Hire Terms & Conditions

General

  1. All completed bookings are subject to review. If we feel the booking would risk any licence we hold or the terms of our own insurance, we reserve the right to cancel the booking and refund your money immediately.

  2. No more than a MAXIMUM of 40 people are currently allowed in the Hall during dry hire without informing us. More than 40 people may require staff or risk assessments.

  3. At no time should Fire Exits be blocked or obstructed. The Hirer is responsible for familiarising and understanding the Fire Safety Notices.  Note: Fire Assembly point is at the bottom of Stepcote Hill in front of St Mary’s Steps Church.

  4. It is extremely important that all users respect local residents with regard to noise levels from both the users of the Hall and any hired music. Strictly no music after 22.00. The Hall is fitted with a remote noise monitor. (Failure to keep noise levels down may jeopardise our Licence and future bookings of the Hall).

  5. Fireworks are not allowed.

  6. No confetti is to be used inside or outside of the hall.

  7. Under all circumstances any damages or breakages should be reported immediately to the hello@thehallexeter.org or 01392 211 1111  These will be paid for by the hirer.

  8. No Sellotape, Blue Tac or fixings to be applied to the walls.

  9. Nothing shall be fixed, taped to the floor or the floor pierced in any way. The Hall has underfloor heating and nails, screws will burst the pipes. 

  10. If you are using your own caterer, we will need to see their copy of environmental health, food hygiene and insurance paperwork. 

  11. If you are hiring for commercial purposes, we will need a copy of your indemnity insurance. This can be uploaded as part of your booking, or provided later if it is not in hand. You will not be able to take the key without this paperwork in place. 

  12. It is the Hirers responsibility that all electrical equipment brought onto the premises complies with current safety standards, i.e. P.A.T. tested.

  13. The Hirer is responsible for ensuring adequate Public Liability insurance for all activities and a copy must be included with this booking.

  14. The Hall is a non-smoking building, including the area outside the Hall. The only smoking area is at the foot of Stepcote Hill so as not to disturb residents living opposite The Hall.

After the Event

  1. The Hall should be thoroughly tidied and left as found, including the toilets.

  2. All rubbish is emptied into the outside bin.

  3. All tables should be wiped, chairs and equipment returned to their original position.

  4. All party decorations to be removed at the end of the hire.

  5. All lighting and any electrical appliances used to be switched off.

  6. Secure all windows and doors at the end of the hire.

  7. Let either Alexei or Ruth know that the building has been vacated, and the key returned

Fire

Responsibility

The named person hiring the hall is also responsible for fire safety and evacuation procedures for the period of the hiring. It is their responsibility to ensure all of the occupants are aware of the procedure for evacuating the hall if the need arises. We suggest this is done at the commencement of the event when guests have arrived. In the event of a need to evacuate The Hall, the fire marshal will:

  • Ensure the building has been evacuated, provided it is safe to do so

  • Complete a roll call to ensure everyone is accounted for and to call and liaise with the emergency services.

Fire evacuation procedure

In the event of a fire or the alarm sounding during your hiring of the hall the occupants must follow the evacuation procedure below:

Identify the safest point of exit, either via the front door or the fire doors at the rear of the building. If you choose the rear exits turn left and follow escape route through the gates out to the safety of the car park on Western Way, ensuring that everyone has left the building.

DO NOT ATTEMPT TO COLLECT PERSONAL EFFECTS AND BELONGINGS, LEAVE THE BUILDING IN A SAFE AND SENSIBLE MANNER

Ensure that someone has called the emergency services 999

The fire assembly point is in front of the Thrifty Stork on Western Way.

Complete a roll call to ensure that everyone is accounted for.

Wait for the fire service to arrive do not attempt the go back into the building until you are told it is safe to do so.

Covid 19

Covid Guidelines and Procedures

  1. Nobody should attend the premises if they have symptoms or are self-isolating due to symptoms in their household. 

  2. Clean your hands often: Sanitiser is provided at entry and exit points, sanitiser and/or running water, soap and single use towels must be used regularly and especially before and after using toilet facilities. Recommended 20 seconds of washing each time.

  3. Respiratory hygiene: Everyone needs to be encouraged to avoid touching their mouth, eyes, and nose. Tissues need to be disposed of into a bin, then hands cleaned. “Catch it, Bin it, Kill it”

  4. Regular cleaning of surfaces that are touched frequently: including door handles, handrails, table tops, kitchen surfaces. Ordinary domestic products can be used and anti viral product used frequently for high contact areas eg door knobs.

  5.  Maintain social distancing where possible: Social distancing guidelines currently require at least 2 metres (3 steps) to be maintained between individuals and households. Bookings are accepted subject to hirers making assurances they will enforce these requirements and ensure social distancing will be maintained, the number of people each person has contact with is reduced to a small group and/or contacts below 2m are minimised and transitory. Parties and group bookings are restricted to a total of 30 persons.

  6. From 14th September 2020 the ruling is that no more than 6 persons from the same bubble or family group can meet. However, NVH can still accommodate 30 persons provided the rule of 6 is adhered to. Effectively if a gathering of 30 people are present for example it can be made up of 5 groups of 6 people. Each group would consist of people from the same bubble or family group. There may be different bubble or family groups to make up the total number of groups. But the groups must socially distance themselves from each other. Socialising or intermingling between groups is not allowed.

  7. At the closing of the event: The hirers of the hall, party organisers or designated supervisors are responsible for cleaning all the surfaces used during the event. (Table tops, Kitchen counters, door handles etc) before vacating the hall. Contaminated waste must be black bin bagged, removed from the hall and placed outside the front door. Floor should be swept if food has been eaten and if appropriate mopped. In general everything should be cleaned and returned to the way that it was.