Conditions of Hire
Conditions & general hall information
WELCOME TO CHERITON VILLAGE HALL
www.cheritonvillagehall.co.uk
The purpose of the following is to try and make life easier for all users - so that everyone knows where things are and how they work and, as a result can make the most of hiring the hall and of chairs and tables.
The Village Hall is a vital and much-used facility and is run by a small committee of volunteers, on behalf of the village. The committee’s aim has always been to keep hire charges to a minimum and your assistance is greatly appreciated.
For the benefit of all users, it is therefore important that we all leave the hall as we would wish to find it. So please observe the following simple rules:-
· Take care of the fabric and fitments as you would in your own home
· Do not make any alterations or additions to the fabric or equipment
· Do not use sticky tape or Blutak on the walls, as it damages the paint
· Store all equipment neatly and safely after use
· Remove any items that you brought into the village hall
· Do not 'borrow' tables or chairs without a prior booking
· Make sure that the Kitchen, appliances and Lavatories are clean and tidy
· Replace empty lavatory rolls (from under the kitchen sink or tunnels), if appropriate
· Sweep the floors, if necessary
· Take your (substantial) rubbish and all food home for disposal
· Check that all appliances are switched off
· Check that all lights and fans are switched off (Don’t forget ‘The Tunnel’!)
· Make sure that all appropriate doors are locked
· If vacating late in the evening, please remember to leave quietly
· Return the key promptly
· Report any damages or deficiencies in the record book or to the Bookings Clerk
ANY CHAIRS OR TABLES HIRED FOR USE OUTSIDE THE HALL MUST BE RETURNED TO THE HALL IMMEDIATELY AFTER USE
Failure to follow the above will inevitably lead to higher running costs and subsequently higher hire charges!
YOUNG PEOPLE
The Hall can be hired by local young people but ENTIRELY AT THE DISCRETION OF THE COMMITTEE. Please see additional conditions below.
USEFUL CONTACTS:
CHAIRMAN: Will Beardmore-Gray
BOOKINGS CLERK: Rachel Annette
BUILDING COMMITTEE: David Annette
SECRETARY: Ross Curwen-Bryant
TREASURER: Steve Peters
LIGHTING POWER & FANS
LIGHTING
Porch: The lighting inside the porch and the external light are controlled by a timer coupled to a light-sensitive switch. They should automatically switch on at dusk and turn off at about midnight.
Main Hall: The lights are arranged in pairs and the switches are to the right of the doors as you enter.
Kitchen: There are two strips of halogen lights on the ceiling. These are operated individually from two separate switches (one located just outside the kitchen as you enter from the main hall, and the other on the right hand side as you enter the committee room from the kitchen. There is an additional light incorporated in the extractor hood over the cooker hob.
Committee Room: There are two fluorescent lights which are operated separately from a pair of switches which are to the left of the double doors when entering from the main hall.
Ladies’ Lavatory: There is a pull-cord switch to the left when entering.
Gents’ Lavatory: There is a standard light switch just inside the door to the left when entering and the cubicle has a separate light and switch.
The 'Tunnel' (storage area & fire escape route): There are three lights in this 'L' shaped area which are operated by three linked switches (beside the road entrance, outside the Gents’ WC and outside the Committee Room).
The Stage: There are two 'rehearsal lights' over the Stage which are operated by one switch, which is located to the left of the small door from the committee room leading onto the stage. There are also two battens of lights which will illuminate the stage for performance purposes and these are operated by two adjacent switches which are both in a splash-proof box (with a 'see-through' cover) and this is located at a higher level and close to the rehearsal light switch.
The remaining stage lights, effects panel and control boxes are the property of Cheriton Players and should not be touched, please, as they cannot be operated without prior consultation with the Cheriton Players.
POWER
Main Hall: There are numerous power points around the hall and these have plastic safety covers. Please replace these after use.
Stage: Looking at the stage from the main hall, there is one single power point in the front right hand corner (which usually has the powered curtains connected, although these can be unplugged if not required). There is also a double power point to the right of the small door when exiting from the stage into the committee room. The high level power points are connected to Cheriton Players’ wiring circuit.
Kitchen: There are adequate power points, which are self evident.
Committee Room: There are two power points, one behind the door into the kitchen and the other to the left of the large mirror.
FANS - AIR CIRCULATION/EXTRACTION:
Main Hall: There are two electric fans mounted in the ceiling. These are designed to circulate the air, either in an upwards direction (to cool) or in a downwards direction (to push the heat back down). The control panel for these is on the right hand side of the main entrance doors above the light switches. The top right hand switch is the on/off; the switch to the left is to adjust the fans to blow up or down and the sliding control beneath adjusts the speed.
Kitchen: There is a filter/extractor over the hob in the kitchen which takes steam and smells out into the tunnel. Controls are as for a domestic extractor. Please also make sure that this is switched on when using the tea urn, otherwise the steam will damage the kitchen units and decorations.
THE STAGE
CURTAINS:
The front curtains are electrically operated. On no account should they be operated manually. The control for these is by the light switches just inside the door to the hall, and consists of three 'touch' switches (i.e. do NOT hold them down, just press and release).
Please do NOT disconnect the curtains (or any hooks) from the curtain track or move the end stops - it will cause problems with the cords and the motor.
REMOVABLE STAGE FLOOR:
There is a folding insert which can be added to fill in the gap in the stage beside the committee room doors. This is usually stored at the back of the stage. If you need to move the stage steps, please replace them in this recess to facilitate easy and safe access to the stage.
SOUND AND LIGHTING EQUIPMENT:
In the far left hand corner of the stage, in addition to the lights and curtain controls already mentioned, are various switches, fuse boxes and sound/lighting controls which should NOT be touched. These are the property of the Cheriton Players and have no bearing on the day-to-day use of the hall or stage. There is also a quantity of flood and spotlights suspended from special lighting rails over the stage and sometimes in the main hall. These should NOT be touched, please.
STAGE DOOR:
Please be careful when using this door. It is very low and the steps into the committee room also have non-standard treads which could prove dangerous if not used cautiously.
CENTRAL HEATING
There is an efficient oil-fired central system (which also supplies the hot water) with the boiler located in the Tunnel. The thermostat control for this is located in the main hall, to the right of the door into the Gents' WC. This is usually set at 18 degrees, and if you need more or less heat, just press the digital control up or down. It should normally not be necessary to adjust any other controls. If, for some reason you need to turn a radiator off, please make sure that you turn it back on again before leaving.
The boiler timer is set to accommodate most needs, and to avoid heating the hall when it is not necessary. However, there may be the odd occasion when the pre-set timer does not suit a particular need. In which case do NOT adjust the timer on the boiler, just press alter the temperature guide on the digital thermostat.
All radiators are also fitted with thermostat controls, so make sure that these are set correctly for your needs.
EQUIPMENT
(only tables and chairs are available for rent outside the Hall)
TABLES AND CHAIRS: (located in 'The Tunnel' accessed from the Gents')
95 folding chairs
8 wooden folding tables (6' x 2'3")
12 light-weight folding tables (6' x 2'3")
8 small light-weight tables (3' x 2'3")
2 Tombola barrels (1 large & 1 small)
CROCKERY:
80 Green teacups
92 Green saucers
58 Green Dinner Plates
73 Green side plates
62 Green Bowls
CUTLERY:
88 Dinner Knives
84 Forks
91 spoons
69 Tea Spoons
Sundry Food preparation utensils
TRAYS:
There are 13 matching non-slip mahogany finish trays in the space to the right of the sink (at floor level).v
POTS AND PANS:
There is a large 'catering' tea pot in one of the lower cupboards.
Please note that we do not supply any saucepans, baking trays, roasting tins etc, so hirers need to bring their own.
PIANO AND STOOL
KITCHEN
APPLIANCES:
· 2 electric kettles
· Larder-style refrigerator (500mm wide). (N.B. There is no freezer compartment).
· Electric four-ring hob and single oven under with an extractor above. In addition to the standard controls for these items, there are separate override on/off switches located in the tiled splashback to the left of the hob (the right hand one is for the hob and the left hand one for the oven).
· Adjacent tea urn on stand (standing on a plinth to facilitate filling the large tea pot).
TO A VOID DAMAGING THE CUPBOARDS, THE EXTRACTOR MUST ALWA YS BE SWITCHED ON WHEN USING THE TEA URN AND THE HOB. Also, whilst the tea urn is usually stored close to the wall, please slide it forward a little when it is to be used to facilitate filling and, again, to avoid any damage from steam to the cupboards. It would also help if users could, please, set the thermostat correctly and not leave it on maximum!
CUPBOARDS:
The majority of the 'public' village hall kitchen equipment is located in the units close to the serving hatch.
Please note that a number of the cupboards are hired out on a yearly basis to various regular users so that they can store certain items. These have locks and should not be opened, other than by authorised persons.
TOWEL DRYER/VERTICAL RADIATOR:
This is located to the right of the sink and is on the same system as the radiators. It
will therefore get hot when the central heating is operating (i.e. when the boiler is
switched on and the thermostat is set accordingly).
CLEANING EQUIPMENT:
The cleaning equipment is located in the tall cupboard beside the door into the committee room. The vacuum cleaner is stored in the lower compartment with its hose and attachments in the upper compartment (along with various brooms, mops etc).
There is a cleaning bucket in the cupboard under the sink.
SUPPLIES: (N.B. Please report any deficiencies in the report book or to the bookings secretary)
There are clean tea-towels in the drawer by the sink.
Spare light bulbs are located at the top of the tall cupboard on the right of the sink.
Lavatory rolls are stored in the lower kitchen cupboards under the sink or in the tunnel.
(N.B. it would be very helpful if users could replace such items themselves, please, rather than leaving an empty roll for someone else to discover!)
SAFETY MATTERS & MISCELLANEOUS
FIRE-FIGHTING EQUIPMENT:
There are fire extinguishers on the stage by the door into the committee room; in the Main Hall (by the entrance doors); in the Kitchen (by the entrance into the kitchen from the Main Hall) and in the Committee Room (behind the doors from the Main Hall).
SAFETY LIGHTS:
If the power fails, emergency lights above the exit doors in the main hall and in the Tunnel will operate automatically to enable safe exit.
EMERGENCY EXITS:
The 'tunnel' must ALWAYS be maintained as a clear and easy alternative exit (accessed from the Gents' WC and from the Committee Room). Therefore it is imperative that tables, chairs and any other items are stored neatly and safely so that there is no obstruction in the event of an emergency evacuation.
SMOKING:
In common with all public buildings, smoking is not permitted within any part of the village hall.
THE SALE OF ALCHOHOL: A Licence is required from Winchester City Council for a fee 4 weeks in advance of the event. Please approach the Treasurer in good time.
ADDITIONAL EQUIPMENT:
2 sets of step ladders (one standard & one tall) kept behind the door into the gents lavatory.
Piano. This is kept tuned by the village hall committee. Please also respect the instrument and the case and do NOT put any wet or abrasive items on top of the piano.
WASTE DISPOSAL
DUSTBIN: There is a large pedal bin in the kitchen for everyday waste. Please make sure it has a liner in it (spares in the cupboard below the kitchen sink), for ease of cleaning. Serious quantities of rubbish (e.g. after a party) should be taken home by users, please.
WHEELIE BIN: The green wheelie bin outside the village hall (to the left when exiting) is not the property of the village hall and is actually for general use of those enjoying the central village area, although inevitably it is also used by users of the village hall. But, please do not abuse this benefit.
DRAINAGE: There is no mains drainage in the village and therefore all foul waste is drained to a cesspit. The cesspit requires emptying on a regular basis and this can be exacerbated when there are long periods of rain as the water table can get very high. It would therefore help keep the emptying costs down if users can, please, avoid wasting water by leaving taps running etc. Similarly, only biodegradable paper should be flushed down the lavatories. If you notice anything amiss, please contact one of the village hall contacts as soon as possible.
LAVATORIES & DRAINAGE:
Please note that the hall only has a cesspit drainage system and therefore please do NOT put any items into the WC’s other than standard lavatory paper.
PARTIES AND YOUNG PEOPLE (at the discretion of the Committee and subject to a £300 deposit in addition to the hire charge)
If the hire of the Hall is agreed by the Committee, the following conditions and recommendations apply:
• There must be sufficient adult supervision: be prepared to refuse access and deal with
potential trouble makers positively and non-aggressively
• Entry should be by invitation only
• Partygoers should be required to remain inside the Hall and not congregate
outside the front of the Hall.
• Please keep the side fire escape doors closed (except in emergency) while music is playing.
Music volumes should not be allowed to become excessive and a nuisance to neighbours
• Do not allow alcohol at parties for young people under 18 *
• Illegal drugs are not allowed to be used in the Hall by persons of any age
• The Hall Management reserve the right to stop parties that become excessively noisy and badly
controlled. In any event a deposit will be required.
*Please note - People under the age of 18 are not allowed to consume alcohol in the Hall or its environs and parties will be stopped if this takes place.
We hope that all young people who have parties at the Hall will have a happy, enjoyable and safe time.
PRIVACY NOTICE
Cheriton Village Hall uses personal data for the purposes of managing the hall, its bookings and finances, running and marketing events at the hall, hall maintenance and its fundraising activities. Data may be retained for up to 7 years for accounts purposes and for longer where required by the hall’s insurers. If you would like to find out more about how we use your personal data or want to see a copy of information about you that we hold, please contact the hall Secretary