Terms and Conditions
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Accredited Caterers
Catering within Hackney Venues buildings should all be from one of our accredited caterers in the first instance. These companies have all been vetted, have experience working in grade II listed buildings and have proven themselves to be capable of delivering important events such as weddings where service is crucial. They have also managed services of 300+ guests and guarantee professionalism. In the event you wish to use a caterer outside of the list, we will consider it depending on the reason. You will need to provide us with the reason why you cannot use anyone from the list & the full company name and contact details for the caterer you would like to use instead and also work alongside us to obtain the documentation from them as detailed here. Without receiving written confirmation back from your event coordinator that your request has been approved the caterer does not have permission to work in the venues, for this reason please refrain from going into any contractual agreements with them before you receive this. There will also be a kitchen buyout & administration fee of £535+VAT applicable when using a caterer outside of the accredited list and this will be added to your final balance invoice.
Only one caterer providing food is permitted per event, only one caterer can use the kitchen at a time for H&S and liability reasons.
Smaller events that are of 50 attendees or less are permitted to bring their own cold food by way of nibbles/sandwiches/snacks and soft drinks on the condition that the hirer agrees to clear away all food and drinks waste at the end of the hire period. The hirer should ensure they have means to take it away from the venue and that includes having waste sacks. The hirer should seek written permission from the events coordinator for this, prior to making arrangements.
Events larger than 50 attendees require a professional catering company with staff to manage the set up, service and clearing up.
No events are permitted to have hot food, reheat of food and alcohol unless a professional catering company is booked with waiting staff to manage this - drop off of food only is not permitted.
Note that BBQs and outdoor cooking is not permitted at any of our venues nor is the use of gas - including helium and frying of any kind is prohibited.
Alcohol
Our venues are fully licensed for the service and sale of alcohol. We do not permit a ‘bring your own’ option so that we are able to meet our licensing objectives, however if you have an agreement with your caterer to provide licensed bar staff to manage the set up, service and clearing away of alcohol you have brought yourself, that is permitted with written permission from your events coordinator.
Guests are not permitted to bring their own alcohol and security will make checks upon entry. Any alcohol found will be confiscated and returned upon exit of the venue.
Any events that will have under 18’s in attendance are not permitted to have alcohol service unless the minor is accompanied by their parent or carer - i.e at a family wedding.
Hackney Venues operate a ‘challenge 25’ policy and will brief bar staff to ask for identification at the point of service or sale to anyone who appears under 25. As the premises licence holder we reserve the right to refuse alcohol service to any persons appearing to be intoxicated, regardless of who the alcohol was provided by.
If at any point someone is behaving inappropriately they will be immediately removed from the venue and site by SIA trained security and no re entry will be permitted. If any persons resist leaving the premises and site the police will be informed. All incidents of non entry & removal are logged in the venue’s incident book and recorded on the council’s incident portal. All of our venues operate CCTV.
Sustainability
No single use plastics are permitted at any of the buildings, crockery should be used in the first instance but recyclable materials such as paper/cardboard and vegware are permitted.
Special restrictions relating to heritage rooms
Council Chamber Hackney Town Hall - Only water is to be brought into and consumed in this room please do not arrange any other refreshment when using this space.
Committee Rooms Hackney Town Hall & Abney Park Chapel - Ingredients such as turmeric & beetroot are not permitted and red wine is also not allowed due to staining .No food and drinks are allowed on the mezzanine level at Abney Park Chapel
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Anti Theft
Wherever a cloakroom facility/coat rail exists in the venues we do not charge an additional fee for its use, however it is the responsibility of the hirer to ensure that this is manned throughout the event with a cloakroom attendant. Either we can provide this personnel at a cost or the hirer can procure this service themselves. Due to the risk of theft when leaving personal items unattended the cloakroom at Hackney Town Hall will not be available to use unless it is manned throughout, Rails can be used unmanned however need to be inside the event room in full view of the event attendees.
The provided bicycle racks should be used with a lock provided by the owner, bicycles are not permitted into our buildings.
Prams should either be folded and left in a manned cloakroom or be kept in full sight either next to the owner or in an allocated area.
Gifts and Cards should be in full sight of the hirer at all times, unless locked away. Do not allocate an area outside of the main event room for these to be placed - i.e foyers or corridors.
Event equipment and items should be taken away at the end of the hire and cannot be left in the building overnight for collection another day. Due to the level of use the venues get there are multiple groups of people coming in and out each site every day.
CCTV is in operation at our venues and any reports of theft should be made to the management team as soon as possible, with an approximate timeframe that falls within your event hire period to review. Due to GDPR regulations we are unable to share CCTV with you, only with the police, so once you have reported it to management you must also report it to the police who will contact us for footage.
Counter Terrorism
Bag searches and metal detection will be in place for all public and commercial events. They will take place intermittently and at random during private, invite only events.
Event activity can only take place inside your hired rooms and on the terrace at the glass house, designated outside areas are available for people to go outside intermittently throughout the event but no outside areas can be used for event activity - i.e service of food/drinks and entertainment.
SIA trained security are mandatory for all events that are open to the public and any that involve alcohol, have over 50 people or any part of the event is past 4pm.
Cars are not permitted in Hackney parks or directly in front of Hackney Town Hall. Only pre approved suppliers with equipment to deliver will be permitted upon receiving written permission from your event coordinator. We will require vehicle registration, company details and a car description in order to permit entry.
Illegal Drugs & Offensive Weapons
Bag searches and metal detection will be in place for all public and commercial events. They will take place intermittently and at random during private, invite only events. If illegal drugs are found upon entry searching admission to our venues will be denied, if they are discovered during an event the offender will be asked to leave immediately. If any persons resist leaving the premises and site the police will be informed. If illegal drugs are discovered to the amount which could be perceived as an intent to supply, the police will be called immediately. Anyone attempting entry to our venues with offensive weapons will be refused and the police will be called immediately. Offensive weapons include but are not limited to; knives on your person where you are not a contracted chef, guns, corrosive substances or any unidentified liquids & tools on your person where no works have been instructed. All incidents of non entry, removal, discovery of illegal drugs and offensive weapons are logged in the venue’s incident book and recorded on the council’s incident portal. All of our venues operate CCTV.
Capacity Management
All of our events are pre booked in advance and capacity is advised on all hire contracts. Private events should ensure their event is by invitation only and issue only the maximum capacity amount for the venue.
Security will use a door counter to ensure fire safe capacities are met and no more than the allowed number of people enter. All public events whether there is a door entry fee or not need to be managed with a sign up ticketing system which has a capacity limit such as eventbrite to ensure that capacity is not exceeded. If a high profile event takes place the local police will be notified as will the enforcement and emergency planning team in Hackney and we will also increase the amount of security on your hire quote to ensure that crowds can be managed if they attend. In the event of the possibility of crowds forming, barriers will be placed in front of the venues and gates to parks may be locked.
Dispersal & Outdoor areas
Each venue has its own dispersal and outdoor area policy. Dispersal is gradual over 30 minutes and it is to ensure there is no mass exit at the end of a licensable event causing crowds or loud disturbance to local people and wildlife. Lights will be turned on and music off 30 minutes before the end of your hire time, to allow guests to compose themselves for the journey home, finish drinks, go to the toilet, call taxis etc. Due to our policy on SIA trained security being mandatory at such events there are enough staff members to manage this process gradually. Our venues advertise local transport links and taxi numbers for guests convenience.
There are no outdoor areas available for event activity such as food and drinks service & entertainment except for the terrace outside of The Glass House until 9pm. Designated areas are available outside all of our venues for guests to step outside for air and smoke. After 9pm the number of guests will be limited in the designated areas to 10 and security will operate a ‘one in one out’ policy for these areas. All windows and doors to the venues need to be closed after 9pm to ensure no disturbance to local people and wildlife.
Music & Entertainment
Hackney Venues have a maximum db level of 93 in all of our venues and 85 in the North & South Atrium at Hackney Town Hall. The event coordinator will monitor this throughout your hire and breach of this may cause the limiter to trip the power sockets.
Alcohol
Our venues are fully licensed for the service and sale of alcohol. We do not permit a ‘bring your own’ option so that we are able to meet our licensing objectives, however if you have an agreement with your caterer to provide licensed bar staff to manage the set up, service and clearing away of alcohol you have brought yourself, that is permitted with written permission from your events coordinator.
Guests are not permitted to bring their own alcohol and security will make checks upon entry. Any alcohol found will be confiscated and returned upon exit of the venue.
Any events that will have under 18’s in attendance are not permitted to have alcohol service unless the minor is accompanied by their parent or carer - i.e at a family wedding.
Hackney Venues operate a ‘challenge 25’ policy and will brief bar staff to ask for identification at the point of service or sale to anyone who appears under 25. As the premises licence holder we reserve the right to refuse alcohol service to any persons appearing to be intoxicated, regardless of who the alcohol was provided by.
If at any point someone is behaving inappropriately they will be immediately removed from the venue and site by SIA trained security and no re entry will be permitted. If any persons resist leaving the premises and site the police will be informed. All incidents of non entry & removal are logged in the venue’s incident book and recorded on the council’s incident portal. All of our venues operate CCTV.
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Upon hiring Abney Park Chapel for a ceremonial event that will last no longer than an hour, one dog is permitted to come inside the venue. Dogs are not permitted at events that serve food and drinks or last longer than 1 hour for Health & Safety reasons.
One dog per ceremonial event is permitted and no more, this is to prevent any clashes or upset between multiple animals.
The breed of dog must be legal to own in England and Wales.
Whilst we welcome a dog inside the venue we ask that you keep your dog under your control and prevent them from climbing on tables, chairs, or other furniture.
Dogs are not permitted on the mezzanine level at any time.
Please ensure your dog remains on a lead at all times inside Abney Park Chapel, the only exception to this is if there has been pre agreed involvement in ceremonial proceedings - i.e walking down the aisle with the couple.
All owners are responsible for their dog, and any mess created by the dog, at all times in and around Abney Park Chapel. If you are getting married or forming a Civil Partnership and your dog is attending, we will ask you to nominate a member of your wedding/civil partnership party to take responsibility for them. This person should not be a witness to the marriage or civil partnership and be seated on the main floor.
Please ensure that the dog owner or the nominated person has the correct cleaning materials to remove and clean any dog waste.
In a legal ceremony, it is incredibly important that everything the registrar and the couple say is clearly audible. The London Borough of Hackney staff reserve the right to ask the dog and the owner/nominated person responsible for the dog to leave the Chapel if the dog is excessively barking and or disrupting the ceremony.
Should there be any damage to the venue, we reserve the right to charge the cost of the repairs or replacement to the hirer of the Chapel and it is the hirer's responsibility to ensure that relevant liability insurance is in place to cover any accidental damage or injury caused by the dog.
The London Borough of Hackney staff reserve the right at any time to ask the dog and the dog owner/nominated responsible person to leave the premises if these terms and conditions are not met or at any time they are not comfortable with the dog’s behaviour/demeanour.
Registrars should be notified in advance of all civil ceremonies at the venue if there will be a dog present. Please ensure that you notify them at the booking and planning stages - ceremonies@hackney.gov.uk.
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Holding an event with Hackney Venues
Venue Operations
Please speak to your event coordinator about exact timings for your chosen venue. Your booking window should include any set up and break down times. Rooms booked at The Tomlinson Centre can be set up to your requirements. Please let the Admin Team know when you book.
All music and alcohol provision will cease half an hour before the licensed cut off time
All guests must vacate the venue by the licensed cut off time
Before 5pm Monday-Friday there can be no amplification in the Atrium at Hackney Town Hall
The outdoor terrace at The Glass House closes at 9pm
Your hire in Clissold House, The Glass House & The Chapel is limited to inside the building and includes no areas of the park.
The venue must be returned to us in the same way it was given, with all waste and items removed and taken off site.
The Tomlinson Centre operates with a full day or half day session between 8.30am and 4.30pm. Staggered arrival times may be allocated to bookings to manage the flow of attendees efficiently.
Event Management
Each event which has external suppliers will be allocated an event coordinator with whom you will have a logistics meeting with a minimum of four weeks prior to your event date
Your event coordinator will be allocated six months prior, we aim for your event coordinator to be there on the day however due to operational circumstances this may need to be handed over to another member of the team, your event coordinator may change at any point
The event coordinator is there to uphold the licence requirements; to keep the building in good repair; deal with any venue related issues that may occur and manage the venue's staff.
The event coordinator is not responsible for decorating, wedding planning, ushering or managing guests and suppliers.
The event coordinator will require a floor plan, running order of timings and the contact details for suppliers four weeks prior to the event however final changes to floor plans can be done 7 working days prior to your event.
If you have booked a 50 minute ceremony slot this does include a more personal and bespoke service. We will assist with the coordination of details pertaining to your ceremony and its content prior to the day and on the day your coordinator will assist with guest management, couples access and requests for separate interviews, couple walk in, music, photography management, confetti moment organisation, flower deliveries and vehicles.
Client’s responsibilities
No decorations are to be stuck, pinned, hung, stapled or taped to any fixtures or the furniture and we do not allow the use of adhesives on the building fabric
No use of confetti cannons, smoke machines, helium balloons, fresh rose petals or open flamed candles
All of the venues tables used (not kitchen tables) must be covered with linen
All cables running across floors must be made safe with rubber matting no tape is permitted unless it is specifically magnetic tape.
Please do not wedge open any fire doors and keep all walkways and fire exits clear.
Public liability insurance should be purchased to cover your event to the value of £5 million. The Tomlinson centre being a lower risk operation is a minimum of £2 million.
Requests to make any alterations to permanent fixtures & fittings will be denied, it is imperative that you visit the venue in advance of booking to ensure you are happy with its appearance.
All electrical equipment must be PAT tested and The Tomlinson Centre does not permit external equipment brought into the venue without prior permission.
No children under 18 are allowed behind the bar or in the kitchen and any events where alcohol will be supplied they must be accompanied by their parent or carer. The Tomlinson Centre kitchen is not to be used by external visitors or caterers.
Any additional equipment which the venue does not hold but is needed for your event is the responsibility of the hirer to provide, please check with your coordinator what can be provided at each venue.
Internal Hirers
All cancellations will be charged in full with less than 28 days notice. Catering will also be charged in full with less than 14 days notice.
VAT and external invoicing. Internal hire is not subject to VAT and you are not permitted to invoice internal hire rates and VAT exemption to any external organisation.
It is against council policy to use single use plastics at events, please ensure your caterers and suppliers are aware of this.
Floor plans and catering requests are final 7 days prior to the event and cannot be amended after this time
At the Tomlinson Centre we reserve the right to change any specific room offered to the customer for either booking logistics or building maintenance reasons, and will select an alternate room of equal size or larger as replacement.
Access
The agreed Set-up time gives access to you and your event suppliers only, and not guests. Note that no external food and drink can be brought into The Tomlinson Centre as we have an on-site catering team
Deliveries of items may only occur outside of your hire times with written consent from the event coordinator
The venue offers 1 hour breakdown time after guests have left, free of charge for minimum hires who have external suppliers, however security charges still apply.
Your Guests may only arrive from the agreed contracted event start time
Guests arriving earlier than this will not be given access to the building
Setup
The venues furniture team will set up the venue’s furniture to your floor plan specifications which should be supplied at latest 7 working days prior to the event
Please speak to your event coordinator for available furniture in each venue
Should alternative furniture be required, please speak to the event manager for supplier options
Please note that the maximum capacities are based on the exact layout. Should additional furniture or elements be added, the capacity will decrease accordingly
Resets in the middle of the event are not advised however can be facilitated in some circumstances. Please speak to your event manager to discuss options. Please note that additional costs will apply for the reset team
No furniture is permitted to be moved by you or your suppliers
Only ceremony chairs are included in The Chapel.
Catering & Suppliers
We operate a fixed list of caterers that the client must choose from. Catering by the client, a non-accredited supplier or family members is therefore not possible
There may be exceptions if a regional cuisine is required that our list does not include. Please note that in these cases the said caterer must go through the accreditation process and a buy-out fee of £550 + VAT applies to you the hirer. Risk assessments, PAT test proof for electrical items and public liability insurance must be received 8 weeks prior to the event date. No frying of any kind or gas is permitted.
Our kitchens are service-only kitchens and have no equipment in them other than running water and electricity
All rubbish and food waste must be removed from the venue and taken away at the end of your event and all areas, both front and back of house, must be fully cleaned and left in the state in which they were found. Caterer or the hirer must provide cleaning materials and waste sacks.
Alcohol will stop being served 30 minutes prior to the event ending
Service staff is mandatory on every event that has hot food and or alcohol
All events with alcohol require proof of a personal licence holder prior to the event to oversee the service of this
The Tomlinson Centre has an inhouse catering partner and no external refreshment can be brought into this venue unless agreed in writing with management.
Catering orders in the Tomlinson Centre must be provided at the time of booking by approximation, and final confirmation on numbers provided no later than 7 days prior to the event. In the event of a cancellation less than 14 days notice the approximate number for catering will be charged in full
Parking
There is no guest parking at any venue
Each venue can offer 2 x spaces for blue badge holders with the exception of the Tomlinson Centre & Abney Park Chapel
For events at Hackney Town Hall’s Assembly rooms, we provide four spaces for suppliers, registration details for which are required by the events manager 7 days prior to the event
There is no supplier parking at Clissold House however set delivery drop off / pick up times are 08:00 - 10:00 or 12:00 - 14:00, Monday - Friday. These are the only permitted times for driving within the park, your event manager will send you driving instructions at the four week planning meeting
There are 2 x supplier parking spaces available at The Glass House
There is no access by vehicle inside of Abney Park & Cemetery to access The Chapel.
Audio Visual at Hackney Town Hall
Bluetooth portable speaker available to use for ceremonies and events
DJs, bands and other entertainment must bring their own PA system & speakers - Risk Assessments, Public liability insurance and PAT certificates are required from all suppliers 4 weeks before the event date.
Amplified sound must be connected to our noise limiter that is set at 93db in the assembly rooms. Atrium events the sound limit is 85db after 5pm Monday-Friday and all day Saturday & Sunday. No amplification is possible before 5pm Monday-Friday nor the use of loud acoustic instruments such as saxophone/brass bands. If you need further clarification please do not hesitate to contact the venues team specifically around this point.
All other AV requirements should be discussed with the venues team at the stage of booking or coordination.
Audio Visual at Clissold House/ The Glass House/Abney Park Chapel
Bluetooth portable speaker available to use for ceremonies and events
DJs, bands and other entertainment must bring their own PA system - Risk Assessments, Public liability insurance & PAT certificates are required from all suppliers 4 weeks prior to the event date.
No amplified live music is permitted outdoors at The Glass House, Clissold House or The Chapel
The sound limit is 93db and this will be monitored on events by the events coordinator
All other AV requirements should be discussed with the venues team at the stage of booking or coordination.
Audio Visual at The Tomlinson Centre
This venue has a large range of in situ equipment. AV requirements should be discussed with the venues team at the stage of booking or coordination to ensure availability on the day.
Any specific digital provision which will require an AV Technician for support must be booked separately at least one week in advance of any booking
Damage and Insurance
A £1,000 (Hackney Town Hall) / £500 (Clissold House, The Glass House & Abney Park Chapel) damage deposit is required for all events which covers damage, loss or costs incurred by the venue. Please see our T&Cs for full details
Damage deposits can also be used for additional cleaning if the venue is left with waste and also to cover staff and venue hire costs should the event or breakdown overrun.
Public liability insurance of £5 million is required for all events and must be sent to the event team at least one month before the event date. For Tomlinson Centre events insurance can be to the value of £2 million
Abney Park Chapel Hire Specifics
Thank you for choosing Abney Park Chapel for your event. It is a magnificent and special place to hold your event however as it is located within a biodiverse nature reserve woodland and a cemetery please be sensitive of the surroundings and note the following;
The entrance to Abney Park Chapel is on Stoke Newington High Street and the walk through the park to the venue is 3-4 minutes long.
No vehicles are permitted access to Abney Park Chapel and there is no parking available, Closest Parking is pay and display on Wilmer Place.
The venue offers a standalone space with no additional prep areas or a kitchen so is only suitable drinks or basic, cold finger food or canapé catering.
Tables are not available at this venue.
Whilst the ground floor of Abney Park Chapel is fully accessible, the mezzanine level is only accessible via a narrow and steep spiral staircase and is not suitable for anyone with limited mobility.
There is no outside event space available. All service and activity remains inside of the chapel only.
Abney Park Chapel is located within dense ancient woodland, and the surrounding trees can pose a danger in high winds. In the event of a Met Office WIND warning, Hackney will carefully assess the risk of access to the Chapel, and if necessary may have to make the decision that your event will need to be postponed and rearranged free of charge. Please ensure you have adequate wedding/event insurance in place to cover the other aspects of your day.
Abney Park is a haven for wildlife, therefore only natural fresh or dried petal confetti is permitted.
Abney Park is one of London’s Magnificent 7 cemetery gardens, and is the resting place of 200,000 people. Please remain respectful at all times to the graves on site when taking photographs and walking around Abney Park Chapel.
TERMS AND CONDITIONS FOR HOSTING AN EVENT IN
Hackney Town Hall / Clissold House / The Glass House/ Abney Park Chapel/The Tomlinson Centre
1. Introduction
1.1 These terms and conditions apply to the hire of the Venue by you.
2. Definitions
2.1 “Booking Deposit“ means that part of the Hire Fee which is payable to the Council in order to secure the booking. The Booking Deposit is non-refundable.
“Contract” means the contract between you and the Council for the hire of the Venue.
“Council“ means the Mayor and Burgesses of the London Borough of Hackney.
“Due Date“ means twenty eight (28) days prior to the Event or such other date as the Council shall notify you as being the “Due Date” under this Contract.
“Event“ means the purpose for which the Venue has been booked. Any variation of the Event must be agreed by the Council and you unless the change is necessary to comply with safety or other statutory requirements, then the Council may make changes without notice to you.
“Events Officer“ means the person, for the time being appointed by the Council, to supervise the hire at the Venue. The Events Officer has the authority of the Council to enforce the Contract and to represent the Council in relation to the hire of the Venue.
“Hire Fee“ means the amount you must pay the Council to hire the Venue.
“Hire Period“ means the period for which you have hired the Venue, including any time prior to and after the Event required for setting or clearing up;
“Letter of Confirmation“ means the letter sent to you by the Council confirming your application has been accepted.
“Patrons” is any person, form or company who attends the event at the invitation of you or any other person attending the event in whatever capacity.
“Damage Deposit“ means the sum payable to the Council to cover any loss or damage to the Venue arising from your hire of the Venue, including, without limitation, any incidents arising from noise at the Venue.
“Venue“ means the space booked for the Event, as specified on the application form, and includes the immediate surrounding area including public highway or other land in the ownership, or control, of the Council open to the public or as detailed on the application form.
“you“ means the individual or organisation which is hiring the Venue for the Event.
3. Enquiries
3.1 Enquiries from charities must include a registered charity number.
3.2 All official paperwork must be made out to the individual or organisation which is personally going to use the Venue. The booking is personal to you and you may not transfer or sublet the booking to any other person without the prior written consent of the Council.
3.3 When deciding whether to accept your enquiry, the Council will consider whether your proposed Event complies with:
(a) the terms of the Council’s premises licence and the objectives of the Licensing Act 2003;
(b) the Council’s relevant policies and procedures, particularly as set out in this document;
(c) relevant statutes, regulations and other laws applicable to the hiring; and
(d) equalities requirements, including consideration of whether there will be or whether there is likely to be discrimination on the grounds of race, gender, sexual orientation, religion or age.
3.4 You will on request by the Council produce to the Events Manager copies and/or full details of any film, photographs, pictures or other representations to be exhibited during the Event. You will also produce upon request by the Council copies and/or details of the programme and/or any advertising material relating to the Event.
3.5 The Council reserves the right to refuse any enquiry made for hire of the Venue and shall not be liable for any costs of making an enquiry which is subsequently refused.
4. Confirmation
4.1 If the Council decides to accept your event, you will pay a non refundable Booking Deposit of 33% of the Hire Fee.
4.2 The Contract comes into effect at the time your signed terms and conditions are received by the event team, and not at any earlier time.
5. Indemnity
5.1 You shall fully and promptly indemnify the Council against all actions, proceedings, costs, claims, liabilities, demands, losses, damages and expenses suffered or incurred by the Council or any other person as a consequence (direct or indirect) of or in connection with any breach of or default by you under this Contract or your performance or non-performance of this Contract.
6. Payment
6.1 Booking Deposit: Once your application has been accepted you must pay a non refundable deposit of 33% of the Hire Fee to secure the booking (external events only). This Booking Deposit also covers any costs incurred by the Council in the event of cancellation of the booking. The balance of the Hire Fee is payable as set out in Clause 6.2 below
6.2 Hire Fee: You will be sent an invoice for the balance of the Hire Fee and the Damage Deposit no less than forty two (42) days prior to the Event. This must be paid to the Council by the Due Date. The Council may cancel your booking if the Hire Fee is not paid on time. Internal clients will be sent an invoice for the full balance of the Hire Fee no less than forty two (42) days prior to the Event.
6.3 Damage Deposit: In addition to the Hire Fee you must pay a Damage Deposit of at least one thousand pounds (£1,000) for the Town Halls or five hundred pounds (£500) for Clissold House, The Glass House & Abney Chapel. Depending on the nature of the proposed Event, the amount of the Damage Deposit may be increased at the Council’s discretion. The Council will return the Damage Deposit to you, via the method of original payment (by cheque if made by bank transfer), within twenty-eight (28) days after the Event, provided that there has been no damage, loss or cost incurred by the Council arising from the Event. In the event of any such damage, loss or cost incurred, the Council will be entitled to deduct the sum of such damage, loss or cost from the Damage Deposit and return the balance to you, via the method of original payment (by cheque if made by bank transfer). If the damage repair costs exceed the £1,000 or agreed Damage Deposit the hirer will be liable for all excess cost incurred by the Council arising from the repair.
Damage Deposits are not charged for internal events however in the event of any damage, loss or cost incurred, the Council will be entitled to deduct the sum of such damage, loss or cost from the Budget Holder assigned to the event.
Damage deposits are not charged for the 50 minutes Ceremony only bookings.
6.4 Value Added Tax (VAT) and other Statutory Charges: You will be responsible for paying any VAT and other statutory charges that may be chargeable on any payments for or arising out of the nature of the Event. Please note that we cannot invoice to addresses outside of the UK and if you believe you are exempt from paying VAT i.e charity or non UK citizen it will be your responsibility to claim this back from HMRC.
6.5 Cheques: Cheques should be made payable to the “London Borough of Hackney” and sent to Chief Cashier, Cashiers Office, 2 Hillman Street, London, E8 1FB
6.6 The Council reserves the right to charge interest at 4% above the Bank of England base rate pending at the time in relation to any outstanding sums due to the Council under this Contract.
6.7 CedAr Override Authorise Name and Cost Code must be provided upon application for all internal venue hire and cancellation of venue hire with less than 28 days notice will still be charged for at the full hire fee. Cancellation of catering will be charged in full with less than 14 days notice.
7. Use of the Venue
7.1 Care of the Venue
Any costs, losses, damages, claims or expenses incurred by any Patron or any outside contractor hired by you shall be your responsibility and you agree to indemnify and hold harmless the Council from all claims and actions arising against it as a result thereof.
7.1.1 You must at all times during the Hire Period take good care of the Venue. You will be responsible for any damage to the Venue or any part of it, or any equipment or other property of the Council within the Venue, or in the area surrounding the Venue, caused as a result of the Event.
7.1.2 You must not do, or permit others to do, any of the following without the prior written consent of the Council:
(a) remove or obscure Council notices or placards which may be displayed in or on the Venue;
damage or attach anything to any furniture or structures at the Venue;
create any holes or markings in or on, or cause any damage to the Venue’s walls, ceilings or any items of furniture at the Venue;
make any changes to the layout or decoration of the Venue;
bring, place or erect any sign, furniture, fitting or structure or place or fix any additional or decorative lighting in or on any parts of the Venue; or
bring into the Venue:
(i) any article or substance of an inflammable or explosive nature or that produces an offensive smell, or CFC; or
(ii) any oil, gas or other such appliances
(iii) confetti cannons, helium balloons, rose petals, smoke machines.
7.1.3 It is your responsibility to ensure that no noise nuisance is caused to occupiers of properties surrounding the Venue or users of the immediate surrounding area of the Venue.
7.1.4 The Council will enforce a maximum noise level (93 decibels) and cut off points in line with current best practices in noise monitoring and enforcement legislation. It is your responsibility to ensure that the noise level does not exceed these limits. If cut-off points are reached, this will affect power supplies to the venue and can take up to 10 minutes to re-set.
7.1.5 If the Event continues after licensed hours the Hirer shall pay to the Council the costs involved in ensuring that the Event ends as soon as possible after such time. A Temporary Event Notice for extended hours can be applied for and will be charged per hour
7.2 Litter/Waste Management
7.2.1 It is your responsibility to ensure that the Venue is left clear of all litter and rubbish, food and drink waste at the end of the Hire Period. You are responsible for ensuring that no litter or rubbish is spread from the Venue to the surrounding area.
7.2.2 You must ensure that the Venue is regularly cleared of litter and that sufficient bins or skips are made available. Should the Venue not be cleaned to the satisfaction of the Events Officer, you may be liable to pay a further charge to cover the cost of any necessary cleaning and clearing of the Venue. Where appropriate such charge will be deducted from your Damage Deposit.
7.2.3 It is your responsibility to ensure that no litter or rubbish is left at the Venue after the Hire Period and all plastic sacks/skips used to collect rubbish or litter are placed in designated areas as instructed by the Events Officer.
7.2.4 You shall ensure that any unwanted liquids are removed from the Venue and not disposed of into the sewage system or on the Venue.
7.3 Vehicles
7.3.1 There are no vehicle parking facilities at the Venues (other than four spaces for suppliers for Town Hall bookings only). Patrons should be advised to use alternative means of transport to attend the Event.
7.3.2 Only vehicles which have been granted permission by the Events Officer prior to the Event will be allowed access to the Venue during the Hire Period for drop off and pick up only. Limited disabled parking will be available with prior notice for Town Hall hire only.
7.4 Entry and Access
7.4.1 It is your responsibility to ensure that Patrons do not block the pavement outside the Venue and that pedestrians are allowed access along any public footpath located inside and outside the Venue. You shall ensure that during the Hire Period Patrons do not enter onto any part of the Council’s property other than the Venue.
7.4.2 You may be required to refuse admission to or remove/evict any person from the Venue and the Council shall not be liable for any loss or damage suffered by you as a result of or arising out of this requirement.
7.4.3 It is your responsibility to ensure that the exit of Patrons from the Venue does not cause a disruption or inconvenience to the local area.
7.4.4 You shall be responsible for maintaining good order at the Venue at all times. The Council will employ a minimum number of door supervisors for this purpose; this is at an additional cost of the hirer.
The Council has the right to request extra security, above the minimum required, at an additional cost to the client, if the event warrants this.
Attendee numbers must be confirmed at least five (5) working days prior to the event.
7.5 Smoking, Vapes & Drugs
7.5.1 No smoking is permitted anywhere inside at the Venue. It is your responsibility to ensure that Patrons do not smoke anywhere at the Venue where smoking is prohibited, this includes e-cigarettes and vapes. Hackney Council has a zero tolerance approach to the use of illegal substances. Our security team conducts random bag and body searches upon entry to the venues, in the presence of CCTV, if illegal substances are found, said person will be denied access to the event. Resistance to this will result in the police being called.
7.6 Capacity
7.6.1 Depending on the nature of the proposed Event, the Council may impose additional restrictions on the capacity of the Venue.
7.6.2 It is your responsibility to ensure that the number of Patrons does not exceed the maximum capacity of the hired part of the Venue. If capacity is exceeded Patrons will be required to leave the Venue immediately.
7.6.3 If your event falls within restrictions of social distancing measures due to the Covid-19 pandemic then capacities will be amended accordingly following government guidelines and the Council’s internal risk assessments per venue, per room. The Council’s internal risk assessment’s set the venue capacity and this will be communicated via the Events Officer. Maximum capacities may have to be reduced based on current government guidelines relating to social distancing due to Covid-19 as well as internal Health & Safety Risk Assessments. Please speak to your Event Manager for guidance and current capacities.
7.7 Ticket sales
7.7.1 Tickets to the Event to be sold on the door of the Venue must be covered by the hirers insurance, proof of which must be submitted to the Events Officer prior to the event.
The hirer is responsible for all staffing of the box office and for queue management.
A proof copy of the ticket must be submitted to the Events Officer prior to printing for authorisation.
The hirer must confirm with the venue where and how all tickets are sold for an event.
LBH accepts no responsibility for any cash/ sales on the premises.
7.8 Children
7.8.1 You shall ensure that any event involving children fully considers the welfare of those children taking part, and shall ensure that there is a sufficient ratio of supervising adults for the number of children attending. You shall ensure that you comply with the provision of the Children Act 1989 and any other statutory provisions with regard to children during the Hire Period.
7.10 Animals
7.10.1 You must notify the Council if the proposed Event will include any exhibition, performance or entertainment involving animals. The decision on the use of animals will be at the discretion of the Council.
7.11 Bills and advertisements
7.11.1 You must not post any bill or advertisement in connection with the Event at the Venue without the prior written approval of the Council.
7.11.2 The Council may remove any posted material promoting the Event in contravention of clause 7.11.1 and you shall reimburse the Council for the costs of such removal.
7.11.3 You shall not use the Council’s name or logo on any publicity material unless specifically approved in writing in advance by the Council.
7.13 Commercial Traders
7.13.1 You shall not allow any commercial traders to trade at the Event without the prior written consent of the Council. Any such traders must comply with all relevant consumer and trading legislation.
7.14 Collections / Lotteries
7.14.1 You must not permit any collections, games of chance, sweepstakes, lotteries or betting of any kind to be conducted at the Venue during the Event without the prior written consent of the Council.
7.14.2 Please be aware that where the consent of the Council is given, you will be responsible for ensuring that any necessary licences are acquired and that the terms of such licences are complied with.
7.14.3 If you fail to acquire or comply with the terms of any necessary licence, the Council may cancel your booking.
7.15 Equalities
7.15.1 You must not, in connection with the Event, use, provide or display any material, whether written or spoken, or allow behaviour, that constitutes direct or indirect discrimination against, or harassment, victimisation or vilification of, any person or group of persons on the grounds of race, gender, sexual orientation, disability, religion or age.
9. Permits and Licences
9.1 General
9.1.1 It is your responsibility to ensure that any licence, permit or other consent which may be required (e.g. public entertainment licence, gambling and lottery licences) is obtained from the appropriate authority. Such licences, permits or consents must be obtained before the Event takes place and must be produced to the Council upon request.
9.1.2 Even where your application to hire the Venue is accepted by the Council, this is subject to you obtaining the necessary licences, permits or consents for the Event. If you do not obtain the necessary licences, permits or consents the Council has the right to cancel your booking.
9.1.3 You must display all necessary licences, consent and permits during the Event.
9.1.4 You are responsible for ensuring that the Event complies with the terms and conditions of any licence, permit or consent issued in respect of the Event. Failure to do so may result in the Council cancelling your booking or terminating the Event.
9.1.5 You will pay any fees, royalties and payments due to Performing Rights Society Limited or any other similar organisation in respect of your hire of the Venue.
9.2 Provision of Regulated Entertainment
The Venue is licensed to host events as set out in the premises licence (and indicated below):
a: Live music
b: Recorded music
c: Performances of dance
d: Anything similar to that falling within (c), (d) or (e)
Events that fall outside of those set out in the premises licence will require a Temporary Events Notice, which the Council will apply for. You will pay any costs associated with such a licence. Any such events will only be accepted subject to Council approval.
10. Health & Safety
10.1 You must ensure that a risk assessment is undertaken in respect of your Event if deemed necessary. It is your responsibility to ensure that all Patrons and any contractors comply with all relevant Health and Safety legislation or any other relevant guidelines at all times during the Hire Period. If requested, you must provide a copy of the risk assessment to the Council or any other relevant body such as the Health and Safety Executive.
10.2 You shall familiarise yourself with the evacuation procedure in case of fire or a bomb threat at the Venue. Details can be obtained from the events team
10.3 The Council may in its absolute discretion employ police officers or other persons to maintain order at the Venue during the Hire Period and in this event you will pay to the Council on demand the expenses so incurred.
11. Indemnity and Insurance
11.1 The Council is not responsible and will not accept liability for any loss, damage, injury or death to any persons or property in the Venue or attending or connected to the Event regardless of how or by whom it is caused save where the death or personal injury is as a result of the negligence of a Council employee, agent or contractor.
11.2 You are responsible for all health and safety aspects of the Venue during the Hire Period. You must accept liability for any loss, damage, injury or death caused by any person within your control to any person or property whilst they are in, or in the immediate vicinity of the Venue regardless of how such loss, damage, injury or death is caused. Such liability shall, include, but shall not be limited to any loss, damage, injury or death caused by objects being expelled from the Venue by explosion or other means or being propelled or driven off the Venue by you or by any of your employees, agents or contractors.
11.3 You agree to indemnify the Council against all claims, actions, demands, proceedings, cost or awards in respect of any loss, damage, injury or death to any person or property for which you are responsible under clause 11.2.
11.4 You will arrange for and maintain public liability insurance to cover any liabilities that may arise to any persons or property out of your hire of the Venue. Such policy shall cover the hirer, guests and attendees and any contractors or similar. The minimum level of indemnity shall not be less than five million pounds (£5,000,000) and for certain events the Council may require a higher level of indemnity. In addition you agree to indemnify the Council for any acts, claims, complaints or proceedings that may arise in connection with the hire and ensure that these are dealt with promptly. For The Tomlinson Centre a minimum of two million pounds (£2,000,000) cover is acceptable due to the event type and risk level.
11.5 You must ensure that your Public Liability Insurance covers any person and/or organisation whom you have instructed or authorised to appear at the Event. Also see clause 11.6.
11.6 Public Liability Insurance cover can be purchased online at http://www.events-insurance.co.uk Other options hirers can explore include contacting their Home Contents Insurers who may be prepared to extend the liability cover for a one off event; an insurance broker would also be able to assist in sourcing the most cost effective cover.
11.7 All insurance obtained is the responsibility of the hirer and is entirely independent of the LB Hackney.
11.8 You shall be responsible for all plant, equipment or materials or other effects which you or anyone associated with you brings into the Venue. The Council accepts no responsibility or liability for the loss, damage or theft of any such items regardless of how such loss, damage or theft is caused.
11.9 You must provide the Council with proof of the required levels of insurance. If you fail to do so the Council has the right to cancel your booking.
11.10 You shall be responsible for making all arrangements for and payments to any third party contractors you engage pursuant to this Contract, and the Council shall have no liability whatsoever to you or any third parties with regard to any such arrangements or payments.
12. Property not Removed
12.1 You must ensure that all of your property and the property of any of your contractors (e.g. caterers, bands) or Patrons is removed from the Venue at the end of the Hire Period. Any property left behind may be removed and stored or disposed of by the Council. Any costs incurred by the Council in relation to such storage or disposal must be reimbursed by you. The Council will not be held responsible for any damage to or theft of by or during the course of its removal or storage.
12.2 Any property which has not been claimed twenty four (24) hours after the Event may be sold or disposed of by the Council. The proceeds of any such sale shall belong to the Council.
12.3 The Council accepts no responsibility for lost, damaged or stolen goods deposited within the Cloakroom at the Venue.
13. Variation and Special Conditions
13.1 The terms of the Contract can not be varied without the prior written consent of the Council.
13.2 The Council shall be entitled to vary the terms of this Contract at any time on giving you notice in writing.
13.3 Depending on the nature of the Event, the Council may impose additional terms and conditions to those set out above or amend these terms and conditions. You will be informed of such changes or additions in writing.
14. Cancellation
14.1 The Council and its authorised officers may with immediate effect cancel a booking if:
you do not comply with the terms of the Contract or the Council reasonably believes that the Event is likely to be in breach of the Contract; or
you act contrary to statute, regulation or other law applicable to the hiring, including those made by the Council and the Council's bye-laws; or
it comes to Council’s attention that the information provided on the booking form is not correct; or
you have failed to obtain any necessary licences, permits or consents for the Event and/or the Event would be contrary to the premises licence or the licensing objectives expressed in the Licensing Act 2003; or
you commit any acts or actions being an offence under the Prevention of Corruption Acts 1889 to 1916, or section 117(2) of the Local Government Act 1972 or are charged with a serious criminal charge or are accused, charged or convicted of drugs offences or money laundering or any activities which could have the effect of bringing the Council’s name into disrepute; or
the Event would otherwise be contrary to law.
14.2 If the Council cancels your booking prior to the Due Date (28 days before the event) for any reason given in clause 14.1 above, the Council will refund the Hire Fee (if paid) but (for external events only) minus the non-refundable Booking Deposit, together with any Damage Deposit paid by you
14.3 If the Council cancels your booking on or after the Due Date (28 days or less before the event) for any reason given in clause 14.1 above, the Council will not be liable to refund any sums paid or payable by you to the Council under this Contract with the exception of the Damage Deposit (external events only).
14.4 If you cancel your booking prior to the Due Date (28 days or more before the event), the Council will refund in full the Hire Fee (if paid) but minus the non refundable 33% Booking Deposit, together with any Damage Deposit paid by you.
14.5 If you cancel your booking on or after the Due Date (28 days prior or less before the event), and the Council is not able to re-hire the Venue, the Council will not be liable to refund any sums paid or payable by you to the Council under this Contract.
14.6 If the Council cancels your booking where you are not at fault, the Council will refund any sums paid by you without any deductions within fourteen (14) days of cancellation.
14.7 Notice of any cancellation under this clause shall be in writing and served on the other party at the address set out herein.
15. Waiver
15.1 If the Council through the Events Officer fails to exercise or delays in exercising any right or remedy under these terms and conditions or at law it will not constitute a waiver of any such right or remedy. If the Council through the Events Officer waives a breach or default by you of these terms and conditions it will not constitute a waiver of any future breach or default.
16. Severance
16.1 If any provision of these terms and conditions shall become or shall be declared by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid or unenforceable in any way, such invalidity or unenforceability shall in no way impair or affect any other provision of the terms and conditions all of which shall remain in full force and effect.
17. Jurisdiction
17.1 The Contract shall be governed by and construed in accordance with English law and the Courts of England shall have exclusive jurisdiction in relation to any claim or dispute or any other related matter.
18. Contracts (Rights of Third Parties) Act 1999
18.1 No person who is not a party to the Contract shall have any rights hereunder by virtue of the Contracts (Right of Third Parties) Act 1999 or otherwise.
19 COVID-19 Restrictions
19.1 Should your event fall during a time where social distancing or operational restrictions are required due to the Covid-19 pandemic, please speak to your event manager. If you have your event / ceremony booked and there is a national lockdown or we enter a tier where events / ceremonies cannot take place then you have the option to move the date within 12 months or cancel at an administration fee of £50.
19.2 Our advertised capacities are the original capacities set by Health & Safety pre COVID-19. During the pandemic the venue capacities may be reduced due to social distancing measures in place. The price of the venue is not reduced due to the venue capacity.
19.2 If your ceremony / event is cancelled in relation to COVID-19 with regards to a national lockdown or a tier that prevents the council from operating then you can move your booking within the next 12 months free of charge. Alternatively standard cancellation fees will apply.