WEST STAFFORD VILLAGE HALL

STANDARD CONDITIONS OF HIRE

These terms and conditions apply to the hire of West Stafford Village hall from 1 April 2025.

These terms tell you who we are, how we provide the hall to you, practical information regarding your booking, how we may change or end the contract, what to do if there is a problem and other important information. If you think that there is a mistake in these terms, please contact us to discuss.

Information about us and how to contact us

Who we are. West Stafford Village Hall registered charity number 301198

How to contact us. You can contact us by telephoning our booking secretary on 07771818185 or by email at jim.chamberlain10@outlook.com. The address of the hall is West Stafford Village Hall, West Stafford, Dorchester, DT2 8AG.

How we may contact you. If we have to contact you we will do so at the email address or telephone number you provided at the time of booking. It is best if we have a mobile number in case we have to contact you whilst you are at the hall.

Your booking

We reserve the right to accept or decline bookings entirely at our discretion.

Your contract with us will begin when we issue you with your booking confirmation and will be based on the terms and conditions set out in this document.

We may offer you the option of provisionally holding a booking if you contact us by telephone or email. We’ll let you know how long we can provisionally hold your booking for when you contact us. If you don’t confirm your booking by that time, we will delete the booking.

Bookings are confirmed when we issue you with your booking confirmation. Your booking confirmation will detail the, date and duration of your booking, the total amount payable for and the dates on which payments are due. We will issue you with your booking confirmation by email.

You, as the person making the booking, will be responsible for all members of your party. To make a booking you must be at least 18 years old at the time of booking.

We can only discuss your bookings (including any changes) with you – we can’t discuss your booking with another member of your party, unless you give express consent in writing for us to do so.

Paying for your Booking

For bookings made 8 weeks or more in advance or of over £100, you must pay us 20% of the total amount payable for your booking at the time of booking. We must then receive the balance by the date set out in your booking confirmation (which will generally be 1 week before the start of your hire). We will also require a further deposit of 20% that will be returned to you if there is no damage.

For bookings made less than 8 weeks in advance or of £100 or less, you must pay us the total amount payable for your booking at the time of booking.

If you don’t make any payment by the date it is due, we’ll remind you by post, email or telephone. If you fail to make the relevant payment within 7 days of the due date, we’ll assume you want to cancel your booking. If this happens, your booking will immediately be cancelled

Payment may be made by credit/debit card, internet banking BACS transfer or cheque.

If you want to cancel or change the booking.

If you wish to cancel a confirmed booking you must let us know by telephone 07771818185 or email jim.chambelain10@outlook.com Your booking will be cancelled with effect from the day we receive your telephone call, email or written notification and will be subject to the cancellation charges set out below,

If you want to change your booking any detail of your confirmed booking you must let us know by telephone, by email or in writing as soon as possible. Whilst we’ll do our best to accommodate you, we can’t guarantee that we’ll be able to meet any request for changes. 

If we need to change or cancel your booking

We don’t expect to have to make changes to your booking, however sometimes problems happen and bookings have to be changed or cancelled. We will only change or cancel your booking:

 If necessary to perform or complete essential remedial or refurbishment works; or for other reasons unforeseen at the time you made your booking which are beyond our reasonable control. 

If we do need to change or cancel your booking for the reason set out  above we will do our best to offer you a suitable alternative date. If we’re not able to offer you an alternative, or if you don’t accept the alternative we offer, the booking will be deemed cancelled and we will refund you the total amount you have paid us for the booking.

If we do need to change or cancel your booking for the reasons set out above we’ll only be responsible for foreseeable losses that you suffer as a result of that change or cancellation, and we will not be responsible for any unforeseeable losses you suffer as a result of that change or cancellation. A loss is foreseeable if it is an obvious consequence of our change or cancellation of your booking or if it was contemplated by you and us at the time we entered into this contract.

Hirer standards and behaviour

You’ll be provided with an inventory. Please ensure that you let us know if any items are damaged on arrival. You must also ensure that you and your party familiarise yourselves with the layout of the Hall and the location of the fire exits.

You must ensure that any electrical appliances brought by you to the premises and used there are safe, in good working order and used in a safe manner in accordance with the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989. Where a circuit breaker is provided you must make use of it in the interest of public safety.

You must only use the Hall for the purposes of your hire. 

You must keep the Hall and its contents clean and tidy and leave them in the same condition as when you arrived.  No pins, nails, sellotape or permanent fixers are to be used on the walls or woodwork; Blu-tack or equivalent is acceptable. All decorations, posters etc. used must be removed cleanly at the end of the hire period.

You must not use the hall, or allow it to be used, for any dangerous, offensive, noisy, illegal or immoral activities. You must not cause any nuisance or annoyance to any neighbours or anyone else.

The village hall holds a current ‘The Music Licence’ which permits the use of copyright music in any form e.g. record, compact disc, tape, radio or television or by performers in person. If other licenses are required in respect of any activity in the village hall the Hirer should ensure that they hold the relevant licence or the village hall holds it.

The Hirer shall, if preparing, serving or selling food, observe all relevant food health and hygiene legislation. In particular dairy products, vegetables and meat on the premises must be refrigerated and stored in compliance with Food Temperature Regulations. West Stafford Village Hall is provided with a refrigerator and thermometer.

Smoking is not permitted in any part of the hall. Please note smoking includes use of vapours and/or e-cigarettes. You and your party must not use open flame candles, tea-lights, fireworks or Chinese lanterns. You and your party must not use a barbecue, fire pit or external ovens in the grounds of the hall  unless we have provided one.

Maximum occupancy for the Hall  You must ensure that the maximum number of persons occupying the Accommodation does not exceed the maximum occupancy limits set out on our website and in your booking confirmation. 

Damage to the Hall or its contents

If you discover that anything is missing or damaged on arrival at the hall you must notify us immediately on 07771818185. If you don’t notify us, we’ll assume that you caused the relevant damage or loss.

You will be responsible for the cost of any damage to the hall or its contents caused by you or by any member of your party or animal brought with you (whether permitted or not). We may also charge you any costs we incur putting the hall into a clean and safe condition after your event. 

If you have a problem or complaint

We take care to ensure that the hall is of a high standard. However, if you have any problems with during your hire, please contact us immediately on 07771818185 and give us the opportunity to resolve it. We’ll work with you to ensure that any complaints are investigated and resolved as promptly and efficiently as possible. Or by email at jim.chamberlain10@outlook.com. We’ll work with you to ensure that any complaints are investigated and resolved as promptly and efficiently as possible.

Some practical information for you. 

Opening and closing the village hall, the village hall keys will be available from the key safe, the number will be given to you the day before your booking. After locking up the keys must be returned there immediately.

You are responsible for leaving the premises and surrounding area in a clean and tidy condition, properly locked and secured, unless directed otherwise, and any contents temporarily removed from their usual positions properly replaced.

Animals are not allowed inside the Village Hall. However, you must ensure that Guide dogs, Hearing dogs and assistance dog owners are allowed on the premises.
If taking dogs onto the village hall grounds we do request that you clear up after them. 

Please ensure that any outside caterers, contractors and/or bar staff are aware of the hire period and that they will not be able to enter before or leave after the hire period.

Heating/power circuits

Please let the village Hall booking secretary know if you require the village hall to be particularly warm. Do not adjust individual radiators/heaters as this will result in the village hall being too hot or cold for subsequent users.

Guests are expected to vacate the premises within thirty minutes of the end of a licensed period. After midnight (Unless the event is New Years Eve) only those helping to clear up the village hall should be on the premises. Failure to comply with this will result in forfeit of your deposit.

Safety

In the event of a fire, the village hall should be evacuated in an orderly manner using the appropriate exits and the Fire Brigade called by dialling 999

The exact location of the nearest telephone, fire exits and fire extinguishers must be noted before the village hall is occupied and the manner of opening Fire Doors should be made known to your guests.

Please use the trolleys provided for moving chairs and tables in order to avoid injury. Please return tables and chairs in the store room in the manner you found them

A first aid box is located in the kitchen

The village Halls health and safety file and accident book are kept in the kitchen.

Public Safety compliance

The Hirer shall comply with all conditions and regulations made in respect of the premises by the Local Authority, The Licensing Authority, the Halls Fire Risk assessment or otherwise, particularly in connection with any event which constitutes regulated entertainment, at which alcohol is sold or provided or which is attended by children.

The Hirer shall also comply with the Halls Health and Safety Policy.

 Data Protection.  We will process your personal data provided as part of this booking in order to communicate with you about your booking.  If required by law or any applicable local authority we may collect personal data relating to each member of your party.