Our Terms of Hire

Terms of Hire

 

1. INTERPRETATION

In these conditions of hire the following words and expressions shall have the following meanings: -

 

TRC:                                   New Life Church trading as The Ridgeway Centre

The Facility:                      The hired area in question of The Ridgeway Centre – including all internal and external facility areas.

Management:                   The management of New Life Church, trading as The Ridgeway Centre

The Hirer:                          The person or company making the application for the hire of the whole or part of the facility on the Confirmation Form shall be deemed to be the Hirer for the purpose of these conditions and references to the Hirer throughout these conditions shall be construed accordingly.  No person under the age of 18 years will be accepted as a Hirer.

 

These Conditions of Hire together with the Facility Hire Application Form constitute all the terms for the hire of the Facility and all other terms either written, printed or standard are excluded.  For the avoidance of doubt these terms shall take precedence over all and any terms of the Hirer.

 

2.FEES AND CHARGES

Fees and changes will be in accordance with a scale prescribed by Management. Any application not falling within such scales will be specially considered and a charge quoted. Fees and charges are payable as follows:

 

• Upon demand the Hirer will pay no more than 20% of the hiring fee as a non-refundable deposit and part of the hiring fee. The Hirer’s attention is drawn to clause 3 below which deals with cancellations.

• The balance of the hiring charge shall be payable by the Hirer upon demand. The Facility shall submit an invoice. Invoices shall be paid by the Hirer within 14 days of the date of the invoice or prior to the event whichever is sooner.

• In addition to the fees and charges mentioned above the Hirer will, if called upon by the Management, immediately deposit with the Management a sum to be specified by the Management as a security for the due performance of the Hirer’s obligations under these conditions and against loss or damage to the Facility or TRC’s property.

• VAT – We reserve the right to charge VAT at the applicable rate with effect from April 2012.

 

If and to the extent that for any reason charges are not paid in full on the commencement date of the period of hire, the Facility will submit an invoice prior to the commencement date of the period of hire specified for the function. Invoices shall be paid by the Hirer within 14 days of the date of the invoice within 14 days of the date of the invoice or prior to the event whichever is sooner.. If balance is not paid in full by the commencement date of the period of hire, the Management reserve the right to cancel or postpone the event until such funds have been paid.

 

Cancellation or Postponement by the Client

In the event of a booking being cancelled, the following charges will be made:

 

Larger Rooms:                   Auditorium, Shaftesbury and Wilberforce

Period of Notice:                                  Cancellation charge as % of confirmed value

more than 30 days’ notice                  20% of room hire or deposit

Less than 30 days’ notice                   100% room hire

7 to 14 days’ notice                             100% room hire plus 50% of catering

Less than 7 days’ notice                     100% room hire and 100% of catering

 

Smaller Rooms: Fry, More, Gordon, Seacole, Nightingale, Booth, Cadbury, Cavell, Lounges

Period of Notice:                                  Cancellation charge as % of confirmed value

more than 30 days’ notice                  20% of room hire or deposit

10 to 30 days’ notice                           50% room hire

Less than 10 days’ notice                   100% room

Less than 5 days’ notice                     100% room hire and 100% of catering

 

All cancellation charges payable under this clause 3 shall be paid within 30 days from the date of the appropriate invoice in respect of the same.

 

TRC acting by the Management shall have the absolute and unfettered right to cancel any contract of hiring at any time at its own absolute discretion and shall not be liable for any claim, cost, action, demand, or compensation in respect of any loss or damage arising from such cancellation except that the deposit payments or any hiring fee shall be refunded to the Hirer.

 

Without prejudice to its rights of cancellation contained in these Conditions of Hire, TRC acting by the Management shall be entitled summarily to cancel the hiring at anytime before or during the hiring if:

 

• The Hirer fails to observe the requirements of any of the conditions set out within these Conditions of Hire; or

• The purpose or nature of the function is not as specified in the Facility Hire Application Form – see in particular item 17 relating to Religious Services.

 

 

3.DEFAULT INTEREST

If the Hirer fails to pay any sum on the due date for payment, interest will accrue on a daily basis in relation to the outstanding sum at the rate of 4% above the basic rate from time to time of the Royal Bank of Scotland from the payment was due to the date of actual payment, before as well as after any judgement.

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 4.RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE HIRER

The Hirer shall ensure that all users of the Facility under or by virtue of the hiring comply with the Health and Safety Policy requirements which are attached as an appendix to this document, and all other rules, regulations or leaflets enclosed with or referred to in these Conditions of Hire, and the Hirer shall be liable to TRC for any breach thereof the same as if such breach has been committed by the Hirer.

 

The Hirer shall ensure that the Facility is cleared of members of the public and left in a tidy and orderly condition at the end of the period of hire.  If the Hirer fails to do so, the Facility may have any cleaning or tidying work carried out, as necessary and the hirer shall reimburse to NLC the cost of such work within 7 days of the date of notification of such costs is given.

The Hirer shall employ sufficient stewards and officials, as appropriate and confirmed by the Hirer with Management prior to said occasion, to maintain good order during the hiring and expel any person acting in a disorderly manner, or disobeying Management/Hirer instructions.  In default, the Management or any authorised representative of TRC may expel such persons.

The Hirer shall carry out and observe all instructions issued by Management regarding precautions to be taken to safeguard the Facility from damage by fire or other cause(s) and to prevent injury to persons or property.

The Hirer shall ensure that the Facility is only used for the specific purpose for which it has been hired.

 

The Hirer shall ensure that all users of the Facility under or by virtue of the hiring shall restrict themselves to the part of the building, which the Hirer is hiring.

 

5. SUB LETTING

The Hirer shall not sub-let or hire to any other person, firm or any part thereof.

 

6.RIGHTS OF ENTRY

NLC and the Management and their agents, employees or representatives will at all time have an unfettered right of access and entry to the Facility.

 

The Hirer, his servants, agents and contractors shall during the hiring and during such other times as they or any of them shall be in the Facility for the purpose of hiring comply with all reasonable requirement and requests of the Management.

 

7.SOUND, LIGHTING AND ELECTRICAL SAFETY

Stage lighting equipment shall at all times be operated by qualified electricians or other persons whom Management approve for that purpose and by no other person(s) whatsoever.  Applications for such approval shall be made to the Ridgeway Centre Manager or, in their absence, to the Events Manager no less than 14 days prior to hiring. 

Where a sound amplification system is provided for use by the Hirer, this may only be used after approval has been granted by the Facility’s technical staff.

The Facility based sound amplification system, instruments, and equipment may only be operated by the Facility’s technical staff, and is only hired under extra costing.

 

No additional lights or extensions from the existing electric light fittings shall be used without the previous consent of the Management.

 

It is the Hirer’s responsibility to ensure that electrical appliances brought onto the facility have been tested for electrical safety. Portable Appliance Test Certificates may be required for inspection.

 

8.ALTERATIONS/CARE OF PREMISES

No bolts, nails, tacks, screws, bits, pins or other like objects shall be driven into any part of the Facility nor shall any placards or other articles be fixed there to.

 

No alterations shall be made to the Facility, either in construction, arrangement of public accommodation, exits or otherwise without prior approval of Management in writing.

 

The Hirer will not permit or allow any defacement, damage or destruction to the Facility.

 

9.INSURANCE/LIABILITY

TRC accepts no liability for death or personal injury to anyone in the Facility in connection with the hiring except and to the extent that it results from the negligence of TRC, its employees (whilst in the course of their employment) or its agents (in the course of their agency).

 

TRC excludes liability for any damage, theft, loss of property, goods, articles or things whatsoever placed, deposited, put into or left upon the premises, either by the Hirer for his use or purpose or by any other person or left or deposited with any member of Management or servant of TRC.

 

TRC will not be liable for any loss due to any flood, fire, act of God, explosion, civil disturbance, riot or insurrection, accident, strike, lock out or other industrial action involving employees, power failure or breakdown of facilities, failure of third parties to supply, or other cause beyond the reasonable control of TRC which may cause the premises to be temporally closed or the hiring to be interrupted of cancelled.

 

Subject to the provisions of clause 10.1 TRC expressly excludes any and all liability for consequential or other indirect loss including but not limited to loss of profits or other economic loss suffered by the Hirer as a result of the hire of the Facility.

 

The Hirer shall effect public liability insurance cover to a minimum limit of indemnity of £5,000,000.00 against death or injury to any person or loss or damage to any property arising out of the use of the Facility by the Hirer and will ensure that the interest of TRC is noted on the policy and the Hirer may be required to produce the current insurance certificate referred to at least 21 days before the date of hiring (see Notes for Guidance after clause 19 of this document).

 

Subject always to the provisions of clause 10.1 above the maximum liability of TRC to the Hirer per event (or series of connected events) in connection with any hiring under these Conditions of Hire shall not exceed the value of the fees and charges paid by the Hirer to TRC under clause 2 above.

 

10. MAXIMUM CAPACITIES

The Hirer is responsible for ensuring that the following maximum capacities are not exceeded:

 

Main Hall              - 580 persons including all participants.

Small Hall             - 200 persons including all participants. Note that the curtain to the emergency exit via the main hall must be pulled back and left unobstructed if more than 50 persons are occupying the small hall.

Upstairs                - the maximum is 95 if main hall is in use and 150 if not.

 

11. FIRE PRECAUTIONS

Paper decorations, cotton wool or other combustible materials used to decorate the Facility shall be kept well clear of any possible means or cause of ignition. 

 

12. EMERGENCY SERVICES

Free, full and unobstructed access shall be maintained at all times for emergency service vehicles on all approach roads and access ways.

 

13. FIRST AID

The Hirer shall ensure that a person with knowledge of basic first aid skills is available at all times at the Facility during the period of hire.

 

14. PREMISES

Any seating or other furniture, e.g. tables and chairs, shall be so arranged that there are clear unobstructed gangways not less than 1050mm in width leading directly to exits.

 

All gangways shall be kept free from obstruction when the public are on the premises.

 

The Hirer shall ensure that good order and decent behaviour is kept and maintained by all those attending the function for which the Facility is hired at all times whilst the Facility is being used for the purposes of the hire.

 

The Hirer will familiarise himself or herself with the Emergency, Health and Safety procedures and Emergency Contact Telephone Numbers the Management has in place.

 

The Hirer shall take reasonable precautions for the safety of the public, those attending the function for which the facility is hired, and all employees.

 

The Hirer shall ensure that the activities carried on at the function for which the Facility is hired including but not limited to any music shall not cause a nuisance and that no noisome, offensive, dangerous, illegal or immoral acts are carried out on the Facility.

 

Any amplification of music shall, if so required by the hirer, be maintained at a pre-set volume. The hirer agrees to limit in any event the maximum volume at all frequencies to 100db inside the main (and other) hall. This is an important condition to ensure that TRC maintains good relationships with adjacent properties.

 

The Hirer shall take all reasonable measures to ensure that cars belonging to his patrons do not obstruct the public highway or access to adjacent property, and that the arrival and departure of patrons is as far as practicable conducted without nuisance to nearby residential property.

 

15.HOURS OF USE AND HIRER’S RESPONSIBILITIES

 

The hiring does not entitle the Hirer to use or enter the hired area of the facility at any other time than the specific hours for which they have hired the facility unless prior arrangements have been made and agreed with Management.

 

The Hirer shall during the hiring be responsible for: -

• the efficient supervision of the hired premises including the effective control of children, the prevention of unauthorised entry to the hired premises, the orderly and safe admission and departure of persons to and from the hired premises and the orderly and safe clearance of the hired premises in case of emergency.

• the safety of the facility and preservation of good order and decency therein.

• ensuring that all doors giving access to and egress from the Facility are kept unfastened and unobstructed and are immediately available for exit during the whole time the hired premises are in use and that no obstruction is placed or allowed to remain in any corridor giving access to the Facility.

• any loss or damage to the Facility and fittings equipment and other property thereon, arising as a direct consequence of the hiring.

 

The Hirer shall ensure that no undesirable person is permitted to enter, remain or otherwise make use of the Facility and that no person shall trespass on any parts of the Facility not included in the hiring.

 

16. USE FOR RELIGIOUS SERVICES AND / OR WORSHIP

The Hirer agrees that the Facility will not be used for any religious service, worship or event with a religious element, excepting that it may be used for a religious service and/or worship by a Christian group which accepts the Nicene Creed in full within its beliefs.

 

The Hirer agrees not to bring into the building religious icons, statues and depictions of gods from non-Christian faiths, or any cultural artefacts associated with cultures where the predominant deities are not Christian. The Hirer agrees that any breach of this condition will lead to the immediate cancellation of the booking and the forfeiture of any deposit paid.

 

17. CLAIMS

Any complaint arising out of the hiring and any claims or demands in respect thereof must be made in writing to Management within 7 days of the circumstances or incident giving rise to such a complaint.

 

18. INDEMNITY

The Hirer will indemnify and keep indemnified TRC against all costs, claims, damages or liabilities arising out of it’s hiring of the Facility including but not limited to loss or damage to fixtures, fittings, equipment, furniture or other items.

 

19. APPLICABLE LAW

These Conditions of Hire shall be construed and interpreted in accordance with English law and the parties agree to submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the English Courts

 

 NOTES FOR GUIDANCE

 

These Conditions of Hire are not intended to absolve the Facility of its liabilities as owners of the premises.  However, a Hirer of the premises has a general duty to take all reasonable care and accordingly, attention is drawn to the Hirer’s obligation to insure set out in these Conditions of Hire and also to the Health and Safety Obligations of Hirer’s set out in Appendix 1.

 

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APPENDIX 1

 

HEALTH AND SAFETY OBLIGATIONS OF HIRERS

 

All hirers, employees, leaders, helpers and volunteers will:

1. take reasonable care of their health and safety, and of the health and safety of other persons who may be affected by a person's act or omissions while working or helping.

2. co-operate with the church as regards any duty or requirement imposed on the church or any person by or under any of the relevant statutory provisions, so far as is necessary to enable that duty or requirement to be performed or complied with;

3. ensure that they do not intentionally or recklessly interfere with or misuse anything provided in the interest of health, safety or welfare, in pursuance of any of the relevant statutory provisions;

4. make themselves familiar with and conform to the Health and Safety Policy of the church at all times;

5. observe all safety rules, procedures, and codes of practice at all times, and in particular, be fully conversant with the procedures to be followed in the event of a fire or any other emergency;

6. conform to all the Food Safety regulations that are applicable to themselves;

7. co-operate with the church to enable it to carry out the duties and requirements under the provisions of all health and safety legislation, including participating in any training if called upon to do so;

8. report to the church's Health and Safety Officer all accidents or hazardous occurrences or dangers whether persons are injured or not as soon as is reasonably practicable;

9. ensure that all working equipment and materials used by them are in a safe and serviceable condition and that no cables or wires are left in such a position as to be likely to cause anyone to trip;

10. have regard to the possible consequences of their actions on the health, safety and welfare of all those persons who at any time and for whatever purpose may or will use the church premises.