Deverell Hall - Help & FAQ Sections
Some of the most common questions answered for you
Deverell Hall Bookings have tried to put together a list of the most frequently asked questions and help notes designed to give you as much information as possible. If there is anything that you are unsure about please contact us to discuss your question if it is not already listed on this page.
I would like to hire the hall. What do I do next?
The hall is very busy and we encourage early bookings to avoid disappointment. If this is a one off hire (and depending on the days and/or times requested) we may be able to help you with your booking. You should first of all consult the online bookings diary and see if the date and/or times that you would like to hire are available. If they are, then please contact us and complete the online bookings application form and we will deal with your request as quickly as possible.
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How long is a Provisonal Booking made for?
We will provisionally book the hall for up to 48 hours, but if we do not hear back from you within that time, we will consider ourselves free to offer the date to someone else with no need to notify or remind you. Once we have sent the Bookings Forms, we would normally expect these back with your initial payment, within around 7 days. Whilst we do our best to keep up with everything, it is harder for us to contact many people, but eaiser for one of them to contact us.
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Online Bookings & Confirmation?
When you apply online for a booking at Deverell Hall, we need to have as much information as possible to ensure that we have everything correct and to ensure that your booking goes as planned. When you complete the bookings request online, we will normally reply within a few hours generally speaking, but please allow us up to 24 hours. Please make sure that you provide a valid email address for us to reply to, and check your inbox and spam folders, to make sure you do get our reply. Occasionally, some people have not then replied to our response email, and whilst we do make the effort to follow up on a genuine enquiry or booking application, we will not always be able to keep sending reminders to you for bookings.
Until you receive a email confirmation from us, saying that the booking is available, and we have received a reply from you to begin to process the Booking Forms, then we advise you not to make any other arrangements, for example: booking entertainment, discos, etc.
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Payments - When will I have to pay?
If you are in agreement with the charge for your booking, the normal procedure is as follows -
You would be sent a Bookings Form which you would need to check through just to make sure that we have the right details, dates and times. This would normally be sent via email to your registered email address. You will be asked to pay 50% of your total hire charge and send back the form, signed and dated, with the initial 50% payment. Cheques should be made payable to:
DEVERELL HALL COMMITTEE - Please do not send cash through the post!
At least 14 days prior to your actual date booked you would then send us the remaining 50% balance payment (and if requested) a Security Damages Deposit on a separate cheque. If however your booking is only a few weeks after your enquiry, you will be asked then to pay the whole amount, as it will be likely that the booking will fall within the 14 day payment period.
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Do I send my forms and payment to the hall address?
No. Payments and Booking Forms must be sent to the Bookings Secretary as they need to be processed, and the payments passed onto the Treasurer. Your booking form will give you the postal address of the Bookings Secretary who is responsible for dealing with all the bookings. Please DO NOT send any payments to the post box at Deverell Hall, and all payments should be made by cheque, and we do not recommend that you send cash through the postal service. If you have any questions about this, please contact us.
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What is the Security Damages Deposit?
This may or may not be asked of you. It will depend on the age group of the party or function, whether or not you have previously hired the hall, and other factors. Whether or not you do pay this amount (it is normally £65.00) you will still be liable for any damages caused whilst you are in the hall. Quoting from part of the Bookings Form:
SECTION (B) The returnable security deposit is your guarantee that you will leave the Hall in a reasonably clean condition, and may be used to cover any damages incurred during your period of hire. In each of the Halls available, there are notices reminding users of their obligations, and if necessary, you may be subject to additional costs, even if you have, or have not paid a returnable security deposit.
SECTION (C) IMPORTANT: As the hirer it is your responsibility to make sure your events are properly supervised and organised. Any damages that exceed your hire charge, security deposit paid or not paid, will be legally and fully recoverable. We wish your hire to go successfully, but you will be held fully accountable for losses and damages during your period of hire, without exception. These losses will also be subject to any administration charges that we incur.
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What happens on the date I have booked the hall?
On the date (or a day or two before) you will be given a key for access to the hall for the date and times that you have booked. This key is only to be used by yourself in connection with the booking, and then after the booking, you should ensure that the hall lights, taps, anything else, is switched off, and that you leave the hall securely locked. The key then must be returned to the Bookings Secretary whose address you will have at this point. We operate this system to keep costs down as much as possible, and the system has worked very well for many years now.
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Can I see the hall before my hire?
We have designed this site to be as user friendly as possible, and there are many pictures, with lots of information designed to help you know what the hall is like. Quite often our hirers are either parents of PreSchool children (so they already are familiar with the hall) or have been previous hirers, or have been at the hall previously on other bookings made by friends. However, if you need to view the hall, yes we can make arrangements for you, either when one of the regular groups are there, or when we are cleaning the hall ourselves.
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What is the latest time a booking can go on to?
The latest time that you are permitted to book the hall to is 23.00 HRS (or 11pm). At that time, your period of hire must end, and you are allowed up to 30 minutes to tidy, clear and secure the hall building.
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Can I cook and prepare food at the hall?
Unfortunately you cannot. Although the kitchen and hall is of an excellent standard, it does not have the necessary licence for food preparation. However, you can prepare food elsewhere and bring it to the hall to serve to the people attending your particular function.
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Can I have a licenced bar?
No this is not possible even though the bar may have its own independent licence. You can bring drinks for your guests, or they may bring their own drink, but you are not allowed to sell any alcohol and as the hirer, it would be your responsibility for any problems that may arise from the consumption of alcohol whilst at the premises.
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