• Booking Conditions:

• All bookings are accepted at the discretion of the Management Committee. (No bookings are accepted for parties for 17 – 21 year olds.)
• Hirers must be aged 21 years or over.
• In addition to the Hirer, a named ‘responsible person’ (aged 21 or over) must be identified, who must be present for the whole of the hire period and is responsible for the good conduct of the event, the building and contents during the hire period and for ensuring compliance with the conditions set out in this agreement.
• Bookings will be accepted on receipt of a refundable security deposit (where applicable – see points 8 and 10 below), full payment of hire charges and a completed hire agreement form.
• The maximum capacity for the Reading Room is 130 people. Do not exceed this.

• All events are to end at midnight and the premises vacated by 12.30am.
• The Reading Room is unavailable for hire on Tuesdays or Fridays between 9am -11.00 am when the premises are being cleaned.

Hire Rates, Deposits, Extra Costs:

• Full payment of the hire charge together with the refundable deposit (where applicable) is required at least one week in advance of the booked event.

• NB. Where bookings are made within one week or less of the actual hire, hirers are to pay in full including deposit with cash at the time of booking.

2019 Hire Rates:

• £8.00 per hour for Great Yeldham resident’s including Little Yeldham

• £13.00 per hour for others

Deposits:

• £100 cash deposit for parties taking place on weekends (Friday, Saturday, Sunday).
  £35 for all other, and non-regular, events.
  Hirers recognized by the Management Committee as regular hirers and official bodies, are not required to pay a deposit.

•  Where no damage occurs, no extra cleaning is required and no other extra costs (see below) are incurred, the deposit will be returned in full. Should extra costs be incurred, the deposit will be used and any unused monies returned. Where costs incurred exceed the deposit, the named responsible person will be invoiced. Deposits will normally be refunded within 14 days.

•  Extra costs (payable by any hirer if applicable):

• Examples of extra costs are:

• Lights or any other electrics left on will incur an extra cost of £40 per 24 hour period or part thereof.
  If keys are lost, the lock will have to be changed and new keys provided. A charge of £120 will therefore apply. (This covers the cost only.)
  Non-notification of cancelled bookings will incur a cancellation charge of the full deposit paid.
• The Booking Clerk will advise the hirer about arrangements for picking up the keys to the Hall.

Hire Conditions:

IMPORTANT

• When entering the Reading Room please immediately check that lights or heaters have not been left on in the main hall, kitchen or toilets. If you do find any lights on, please report this by phone to the Booking Clerk (John Marks) on 01787-238297. If no answer at this number, you MUST leave a message. Failure to do this could result in extra costs being incurred.
  Anything broken or not working must be reported the same way.

Noise:

• Music must be kept at a level which is unlikely to disturb neighbours and be extra mindful of this when entering and leaving the Hall.

 

Animals:

• With the exception of animals supporting disability (i.e. assistance animals and petting animals) and rescue animals, animals are normally prohibited from the Hall unless prior permission has been granted by the Management Committee. All animals are prohibited from the kitchen at all times.

 

Parking:

• Please do not park on the grass verge in front of the Hall and be courteous when parking in front of houses opposite the Hall, along Whitlock Drive, ensuring home owners are able to manoeuvre in and out of their driveways.

Music and Dancing:

• The Reading Room holds relevant license’s for both live and recorded music and dancing.

 

Alcohol/Smoking/Drugs:

• The Reading Room is licensed for alcohol being consumed on the premises. However, for the sale and/or purchase of alcohol, the hirer must obtain an appropriate temporary event notice (TEN) from the local licensing authority and the Management Committee must be informed.
  No smoking anywhere inside the premises or in the garden.
  The misuse and/or sale of drugs or other illegal substances, anywhere on the premises, will not be tolerated and will be reported to the police.

Health, Safety and First Aid:

• Fire procedures are set out on page 4. Ensure you have read and understood them.
  At all times, fire escapes must be kept clear and fire extinguishers must be kept accessible. Do not use extinguishers as door stops.
  Ensure that any electrical appliances brought into the hall are in good and safe condition, in working order and are used in a safe manner.
  Observe all relevant food hygiene regulations when preparing, selling or serving food. Hirers are to supply their own tea towels.
  Where food/beverages are left in the fridge or freezer, they must be labelled with ownership and dated. The Management Committee reserve the right to remove any unlabelled and/or out of date food/beverage items.
  All users are responsible for using the trolley provided to move chairs and to stack them carefully – no higher than 6 per stack. Where hirers are using their own equipment, they should observe sensible manual handling guidelines.
  A first aid kit and accident report book are provided in the kitchen. Ensure that any accident, no matter how minor, is recorded, and that you report any recorded incidents to the Management Committee. Also inform the Management Committee if any first aid materials are used from the First Aid box, so that stocks can be replenished.

Temporary Notices and Decorations:

• Do not affix temporary notices and decorations to the walls in any way that will leave marks or damage the paintwork. Ensure that they are taken down on vacation of the Hall.

End of Hire:

• On vacation of the Hall, please ensure the following:

• All lights are switched off and the curtains and stage curtains left open
• The long tables are replaced onto the table racks, small tables are stacked on the stage and chairs are stacked, no more than 6 high, at the opposite end to the stage.
• Crockery and cutlery used are thoroughly washed, dried and put away
• Kitchen and bar areas are left clean and any spillages cleared up (cleaning equipment and materials can be found in the kitchen and back store-room)
• All food, drink and any leftover items (e.g. jumble), are removed
• All non-recyclable refuse is disposed of into black sacks and placed in the black wheelie bin outside. If the bin is full, take your rubbish away with you. Washed out recyclable waste may be left in white recycling bags and placed outside, beside the black wheelie bin.
• Ensure the premises are secure i.e. external doors must be locked/bolted, windows shut and interior doors closed.

 

FIRE EVACUATION:

• Hirers and named responsible persons are to make themselves aware of the fire evacuation procedures detailed below, and where all fire escapes and fire extinguishers are located before commencement of the event.

 

ON DISCOVERING A FIRE (No matter how small):

• Raise the alarm – shout “fire”.
• Attack the fire with fire extinguishers if you feel safe and have been trained to do so.
  • Do not stop to collect personal belongings.
    • Leave the building by the nearest available exit.
    • Report to the assembly point which is situated at

WHITLOCK GREEN
(grass area opposite the Hall, across the road)

• Do not re-enter the building until told to do so.
• Obey the instructions of the fire brigade.

ON HEARING THE FIRE ALARM:

• Give the necessary assistance to people who need it to ensure they can leave safely.
• ACT CALMLY
• CLOSE ALL DOORS (to stop the fire spreading)
• Leave the building by the nearest available exit.
  • Report to the person in charge of the evacuation.
  • Proceed to the assembly point – see above.

  • Do not return to the building for any reason until authorised to do so.

CALLING THE FIRE SERVICE

THE FIRE SERVICE SHOULD BE CALLED IMMEDIATELY TO EVERY FIRE OR ON SUSPICION OF FIRE

• Find the nearest phone or use a mobile telephone to call 999.
• Give operator your telephone number and ask for ‘FIRE’.
• When the Fire service replies, say distinctly:

‘FIRE AT

GREAT YELDHAM READING ROOM

HIGH STREET

GREAT YELDHAM

CO9 4ER’

 

PLEASE NOTE THE RED PHONE BOX OUTSIDE OF THE READING ROOM IS NOT OPERATIONAL