Terms and Conditions of Bookings

Vinters Park Community Centre Schedule of Standard Conditions. Updated 2021.

These standard conditions apply to all hiring of the Community Centre. They form part of the agreement for hire between the Trustees of Vinters Park Community Centre (referred to as ‘VPRA’) and the person who signed the Hiring Agreement (referred to as ‘the Hirer’). If the Hirer is in any doubt as to the meaning of the following please consult the Bookings Manager.

1. Supervision
The Hirer shall, during the period of hire, 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. The Hirer shall make good or pay for all damage (including accidental damage) to the premises or to the fixtures or contents and for loss of contents.

1.1 Flooring
The Hirer shall take all possible care and to ensure that all persons using the Community Centre during their hiring similarly take such care to preserve and not to damage the floor and in particular not to drag or push chairs, tables or other heavy equipment across the floor.

1.2 Stored Equipment
The VPRA 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 stored equipment) 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 same is removed.

The VPRA may, at is discretion in any of the following circumstances, namely

  • in respect of stored equipment, failure by the Hirer either to pay any storage charges due and payable or remove the same within 7 days after the agreed storage period has ended;
  • in respect of any other property brought on to the premises for the purposes of the hiring, failure by the Hirer to remove the same within 7 days after the hiring;

dispose of any such items by sale or otherwise on such terms and conditions as it thinks fit and charge the Hirer any costs incurred in storing and selling or otherwise disposing of the same.

1.3 No 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 prior written approval of the VPRA Secretary. Any damage caused to the premises by either the installation or removal of any of the above will be made good by the VPRA and the Hirer charged for the work.

2. Use of Premises
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 any person on the premises or render invalid any insurance policies. No alcoholic drinks of any description are permitted to be bought or consumed on any part of the premises.

3. Licences
The Community Centre has the relevant Performing Rights Society Licences (PPL & PRS) which permits the use of copyright music in any form, e.g. record, CD, tapes, radio or by performers in person. If other licences are required in respect of any activity the Hirer should ensure that they obtain the relevant licence and provide evidence to the Bookings Manager.

4. 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.

5. Public Safety Compliance
The Hirer shall comply with all conditions and regulations made in respect of the premises by the Fire Authority, Local Authority, and the Local Magistrates’ Court or otherwise, particularly in connection with any event which includes public dancing or music or other similar public entertainment or stage plays. The Hirershall take all appropriate action to ensure, so far as they can, that everything is done to comply with the Licensing Authority’s requirements with regard to the prevention of crime and disorder, the preservation of pubic safety, the prevention of public nuisance and the protection of children from harm.

6. Health and Safety
The Hirer shall take notice of the VPRA Health and Safety Policy, a copy will be made available, and will encourage all person entering the Community Centre in connection with their hiring to engage in safe working practices, comply with the safety requirements in the hiring agreement and with safety notices on the premises and to accept their responsibility to do everything to prevent injury to themselves and others.

6.1 Hygiene
The Hirer shall, if preparing, serving or selling food, observe all relevant food health and hygiene legislation and regulations.

7. The Garden
The Hirer shall ensure that no damaged is caused to either the grass or the plants in the garden area. Or damage any garden furniture that is put in there for their use.

8. Accidents and Dangerous Occurrences
8.1 The Hirer must report any accident in the Centre to the Bookings Manager immediately and enter the details in the Accident Book, which shall be available at all times. Certain types of accident or injury may need to be reported in accordance with the Reporting of Injuries Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulation 1995. The Bookings Manager will advise.

8.2 The Hirer shall report any failure of equipment belonging to the VPRA to the Bookings Manager and similarly shall convey any Health and Safety concerns at once to the Bookings Manager. Hirers should ensure that all members of their Group know what to do in case of an emergency. Regular Hirers are encouraged to stage a regular fire practice.

8.3 In the Event of a Fire
The Hirer is asked to keep a record of all those attending their event. In a fire occurring or being suspected, or other emergency arising requiring evacuation of the building, those being present should close the doors, dial 999 to call the Fire Service, evacuate the Centre taking the record of those attending and assemble at the assembly point (far right side of the car park). No attempt should be made to tackle the fire unless there is a fire extinguisher available which you have been trained to use.

In advance of any activity, whether regulated entertainment or not, the Hirer shall check the following items:

  • That all fire exits are unlocked.
  • That all escape routes are free of obstruction and can be safely used for instant free public exit.
  • That any fire doors are not wedged open.
  • That there are no obvious fire hazards on the premises.

9. Electrical Appliance Safety
The Hirer shall ensure that any electrical appliance brought by them to the premises and used there shall be safe and in good working order.

10. Indemnity
The Hirer shall be liable for:

  • The cost of repair of any damage (including accidental and malicious damage) done to any of the property, including the cartilage thereof or the contents of the Community Centre.
  • All claims, losses, damages and costs made against or incurred by the Community Centre, its Trustees, employees, volunteers, agents or invitees in respect of damage or loss of property or injury to persons arising as a result of the use of the Community Centre (including the storage of equipment) by the Hirer.
  • All claims, losses, damages and costs made against or incurred by the Community Centre, its Trustees, employees, volunteers, agents or invitees as a result of any nuisance caused by a third party as a result of the use of the Community Centre by the Hirer and, the Hirer shall indemnify and keep indemnified each member of the VPRA Executive Committee and employees, volunteers, agents and invitees such liabilities.

11. Animals
The Hirer shall ensure that no animals (including birds) except guide dogs are brought into the premises, other than for a special event agreed to by the VPRA. No animals whatsoever are to enter the kitchen at any time.

12. Compliance with The Childcare Act 2006
The Hirer shall ensure that any activities for children under eight years of age comply with the provision of The Children Act of 2006 and the Safeguarding Vulnerable groups Act 2006 and that only fit an proper persons have access to the children.

13. 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 and shall indemnify and keep indemnified each member of the VPRA Executive Committee accordingly against all actions, claims and proceedings arising from any breach of this condition. Failure to observe this condition may lead to prosecution by the local authority.

14. 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.

15. Acceptance of and Cancellation of Bookings
The right to refuse any new application or renewal of a regular booking as denoted in the Hiring Agreement is reserved to the VPRA or it’s Chairperson, or in his/her absence, it Vice-Chairperson, provided that the Chairperson reports his/her action to the Executive Committee.

If the Hirer wishes to cancel the booking before the date of the event and the VPRA is unable to conclude a replacement booking, the question of the payment or the repayment of the fee shall be at the discretion of the VPRA.

The VPRA reserves the right to cancel a hiring by written notice to the Hirer in the event of:

  • the premises being required for use as a Polling Station for a Parliamentary or Local Government election or by-election
  • the VPRA reasonably considering that (i) such hiring could lead to a breach of licensing conditions, if applicable, or other legal or statutory requirements, or (ii) the regular hirer no longer being considered as meeting the objects of the VPRA
  • the premises becoming unfit for the use intended by the Hirer
  • emergency repairs need to be carried out within the premises.

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

Cancellation of Commercial Hiring
In addition to the above, as Community Centres are usually held on strict trust with The Charity Commission for the purposes of the Community Centre, the VPRA is bound to ensure that the Hall is administered in accordance with those trusts. Accordingly the VPRA is bound to preserve and hereby reserves the right to terminate the Agreement by not less that 28 days notice in writing to the Hirer in the event of the hall being required on the same date/time for the fulfilment of is charitable purposes.

In the event of such termination by the VPRA, the VPRA shall refund to the Hirer all monies paid by the Hirer. The VPRA shall not however be liable to make any further payment to the Hirer in respect of expenses, costs or losses incurred directly or indirectly by the Hirer in relation to the termination.

16. Payment of Fees
The Hirer shall be liable to pay an additional fixed penalty of £20 in the event of failure to pay the fees within 28 days of the date of invoice; and should the hired premises (or any part of them) not be used on any date for which they are hired the Hirer shall remain liable to pay for such hire.

17. End of Hire
The Hirer shall be responsible for leaving the premises and surround area in a clean and tidy condition with all wastes taken away with them and not left on the premises. The external light at the front entrance to the premises shall be turned off. The premises shall be properly locked and secured, including all windows to be closed, unless directed otherwise and any contents temporarily removed from their usual positions properly replaced, otherwise the VPRA shall be at liberty to make an additional charge.

18. Changes in Personnel
It is the responsibility of the Hirer to notify the Bookings Manager immediately of any change in the person responsible for the hire or the person responsible for the payment of fees or of any keyholder.

19. Noise                                                                                                                                              
The Hirer shall ensure that the minimum of noise is made on arrival and departure, particularly late at night and early in the morning. The front and rear exit doors must be kept closed at all times during the hiring so as to minimise the noise level heard outside the premises.

20. Right of Entry
The VPRA through the Executive Committee reserves the right of entry for it duly authorised officers and employees and for police officers in the course of their duties, to all parts of the premises at all times and requires that the Hirer advises any nominated person acting on the Hirers behalf of this right.

21. No Rights
The hiring agreement constitutes permission only to use the premises and confers no tenancy or other right of occupation on the Hirer.

Vinters Park Community Centre 2025