Terms & conditions

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Booking Terms & Conditions

  • Bookings are deemed to be accepted if no written objection is received within 14 days.
  • Definitions
    • Regular User – who book the same room at the same time each week or month
    • Ad hoc Users – who book one off meetings, parties, weddings, and public performances
    • Centre – John Godber Centre
    • Centre Management – An authorised representative of the John Godber Centre, Duty Manager, Centre Manager or JGCOB/PCC representative.
  • Deposits
    • A 25% deposit is required for ad hoc bookings
    • Deposits are deemed to cover administrative costs and are therefore non-refundable
  • Charges and Payment
    • Regular User – will be invoiced at the beginning of each week as per the schedule of bookings and payment is required in full within 7 days
    • Ad hoc User – will be invoiced 30 days prior to booking date and payment is required in full 14 days prior. Non payment of final balance could result in the cancellation of the booking.
    • Wedding Receptions – Wedding Receptions will be invoiced 90 days prior to booking date and payment is required in full 60 days prior. Non-payment of final balance could result in the cancellation of the booking.
    • Bonds – will be invoiced 30 days prior to booking date and payment is required in full within 14 days
    • Payment can be made via Cheque, Cash or Bank Transfer. The Centre does not have a card machine (only for its bars) Bank Transfer is our current preferred payment method.
    • Payment via cheque should allow an extra 3 working days to clear.
  • Cancellations/Changes to Bookings – Written confirmation of cancellation/changes must be received more than:
    • Ad hoc Users – 60 days ahead of the booking to be cancelled without charge. Due to the ability of being able to re-book the rooms, ad hoc users that cancel within:
      • 59 – 45 days of the booking will require a 75% payment of the booking fee.
      • 44 – 30 days of the booking will require 90% payment of the booking fee.
      • Less than 30 days of the booking will require 100% payment of the booking fee.
    • Regular Users – 28 days ahead of the booking to be cancelled without charge. If less than 28 days notice is provided, then the full booking fee will be payable.
    • If written confirmation is not received the full booking fee will be payable.
    • The change of date is a cancellation of the original date if less than 60 days’ notice is given.
    • Weather policy – Should hirers choose to cancel for weather including snow or heat and the Centre will safely be open this is deemed as a cancellation and the above cancellation and change of date policy applies. The Centre will make every effort to keep facilities open in the event of bad weather.
    • COVID-19 update – in line with current government advice (April 22) the Centres usual cancellation policy will apply to COVID-19 cancellations for regular hire.
    • The booking as identified on the Schedule of bookings is the time at which the room will be available to enter and that the room must be vacated by (this includes all supplier equipment/décor) If prior approval is obtained by the Centre Management, then these times may be extended and charged at the standard hour rate in increments of 15 minutes. If the rooms are not vacated on time, then the standard hourly rate may be charged to the nearest 15 minutes. Rooms entered before the time identified on the Schedule may also be charged to the nearest 15 minutes.
    • The Centre may from time to time need to change the room which has been booked or cancel a booking. Any changes/cancellations will be given in writing 7 days prior to the booking date. In exceptional circumstances, this may be reduced to 3 days (ie. Funeral Arrangements).
    • The Centre will ensure that all rooms are clean, tidy and laid out to your requirements for the beginning of your booking. It is the responsibility of the user to ensure that the rooms are left in the same way as which they are found. Nappy and medical waste bins are provided in the disabled toilets on each floor and room or general waste bins should not be used for this purpose; hirers should ensure the appropriate bin is used during their hire time by their users. Hirers should leave no more than one bin full of rubbish per session, excess rubbish, including cardboard boxes should be taken away from the venue to avoid additional costs for refuse collection.
    • Loss or damage to John Godber Centre property will be charged to the organisation or hirer, as will charges for cleaning rooms left unusually disordered.
    • The Centre does not permit the displaying of notices or advertisements in any room. Notice boards are situated in the front reception. If you would like to advertise anything on those, please speak to the Centre management. Display boards are available for hire should you require them. Additionally, updates on our entry screen can be arranged for a small charge. The Centre will support promotion on its media pages and website of what’s on in the venue.
    • The Hirer shall not carry out or permit fly posting or any other form of unauthorised advertisements for any event taking place at the premises, and shall indemnify and keep indemnified each member of the Centre Management accordingly against all actions, claims and proceedings arising from any breach of this condition. Failure to observe this condition may lead to prosecution by the local authority.
    • The Centre from time to time may carry out fire and evacuation drills. The Centre management will brief all hirers where the fire exits and assembly points are and notices are located around the building. The building cannot be re-entered until approval has been given by the appropriate authorities and the manager on duty. All fire alarms should be treated as a real fire and full evacuations undertaken.
    • Smoke and haze machines, bubble and snow machines, talc, gas cannisters, fireworks, hard balls and nerf bullets, lanterns, naked flames, candles (except birthday candles), and confetti balloons/cannons and party poppers are not permitted within the building. The Centre is the Church Hall for St Mary Magdalene and Halloween is not celebrated within the Church therefore we ask hirers to respect this and not organise or promote any Halloween themed events in the Centre. Only Blutak can be used for décor/display purposes, sellotape, pins, gluedots and adhesives may not be used.
    • It is the hirer’s responsibility to ensure the total number of people attending sessions or events, does not exceed the maximum capacity allowed for the room hired and that their event complies with health and safety and general legislation.
    • The Centre has very limited storage therefore it is not possible to offer a storage facility at this time. However, if a room is booked for two consecutive days then equipment may be left overnight (if the room is available) Users with items in the building must provide a written inventory to the Centre management annually and ensure these items are insured appropriately.
    • The John Godber Centre, St Marys Trading, the PCC nor its employees shall be liable for any losses, damage or injury to any person or property, whatsoever, caused by or arising from the hire of its facilities or use of its equipment. Whether the loss, damage or injury may arise as a result of the negligence of the Centre or in any other manner, and every person using the Centre shall be in every respect at his or her own risk. It is the responsibility of the hirer to ensure their guests/users are aware of this and should ensure that they are indemnified by a UK insurer in respect of their liabilities to the John Godber Centre and their guests/users.
    • The Centre deems it the responsibility of the user/hirer to ensure the following for themselves, their guests/visitors and the suppliers they engage:
      • CRB checks are carried out where appropriate
      • they have appropriate insurance (public liability etc. copy of certificates required) The hirer must obtain their own public liability insurance to adequately cover all liabilities for their activities. The Centre’s insurance will under no circumstances cover any liability for the hirer or anyone on the hirers’ behalf.
      • appropriate risk assessments are undertaken annually including a safeguarding policy where appropriate
      • maintaining proper order, observing fire, safety and security regulations
      • appropriate licences are held for the use of music/film/TV/performances/markets etc
      • any electrical equipment not supplied by the centre is PAT tested (copy of certificate required)
      • noise levels are kept to a reasonable level (The management team are obliged to ensure the noise levels agreed by Environmental Health are adhered to and co-operation is appreciated by your entertainment supplier)
      • a fire register is completed(COVID register to be held for 21 days by hirer for NHS Test and Trace)
    • The Centre will not accept liability for any inconvenience, loss or damage caused by the interruption in or failure to provide services or facilities where such a failure is due to circumstances beyond reasonable control, including but not limited to: war, strike, industrial dispute, flood, and fire, accident to premises or equipment, shortage of materials or labour.
    • An adult must accompany children under the age of 14 at all times. Persons under the age of 18 must be under the responsibility of an adult who should be clearly identifiable and responsible for the actions of the child. It is the hirer’s responsibility to ensure their guests/users are aware of this. Children are not permitted in the bar area after 9pm.
    • St Mary’s Trading Company hold the premises licence for the John Godber Centre. The premises licence permits the following to take place – Supply of Alcohol (on the Premises), Provision of Regulated Entertainment, Provision of Entertainment Facilities.The following are mandatory terms of our premises licence:
      • 18th birthday parties are not permitted
      • 19th-21st birthday parties must have registered paid door staff at the doors
      • An internal & external digital CCTV system with recording equipment is recording at the premises
      • A Challenge 25 policy is in place and all guests who look under 25 will be asked for ID. If no ID is provided the team are unable to sell alcohol to guests or allow them to drink alcohol on the premises.
      • Children are not permitted within the Bar Areas after 9:00pm. They are permitted in the main rooms.
      • Under the terms of the licence only alcohol purchased on the premises can be consumed on the premises. Gifts and raffle prizes cannot be consumed on the premises and any drinks found which are not provided by the Centre will be removed from the room until the end of the evening and returned to the hirer.
      • The bar and all entertainment must cease at the agreed time and due to the Centre being in a residential area when leaving the premises after 11:00pm the rear exit into the car park must be used.
      • The Centre is a member of Pubwatch and any guests identified as on the Pubwatch ban will be asked to leave the premises.
      • Anyone continually breaching these licence conditions will be asked to leave the premises.
    • Abuse of any kind, verbally or physically towards staff or other users will not be tolerated and guests of hirers will be asked to leave the premises by the Centre Management. Incidents will be reported to the police if necessary and full co-operation provided.
    • Users are asked when leaving the premises to be mindful to our local residents and keep noise levels to a minimum. Drinks are not permitted outside of the venue.
    • The Centre has a list of approved caterers which can offer a variety of menus at all price levels. Should you however decide to undertake the catering then the Centre deems it the users’ responsibility to ensure all food hygiene acts are adhered to, that the kitchen (if used) is left clean/tidy and all waste is removed from the Centre. The use of the kitchen dumbwaiter is for staff use only or approved contractors.
    • The Centre has a list of approved DJs, entertainers and decorators. Should you however decide to use your own entertainment or decorators then the Centre deems it the hirer’s responsibility to ensure all terms and conditions are followed (including insurance cover and risk assessments) checked and adhered to by the supplier and the hirer communicates the terms to them.
    • The Centre requires that for public performances/open events, 19th-21st birthday parties qualified security staff be employed. The Centre has a list of preferred security companies.
    • The Centre requires the payment of a £150 bond above the booking fee for Events where Alcohol is served or the Kitchen is used. The Bond will be returned in the form of a cheque or bank transfer within 14 days should there be no issues.
    • The Centre is a non-smoking building. The Centre provides adequate receptacles at the two main entrances/exits of the building for the disposal of cigarettes and matches. Vaping is also not permitted in the Centre.
    • The Centre Management reserve the right to decline a booking if the purpose of the booking conflicts with its legal obligations, its aims, objectives and the established purposes of the Centre. However, such refusal of a booking will not be unreasonably withheld.
    • The Centre is a non-smoking building. The Centre provides adequate receptacles at the two main entrances/exits of the building for the disposal of cigarettes and matches. Vaping is also not permitted in the Centre. No other areas should be used for smoking.
    • Covid-19 or public health pandemics

      Both parties acknowledge the Covid-19 pandemic in the UK and accept their obligation to comply with any official guidance from UK Government. The parties agree to communicate without delay any issues that they may have in performing their obligations under this agreement. The Hirer acknowledges that COVID-19 (or any future health pandemics) may require the Centre Management to take one or more of the following measures for the safety of its staff and the safety of hirers, visitors and users of the venue to which this booking agreement relates. This could include but is not limited to:

    • impose maximum delegate numbers
    • Limit food or drink availability and services or equipment. Limit any planned entertainment or service delivery for the Hirer’s event/activity
    • Impose specific requirements regarding personal protective equipment or operations
    • Designate alternative entrance and exit routes

      Any requirements on the part of the hirer will be confirmed in writing prior the event. The John Godber Centre will prepare a Risk Assessment (our most recent COVID assessment can be found on our website) with measures to reduce the risk of transmission, hirers agree to adhere to the most recent version of this at the time of the event and hire. Failure to adhere to public health requirements and risk assessments could result in the immediate termination of hire. Hirers are responsible for COVID measures for their guests and suppliers within hired rooms where the Government’s advice is on personal responsibility.

      If the Centre Management is obliged due to specific Government restrictions or Public Health advice, to close the venue, for ad-hoc hire the Centre Management may offer the Hirer an alternative date for the event but if that cannot be agreed, the booking will be deemed cancelled and any deposit will be returned in full with no further payment required. Regular hirers will receive a credit note for cancelled hire in the event the venue has to close. Cancellations due to COVID on a hirers part, the Centres usual cancellation policy will apply. Each case will be considered at the Centre Managements discretion