1. Deposit & Damage Deposit
The Hall and/or Jubilee Room may be booked by the Hirer completing and returning an Application Form together with a booking deposit to the Booking Secretary. Cheques to be made payable to Keston Village Hall Trust. This deposit is only returnable if the hiring is cancelled at least 1 month before the hiring date. For certain events, an additional deposit may also be required as a guarantee against any damage to the Village Hall and/or its contents and property.
2. Supervision
The Hirer, not being a person under 18 years of age, hereby accepts responsibility for being in charge of and on the premises at all times when the public are present and for ensuring that all conditions, under this Agreement, relating to management and supervision of the premises are met. The Hirer shall, during the period of the hiring, 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 fire exits and highway.
3. Fire Safety
The Hirer must see and sign the Attached Fire Safety Measures Appendix and return it to the Booking Secretary prior to any use of the Hall and/or Jubilee Room.
4. Disco and Stage Production Smoke
The use of disco and stage production smoke is not permitted.
5. Smoking
No smoking is allowed on the premises and the Hirer shall, and will ensure that the Hirer’s invitees shall, comply with the prohibition of smoking in public places provisions of the Health Act 2006 and regulations made thereunder. Any person who breaches this provision shall be asked to leave the premises.
6. Health & Safety
The hirer should carry out their own risk assessment relative to their use of the hall, the equipment they may introduce and any use of ladders or stepladders.
7. 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 hall’s 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.
8. Health and hygiene
The Hirer shall, if preparing, serving or selling food, observe all relevant food health and hygiene legislation and regulations.
9. Electrical appliance safety
The Hirer shall ensure that any electrical appliances brought by them to the premises and used there shall be safe, in good working order, and used in a safe manner in accordance with the Portable Appliance Testing & Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 & any subsequent legislation.
10. Compliance with the Children Act 2006
The Hirer shall ensure that any activities for children under eight years of age comply with the provisions of The Children Act of 2006 and that only fit and proper persons who have passed the appropriate Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks. have access to the children. Checks may also apply where children over eight and vulnerable adults are taking part in activities. The Hirer shall provide the Secretary to the Village Hall Trustees with a copy of their DBS check and Child Protection Policy on request.
11. Use of premises
The Hirer shall not use the premises for any commercial purpose or public discos or for any purpose other than that described in the Application for Hire 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 render invalid any insurance policies in respect thereof.
12. Licensable activities
The Hall is licenced for music and dancing until midnight with a maximum of 170 people for dances and 130 people restaurant-style or closely seated audience for stage performances. The maximum capacity of persons in the Jubilee room is 60 people. The sale of alcoholic liquor is forbidden by law unless covered by a Temporary Event Notice (TEN) and agreed by the Secretary to the Trustees. TEN applications must be made by the Hirer to Bromley Civic Centre at least 10 working days prior to the event.
13. Drunk and disorderly behaviour and supply of illegal drugs
Drunk and disorderly behaviour shall not be permitted either on the premises or in its immediate vicinity. Alcohol shall not be served to any person suspected of being drunk nor 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 must be asked to leave the premises. No illegal drugs may be brought onto the premises.
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. Animals
No animals whatsoever are to enter the kitchen at any time.
16. End of hire
The Hirer shall be responsible for leaving the premises and surrounding area in a clean and tidy condition with all waste food, bottles and containers placed in the Eurobin at the rear of the Hall with the lid firmly closed. Chairs and tables must be moved by the special trolleys provided (and not dragged) and placed in the chair store in accordance with the layout displayed therein. All water taps must be turned off and lights extinguished. All windows, exit doors and both security gates must be closed and locked. All keys must be returned to the key safes.
17. Insurance and indemnity
a) The Hirer shall be liable for:
i. the cost of repair of any damage (including accidental and malicious damage) done to any part of the premises including the curtilage thereof or the contents of the premises
ii. all claims, losses, damages and costs made against or incurred by the Village Hall, 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 premises by the Hirer, and
iii. all claims, losses, damages and costs made against or incurred by the Village Hall, its Trustees, employees, volunteers, agents or invitees as a result of any nuisance caused to a third party as a result of the use of the premises by the Hirer.
- The Village Hall has adequate insurance to insure the liabilities described in sub-clauses (a)(i) above and shall claim on its insurance for any such liability but the Hirer shall indemnify the Village Hall against any insurance excess incurred and the difference between the amount of the liability and the monies received under the insurance policy.
- The Hirer shall take out adequate insurance to insure the liabilities in a (ii) and a (iii) above. The Village Hall is insured against any claims arising out of its own negligence.
18. Accidents and dangerous occurrences
The Hirer must report all accidents involving injury to the public to the Secretary of the Village Hall as soon as possible. Any failure of equipment belonging to the Village Hall must also be reported as soon as possible.
19. Explosives and flammable substances
The hirer shall ensure that no explosives or highly flammable substances are brought into, or used in any part of the premises and that no internal decorations of a combustible nature shall be erected without consent. No decorations are to be put up near light fittings or heaters. The use of candles, tea lights or any other naked flames is prohibited.
20. Cancellation
If the Hirer wishes to cancel the booking before the date of the event and the village hall is unable to conclude a replacement booking, the question of the payment shall be at the discretion of the Booking Secretary. The Village Hall Trustees reserve the right to cancel at reasonable notice one or more series bookings in favour of other events which they consider to be of sufficient importance to justify such action. They also reserve the right to cancel this hiring by written notice to the Hirer in the event of:
- a) the premises being required for use as a Polling Station for a general or local election or by-election.
- b) the Village Hall Trustees reasonably considering that (i) such hiring will lead to a breach of licensingconditions, if applicable, or other legal or statutory requirements, or (ii) unlawful or unsuitable activities will take place at the premises as a result of this hiring
- c) the premises becoming unfit for the use intended by the Hirer
- d) an emergency requiring use of the premises as a shelter for the victims of flooding, snowstorm, fire, explosion etc
In any such case, the Hirer shall be entitled to a refund of any deposit already paid, but the Village Hall Trustees shall not be liable to the Hirer for any resulting direct or indirect loss or damages whatsoever. 21. Noise
The Hirer shall ensure that the minimum of noise is made on arrival and departure, particularly late at night and must not allow anything, particularly the amplification of music, that would cause a nuisance or annoyance within or near the hall and particularly to the occupants of neighbouring houses.
22. Stored equipment
The Village Hall Trustees accept 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 hire. Any such equipment which still remains in the Hall 5 days after the end of the hire period will be disposed of by the Village Hall Trustees.
23. 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 Booking Secretary. The Hirer will make good any damage caused by such installation and removal.
24. No rights
The Hiring Agreement constitutes permission only to use the premises and confers no tenancy or other right of occupation on the Hirer.
25. Contact us
If you have any questions about the conditions of use or want to exercise your rights (see How to access your information and your other rights? (Point .14) on our Privacy Policy, you can contact Keston Village Hall Secretary by writing to the hall address Heathfield Road, Keston BR2 6BF or for a more speedy and direct response, by using our website contact form.
This policy was last updated by CF on 7/06/21 v1.0.1