacity of the William House Room is 40 for a seated audience, other layouts as detailed on our website. The number of people on the premises shall not exceed 200.
6. Use of Premises
The Hirer shall not use the premises for any purpose other than that described on the Booking Form and shall not sub-let or use the premises or allow the premises to be used for any unlawful purpose. No smoking of conventional cigarettes or e-cigarettes is allowed in the building. Evidence of smoking in the building will result in a retention of your deposit and a £500 fine.
7. Car Park
Hirers may use the designated spaces in the Foundations’ car park, after which the War Memorial Pay & Display should be used. All vehicles are left at their owner’s risk.
8. Kitchen
The Kitchen can be booked in addition to function rooms. The Kitchen must be left in the same condition as it is found with all items washed and cleaned.
9. Public Safety Compliance
The Hirer will ensure that the person running the event is aware of the following requirements:
- That all entrances/exits are free of obstruction and can be safely used at all times.
- That there are no fire hazards on the premises.
- The action to be taken in event of fire, including the location of fire equipment and the evacuation routes.
- The evacuation Assembly Point is located to the North of the Tennis Courts on the playing fields.
- Smoke Effect machines are not permitted.
- At no time must the chairs provided be stacked more than ten high.
- The Hirer will ensure that both double doors to the front of the building are opened immediately in the case of an emergency to facilitate swift exit from the building.
10. Risk of Fire
Firefighting equipment and both manual and automatic fire alarm systems are installed within the building. The Fire Brigade shall be called to any outbreak of fire, however slight, and details thereof shall be given to the Foundation. Highly flammable substances are not to be into, or used in any part of the premises and no internal decorations of a combustible nature (e.g. polystyrene, cotton wool) shall be erected. No decorations are to be put up near light fittings or heaters. The Hirer shall ensure that no additional heating appliances shall are used on the premises.
11. Safeguarding
The Hirer shall ensure that any activities for children under eighteen years of age comply with the provisions of The Children Act of 1989 & 2004. Only fit and proper persons who have passed the appropriate Disclosure and Barring Service checks have access to the children and vulnerable adults taking part in activities. The Hirer shall provide the Foundation with a copy of their Safeguarding Policy on request.
12. Dangerous and Unsuitable Performances
Performances involving danger to the public, or of a sexually explicit nature, shall not be given.
13. Noise
Hirers must ensure all sound is kept below 60 decibels. Complaints of excessive noise will lead to the retention of the deposit. All noise shall be contained within the building after 23:00. The Hirer shall ensure that the minimum of noise is made on arrival and departure.
14. Licences
The Foundation does not hold any of the following; Performing Rights Society Licence, a Phonographic Performance Licence, Premises Licence for regulated entertainment. If any license is required, the hirer is responsible for obtaining the Foundation’s permission before acquiring one, additional charges may apply.
15. Sale of Alcohol
No licence is needed if the hirer and their guests bring and consume their own alcohol. The selling of alcohol may only be permitted if the hirer obtains the appropriate licence from West Berkshire Council. The Hirer shall obtain the written consent of the Foundation before applying to the licensing authority for a Temporary Event Notice [TEN]. A copy of the TEN must be held by the Foundation prior to the event. Failure to comply will result in cancellation of the hiring without compensation.
16. Raffles & Tombolas
The provision of raffles and tombolas is exempt from the need for a licence on condition that;
- The lottery is promoted as an incident of an exempt entertainment defined as a bazaar, sale of work, fete, dinner, dance, sporting or athletic event or other entertainment of a similar character and
- After deduction of expenses the whole proceeds of the entertainment are applied for purposes other than private gain and the following conditions apply:
- Alcohol is in a sealed container
- No prize is a money prize
- Tickets are only issued when the entertainment takes place
- The lottery is not the main inducement to attend
17. 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 and lotteries.
18. Sale of Goods
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.
19. End of Hire
The Hirer shall be responsible for leaving the premises and surrounding area in a clean and tidy condition and removing all rubbish from the site. If this proves not to be the case the Foundation may deduct the cost of rendering the premises clean and tidy from the refundable deposit.
20. Electrical Appliances
The Hirer shall ensure that any electrical appliances used on site must be PAT tested. The hirer accepts all responsibility regarding electrical equipment and will reimburse the Foundation should damage occur.
21. Accidents and Dangerous Occurrences
The Hirer must report to the Foundation as soon as possible all accidents involving injury to the public and complete the relevant section in the premises’ Accident Book. Any failure of equipment belonging to the Premises or brought in by the Hirer must also be reported as soon as possible. Certain types of accident or injury must be reported to the Local Authority in accordance with the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995 (RIDDOR). These are defined as the death of any person & non-fatal accidents requiring hospitalization.
22. Drunk and Disorderly Behaviour and Supply of Illegal Drugs
The Hirer shall ensure that in order to avoid disturbing neighbours to the premises and avoid violent or criminal behaviour care shall be taken to avoid excessive consumption of alcohol. Drunk and disorderly behaviour shall not be permitted either on the premises or on Foundation’s property. Alcohol shall not be served to any person suspected of being drunk or to any person suspected of being under the age of 18. Any person suspected of being drunk, under the influence of drugs or who is behaving in a violent or disorderly way shall be asked to leave the premises. No illegal drugs may be brought onto the premises or the vicinity.
23. Animals
The Hirer shall ensure that no animals (including birds), except registered assistance dogs, are brought onto the premises, other than for a special event previously agreed with the Foundation. No animals whatsoever are to enter the kitchen at any time.
24. Fly Posting
The Hirer shall not carry out or permit fly posting or any other form of unauthorised advertisements for any event taking place at the premises. Failure to observe this condition may lead to prosecution of the named hirer by the Local Authority. Failure to comply will result in forfeiture of the refundable deposit.
25. Alterations
No alterations or additions may be made to the premises nor may any fixtures be installed or placards, decorations or other articles be attached in any way to any part of the premises without the written consent of the Foundation.
26. Access
Police Officers and authorised officers of the Fire Service, the Environmental Health Department and the Trading Standards Department, Foundation Staff and Trustees shall have free access to all parts of the premises during the letting.
27. No Rights
The Hiring Agreement constitutes permission only to use the premises and confers no tenancy or other right of occupation on the Hirer.
28. End of Hire
The Hirer shall be responsible for leaving the premises and surrounding area in a clean & tidy condition and removing all rubbish from the site. If this proves not to be the case the Foundation may deduct the cost of rendering the premises clean and tidy from the refundable deposit.
29. Stored Equipment
The Foundation accepts no responsibility for any stored equipment or other property brought on to or left at the premises, and all liability for loss or damage is hereby excluded. All equipment and other property (other than equipment stored by agreement with the Foundation) must be removed at the end of each hiring or fees will be charged for each day or part of a day at the hire fee per hiring until the stored equipment is removed. 7 days after the hirer has been informed of left property or 7 days after the end of an agreed storage arrangement, the Foundation will dispose of any such items by sale or otherwise on such terms as it sees fit, and charge the Hirer any costs incurred in storing and selling or otherwise disposing of the same.
30. Disputes
Any disputes between the Hirer and the Foundation shall be decided by the Operation Committee whose decision shall be final.
Where the reason for call-out in the opinion of the Foundation is the responsibility/fault of the Hirer a fee of £60.00 will be levied.
