Room Hire Terms

Room Hire Terms

ROOM HIRE – Dale Street Methodist Church

bookings@dalestreet-methodist.org.uk

TERMS & CONDITIONS for Hire of Premises by Occasional Users

1. Hire of premises should be arranged with Andrew Emm who will confirm whether the booking has been made.
New hirers are requested to complete the Booking Form. For certain events a deposit may be required.

3. The method of access to the premises will be agreed. If given a door-access code this must not be revealed to other people. On occasions a temporary code can be added and you will be told whether this can be told to others attending your event. Any keys lent must not be copied and kept only by the person making the booking.

4. The organisation or person hiring the premises is responsible for:

a) Vacuuming if necessary and tidying up after use to return the premises to the condition in which they were found including replacing furniture (or paying the costs of cleaning up at £10.00 per hour);

b) Ensuring the persons using the premises observe the rules of the building (see below) and confine themselves to use of the agreed hired rooms only;

c) Paying for repair to any damage. Blu tac only may be used carefully for signage, not tape;

d) Assessing Fire Risks and having their own Emergency Action Plan including ensuring safe evacuation of the building. A generic plan is offered below. The Church’s full plan is available for inspection;

e) Performing Risk Assessments appropriate to their activity and those attending. You are liable, and not the Church, for any attendees claims arising from your event and you should consider insurance accordingly.

f) Leaving the premises secure. All doors & windows must be checked as locked unless a clear handover is agreed with another, named, building user who is staying on.

5. There are four key rules regarding the use of the building, as follows:

a) Safeguarding. Hirers must acquaint themselves with the church’s policy for the protection of children and young people, and comply with the requirements therein;

b) no alcoholic drinks must be brought onto the premises;

c) no smoking is allowed anywhere; and

d) lotteries or games of chance are prohibited except that raffles/tombolas are permitted if for charity, are completed on a single day and in which the prizes are of modest value.

6. Hire charges are per ‘session’, that is any period of up to 4 hours in the morning, afternoon, or evening.

The Church may seek higher charges for certain types of commercial use or for large events but is also open to a conversation about lower charges for some charity groups etc, and if for regular bookings.
Typical hire charges per ‘session’ might be:

Hall and Lounge £45.00
Church and adjoining Community Room £80.00
Community Room £45.00
Eborn Room, Parlour or other smaller meeting space £20.00
Kitchen (in association with other room hire) £15.00

Requirements to use crockery and cutlery must be discussed in advance.

8. Parking in the church north car park off Regent Street, or south church car park off Portland Street West cannot be guaranteed as available and on occasions may be prohibited if the building is busy.

Parking is available on street close to the church and in town car parks.

9. Organisations hiring the premises must have Public Liability Insurance cover to the value of £1,000,000 and provide a copy of the current certificate of cover to Andrew Emm or the Church Treasurer prior to the date of hire.

This requirement is likely to be waived if the usage is occasional and non-commercial use.

Please clarify any queries with Andrew Emm via email or on

Generic Emergency Action Plan shown below:

Generic Emergency Action Plan

Organisations using the building should have their own Fire Safety Plan suitable to the types of persons attending, their activities and their location within the building.

The Fire Safety Risk Assessment used by the Church for the building’s general use is available to all to assist in this preparation.

Being a multi-occupancy building, all users have a duty to themselves and to others to minimise fire risks.

The following list is not exhaustive.

In particular at each event please:

1.     Nominate 2 people to act as Fire Marshalls.
They should:
- Familiarise themselves with all possible escape routes, check they are clear and
    that exit doors are functioning.
- Check that internal fire doors are closed.
    (need not apply to those visibly fitted with the black Dorgard, door stop units).
    Meetings upstairs are at a greater risk.
- Check that sources of ignition are not brought into the building
   (e.g. candles, heat producing tools or heaters).
   (up to 5 candles are permitted if kept on the same, continuously supervised, table)
   See main Risk Assessment document about agreeing plans for any exceptions to
    this or for very large events)

- Check hot lights (eg theatrical lights/projectors) and any ovens/gas rings are not left unattended.

2.     In case of fire or of alarm sounding Marshalls should:
- If alarm not yet sounding, press a Fire Call Point button.
- Ensure your people evacuate the building promptly leaving behind buggies, coats etc.
- Ensure lift is not used.
- Check toilets and adjacent rooms are clear of people.
- Close doors behind you.
- Meet at Assembly Point (main car park)
- Ring 999 as soon as possible if genuine fire is confirmed.
- If safe to do so, tackle fire with equipment provided.
- Meet Fire Service and inform them whether building is clear.
- If location of fire is unknown, use Fire Panel in corridor to identify zone where fire is and, with caution,
     if safe to do so, seek which ceiling sensors are flashing as having triggered.
     If sure there is no fire anywhere then reset Fire Panel using the code on it.
- Do not allow people to re-enter until confirmed safe.
- Contact Andrew Emm on 07770 658450.

ATE May

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Dale Street Methodist Church

Loving God, living by faith, serving others, bringing hope

Generic Emergency Action Plan