Rye Harbour Discovery Centre: Room Hire Terms & Conditions

Bookings
You must complete a booking form to register your details and select options for room hire & catering. A member of staff will contact you via email to let you know costs and available dates. The payment of all sums due from the Hirer shall be made 45 days after the date of RHDC’s valid VAT invoice.  For the avoidance of doubt, an invoice shall not be valid unless it contains the Hirer’s purchase order number. The booking is only valid once the booking form has been submitted, details have been agreed and full payment has been made.

Contact
Please email [email protected] if you have any further questions about booking room hire or call 01797 360960 to speak with a member of staff.

Cancellations
Once the booking is confirmed:

• Cancellation more than 14 days before the room hire start date = 100% of total booking cost fully refunded
• Cancellation between 7 and 14 days before the room hire start date = 50% of total booking cost refunded
• Cancellation less than 7 days before the room hire start date = 25% of total booking cost refunded

Cancellation by RHDC
The Discovery Centre reserves the right to cancel a hiring by written notice to the Hirer in the event of a Force Majeure Situation (defined below) that requires the premises to be closed.

If the Hirer or RHDC cancels the venue hire due to a Force Majeure Event, the Hirer and RHDC will work together to try to reschedule the venue hire for an alternative suitable date.

If this isn’t possible, the Hirer shall be entitled to a full refund of any hire fees already paid, but RHDC will not be liable for any resulting direct or indirect loss or damages whatsoever.

Force Majeure Event
For the purposes of these Terms, a “Force Majeure Event” includes any act, event, non-occurrence, omission or accident beyond our reasonable control and includes, without limitation, the following:

• strikes, lock-outs, boycott or other industrial action (whether involving our workforce or any other party);
• civil commotion, riot, invasion, terrorist attack or threat of terrorist attack, war (whether declared or not) or threat or preparation for war;
• act of God (including, without limitation, fire, tempest, storm, flood, earthquake, subsidence, epidemic, or other natural disaster);
• failure in the provision of any utility, including power, gas, water, or communication services;
• malicious damage or sabotage;
• compliance with any law or governmental order, rule, regulation, sanction, embargo or direction;
• breakdown, cancellation or failure of machinery or transportation (including, without limitation railways, shipping, aircraft, motor transport or other means of public or private transport); or
• default of suppliers or subcontractors.

Responsibility of the Hirer
The Hirer shall be responsible during the period of hire for:

• Being familiar with, and complying with health and safety guidance provided by Rye Harbour Discovery Centre for the use of the booked room
• Providing a risk assessment for planned activities
• Ensuring that the room is kept secure for the duration of the hire
• Adequate supervision of the use of the room and the care of its fabric and contents
• Ensuring that the purpose and conduct of the event does not disrupt the use of any other area of the Discovery Centre by other persons
• Ensuring that the room (including toilets) are left clean and tidy
• Ensuring that all equipment, chairs and tables are treated with care and left in the position they were set up in at the beginning of the event
• Ensuring that they have relevant and appropriate insurance, which shall include suitable public liability insurance for public events. The Hirer will only be responsible for losses arising as a direct result of the negligence of the Hirer, its employees, agents or sub-contractors whilst using the venue for the event.

Fire Regulations
The Hirer shall:

• Indicate the fire exits and Evacuation Meeting Place to the persons attending the event prior to the start of an event
• Ensure that all fire exits in the hired space are kept clear at all times
• Ensure that corridors and doors are not blocked with items such as buggies, wheelchairs or mobility scooters

Children or adults at risk
For all bookings involving children or adults at risk, the Hirer is required to have their own safeguarding policy and must ensure that those who work with young people or adults at risk hold a current DBS certificate.

Accidents and Dangerous Occurrences
The Hirer must report all accidents involving injury to the public to an authorised representative of RHDC as soon as possible so that they can complete the relevant section in the Discovery Centre Accident Book and ensure that appropriate medical assistance is sought, or an ambulance is called. Any failure of or damage to equipment, either that belonging to RHDC, or brought in by the Hirer must also be reported as soon as possible. Electrical equipment brought in by the Hirer has to be PAT tested/comply with electrical safety standards.

Public Health
The Hirer and RHDC are responsible for conforming to all Public Health legislation and guidance that relate to the control of viral pandemics or diseases such as Covid-19 and to take reasonable precautions to stop the spread of the virus.

Indemnity
The Hirer will only be responsible for damage to the venue caused by the Hirer, its employees, agents or sub-contractors.  At the end of the hire period, the Hirer will only be responsible for putting the venue back into the condition it was in at the commencement of the period of hire.

Cap on Liability
The Hirer’s maximum aggregate liability to RHDC for all losses, damages, claims and liabilities arising under or in connection with these Terms and Conditions in contract, tort or otherwise shall be limited to £5,000,000 (five million pounds).  

For the avoidance of doubt, nothing in these Terms and Conditions shall exclude or in any way limit the Hirer’s or RHDC’s liability for fraud, or for death or personal injury caused by its negligence, or for any other liability to the extent such liability may not be excluded or limited as a matter of law.

Control of claims
The Hirer’s insurers must be allowed to retain control of any claims that are made against the Hirer. 

Governing law and jurisdiction
These Terms and any dispute or claim arising out of or in connection with them (including non-contractual disputes or claims) shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of England and Wales and each party agrees to submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the English courts.

Acceptance
These Terms and Conditions will be made available to the Hirer at the time of making the booking. By proceeding with the booking the Hirer is deemed to have accepted these terms and conditions.