Terms and Conditions for Venue Hire
Terms and Conditions for Venue hire (room and space) at Worcestershire Libraries and at the Hive
(Updated January 2024)
GENERAL
1. The following definitions apply in these terms and conditions of hire:
1.1. DEPOSIT: the deposit to secure the booking, as stated in the acceptance of the booking request.
1.2. EVENT: the activity or function taking place at the Venue during the Hire Period as described in the booking application form.
1.3. HIRE CHARGES: the amount payable by the Hirer to the Supplier for the hire of the Venue to hold the Event.
1.4. HIRER: a person or organisation on whose name the booking is made will be considered by the Supplier to be the Hirer for all purposes. The Hirer must be at least 18 years or older to make a booking.
1.5. HIRE PERIOD: the period agreed for the hire of the Venue as described in the booking application form, to include any period for set up and clearance of the Venue following the end of the Event.
1.6. LIBRARIES UNLOCKED: the service provided by the Supplier to library users wishing to use the library outside of staffed opening hours
1.7. PARTIES: the Supplier and the Hirer.
1.8. SUPPLIER: either Worcestershire County Council or the University of Worcester whichever organisation is responsible for letting the Venue to the Hirer.
1.9. VENUE – the property, area, or rooms such as conference rooms, meeting rooms, studios, spaces for community groups situated at a library within Worcestershire including the Hive.
2. These terms and conditions of hire are the contract between the Supplier and the Hirer for the hire of the Venue to hold the Event.
BOOKING
3. Applications for the hire of a Venue at libraries within Worcestershire must be made using the libraries online room booking system at https://librarybookings.worcestershire.gov.uk/
4. Before a booking request can be submitted, Hirers must create an account on the library online room booking system on the website https://librarybookings.worcestershire.gov.uk/sign-up
5. The Hirer is obliged to provide a full description of their activity or event within their booking application form. The Supplier reserves the right to refuse any booking request that it deems to be inappropriate, politically sensitive, or unsuitable.
6. The Supplier reserves the right to impose further conditions to meet the requirements of the Hirer and may, at their absolute discretion, and without reason given, refuse to grant any booking request for the hire of the Venue or cancel without notice any hiring of the Venue previously accepted.
7. The person in whose name the application for hire of the Venue is made will be considered by the Supplier for all purposes to be the Hirer and to be bound by these terms and conditions of hire. Where a promoting organisation is named in the booking application form for hire of the Venue that organisation will also be similarly considered to be the Hirer and will be jointly and severally liable with the named person who makes the booking request for any losses or claims which may arise as a result of a breach under these terms and conditions of hire.
8. The number of people attending the Event must be provided at the time of booking on the booking application form and must not exceed the total authorised for each Venue to ensure Health & Safety compliance. Details of maximum number of attendees for each Venue are available on each individual room’s webpage.
9. The number of attendees approved for the booking must not be exceeded under any circumstances.
10. Applications for a hire of any Venue during Libraries Unlocked opening hours must be made by a Libraries Unlocked member who has completed a face-to-face Libraries Unlocked induction. The Libraries Unlocked member will be the Hirer and responsible for facilitating access for all other parties attending the Venue for that booking and for remaining at the Venue throughout the entire Hire Period. No staff will be present on site at the Venue during Libraries Unlocked opening hours.
CHARGES
11. Details of room Hire Charges are available on https://librarybookings.worcestershire.gov.uk/
12. Payment of Hire Charges for hire of the Venue is to be made by credit or debit card.
13. At the point of booking a £0 Deposit will be taken from the credit or debit card. The balance of the full amount of the Hire Charges will be debited from the credit or debit card once the booking has been processed and approved by the Supplier.
14. The Supplier may at their absolute discretion and without reason being given require an additional Deposit from the Hirer in addition to the Hire Charges for the Venue. Such additional Deposit will be returnable after the Event, provided there has not been any breach of the terms and conditions of hire.
CANCELLATION
15. Requests to cancel a booking by the Hirer must be submitted via the libraries online room booking system at least five (5) working days prior to the Event or the full Hire Charges will be payable. The Supplier will issue a refund where cancellations are made within these terms and conditions of hire. Once approved, a refund will take seven (7) to ten (10) working days to reach the Hirer’s bank account.
THE EVENT
16. The Hirer is responsible for ensuring that appropriate supervision is provided for the Event and for full compliance with terms and conditions of hire, including those relating to the observance of fire precautions. The Hirer (or designated supervisor, also 18 years or older) must be at the event.
17. The Supplier reserves the right to put a stop to any entertainment or meeting not properly conducted or which does not comply with the terms and conditions of hire.
18. All scenery and costumes used for performances and alike at the Venue must be fire-proof.
19. For a hire during Libraries Unlocked opening hours, or other unstaffed periods, the Hirer will follow fire precautions laid out in the Libraries Unlocked induction; a mandatory face-to-face briefing with local library staff. All Venues are covered by an automatic smoke detector system and no theatrical effects which produce smoke are permitted.
20. Should it be necessary for the Supplier to provide additional staff for the Event to ensure that the terms and conditions of hire are met, the cost of providing the additional staff will be an additional charge payable by the Hirer to the Supplier.
21. If the Hirer wishes to arrange performances of a play, exhibition of a film, an indoor sporting event, boxing or wrestling entertainment, a performance of live music, any playing of recorded music, or performance of dance in the presence of an audience that includes members of the public or for which tickets are sold or sell alcohol then an application for a Temporary Event Notice must be lodged with the licensing authority prior to the Supplier accepting the booking.
22. No copyright, dramatic or musical work shall be performed or sung without the licence of the owner of the copyright and all such licences shall be produced to the Supplier before the commencement of the Event. The Hirer shall indemnify the Supplier against any claims made against the Supplier arising for infringement of such copyright which may occur as a result of the Hirer holding the Event.
23. The Hirer, the Hirer’s servants, agents, and contractors shall, during the Hire Period and during such other times as they or any of them shall be in the Venue for the purpose of the hiring, comply with all reasonable requests or requirements of the Supplier or their staff.
24. The Hirer shall, during the Hire Period, be responsible for:
24.1. the efficient supervision of the Venue including the effective control of children and young people, the orderly and safe admission and departure of persons to and from the Venue and the orderly and safe clearance of the Venue in case of emergency
24.2. ensuring all doors giving egress from the Venue shall be kept unfastened and unobstructed and immediately available for exit during the Event are in use and no obstruction shall be placed or allowed to remain in any corridor giving access to the Venue.
25. Except with the consent in writing of the Supplier, no animals or birds except for assistance animals are to be brought into the Venue.
26. The Hirer shall at the expiration of the Hire Period leave the Venue in a clean and orderly state and remove all litter.
27. No bolts, nails, tacks, screws, bits, pins, or other like objects shall be driven into any part of the Venue, nor shall any placards or other articles be fixed to any part of the Venue.
28. No publicity material, flags, notices, emblems, or other decorations shall be displayed within the grounds and premises of the Venue without the previous consent in writing of the Supplier.
29. Neither additional lights nor extensions from the existing electric light fittings, nor audio/visual equipment provided by the Hirer, nor any electrical equipment other than computers, tablets or mobile phones provided by the Hirer, or his agents, shall be used without the previous consent in writing of the Supplier.
30. Except with the previous consent in writing of the Supplier, no part of the Venue shall be used by the Hirer for the sale of anything whether by auction or otherwise, except when the Venue is specifically hired for the purpose of holding such a sale.
31. The Hirer undertakes to uphold fundamental British values as defined within the Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015 and will not seek to express or allow any individual in their organisation to express radical or extremist views. The Hirer shall not promote, or permit, the voicing of views in support of extremism, terrorism, radicalisation, or any proscribed organisations. Neither shall the Hirer promote or allow the expression of extreme views about individuals who have one or more of the protected characteristics specified by the Equality Act 2010.
32. If the Hirer fails to observe any of the terms and conditions relating to the hire of the Venue the Supplier may:
32.1. charge and recover from the Hirer any expenses or losses incurred by the Supplier in engaging police or other persons to secure such observance and performance.
32.2. cancel any other booking the Hirer may have made without incurring any liability to the Supplier whatsoever other than for the return of any fee paid.
HIVE ONLY
33. The Hirer will conform to the University of Worcester’s Code of Practice on Freedom of Speech (https://www.worcester.ac.uk/documents/policies/CODE-OF-PRACTICE-ON-FREEDOM-OF-SPEECH-final.pdf) which sets out the rights and obligations inherent in supporting the principle of freedom of speech within the law, including the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act 2023.
LIABILITY AND INSURANCE
34. The hiring of the Venue for the Event does not entitle the Hirer to use or enter the Venue at any time other than the specific hours for which the Venue is hired. The Hirer must ensure bookings made are for the whole time required, including setting up and taking down after the Event. This condition always applies unless prior arrangements have been agreed in writing by the Supplier.
35. The Hirer shall take good care of and shall not cause any damage or permit or suffer any damage to be done to the Venue or to any part or parts of the Venue or to any fittings, equipment or other property located at the Venue and shall make good and pay for any damage caused (including accidental damage) by any act, omission of neglect of the Hirer, the Hirer’s servants, agents or any person reporting to the Venue by reason of the use of the Venue by the Hirer.
36. The Supplier will not accept responsibility or liability in respect of any damage, theft or loss of any property, goods, articles or things whatsoever placed, deposited, brought into or left upon the Venue either by the Hirer for the Hirer’s use or purpose or by any other person, or left or deposited with any officer or servant of the Supplier and the Hirer must indemnify and hold the Hirer and their servants and officers harmless in respect such damage, theft or loss.
37. The Supplier shall not be liable for any loss due to any breakdown of machinery, failure of supply of electricity, leakage of water, fire, Government restriction, strike, Act of God, or any unforeseen circumstances which may cause the Venue to be temporarily closed or the Event to be interrupted or cancelled.
38. The Hirer shall be liable for and shall indemnify the Supplier in respect of any loss, damage or injury which may be incurred by or be done or happen to the Hirer or any person in the Hirer’s employ or any of the Hirer’s sub-contractors or by or to any other person or persons resorting to the Library by reason of the use of the Venue by the Hirer.
39. The Hirer shall have in place and maintain adequate public liability insurance for the Event.
40. The Supplier may require any Hirer to disclose the arrangements (including any insurances in relation to any liability) made or effected by the Hirer for the claims, losses and damage accepted by the Hirer, or in relation to any indemnity given by the Hirer to the Supplier under these terms and conditions of hire.
SUB-LETTING
41. The Hirer shall not themselves let, hire, or license to any other person to let the Venue or any part of the Venue. Should the Hirer fail to comply with this condition the hiring will stand cancelled, and Hire Charges paid forfeited and the Hirer and sub-Hirer excluded from the Venue.
42. A right of entry to the Venue is reserved at any time during the hiring to any member of the Supplier, any officer of the Council on duty, any University of Worcester staff (in relation to hiring of accommodation at The Hive only) any police officer on duty and any other person (whether employed by the Supplier or not) lawfully undertaking duties connected with the safety or security of the Venue, or with the health, safety, or welfare of persons.
MISCELLANEOUS
43. Any complaint arising out of the hiring must be made in writing to the Supplier within seven (7) days of the occasion of such complaint.
44. The Supplier would prefer to communicate with the Hirer by email but may contact the Hirer via phone or by post, with instructions or queries relevant to the booking, using details provided by the Hirer in the booking application.