General Questions
Please click on this link to see our Terms and Conditions.
The two main areas that can be booked include the Main Hall and the Meeting Room. The Main Hall can seat up to 170 people in cinema-style seating, 128 people at tables or be used by up to 180 people for dancing. The Meeting Room can accommodate up to 33 people seated or 50 people standing. There is also a small Servery, or mini-kitchen, with cutlery and crockery.
The Hall is ideal for meetings, parties, exercise classes, wakes, reunions, dances and most other kinds of entertainment or celebration. However, it is NOT available for evening parties for hirers from outside of Tintinhull without special dispensation from the Village Hall Committee.
Our Hall is not licensed, but has exemptions that allow hirers to use the facilities for a range of activities between the hours of 8:00am and 11:00pm. Full details of permitted activities can be found the Terms & Conditions
There are also a limited number of Temporary Entertainment Licences (TENs) available to the Hall each year, but these need to be arranged by hirers personally, after discussion with the Bookings Secretary. For more information on TENS visit the South Somerset District Council website
We are very fortunate in that there is plenty of free parking available!
There is a car park immediately alongside the Hall, particularly useful for unloading equipment, food etc. There is a further car park immediately opposite the Hall. There is another car park behind the Hall in St Margaret’s Road. And there is unrestricted free street parking on all roads around the Hall, though we do ask you to park responsibly if you are using the roads.
Our Hall’s facilities can be booked in blocks of 15 minutes (e.g. 5 blocks from 11:15am to 12:30pm) which MUST include time for any setting up or removal of any equipment. Please note that Hirers are not permitted to enter any of the booked facilities before the start of the booked period and must be completely clear before the end of the booked period, so do be sure to include adequate time within your booking for setting out and clearing up. In addition, all functions must end by midnight at the latest, unless granted a specific extension by the Village Hall Committee
A few days before your event is due to take place, you will receive an e-mail containing a keycode which will give you access to the Hall. It will also contain a link to a document that explains exactly how to use the keycode, as well as a Hirer Checklist which you are strongly advised to print out and study. This will help you to follow the rules for the Hall and avoid having some or all of your deposit retained in the event of non-observance!
Yes, there are. The Meeting Room has its own collection of chairs and small tables. The Main Hall has a large number of chairs and tables in the Chair Store at the rear of the Hall. If you use these, it is very important that you observe the rules about returning them to the store correctly to avoid blocking fire exits, access to the freezer etc. Hirers’ deposits will be retained if these rules are breached!
Crockery and cutlery, along with kettles, teapots washing-up facilities etc are available in the Servery, but you must have booked this facility in order to make use of them.
The short answer is Yes! Most of the local suppliers are familiar with our Hall. However, it is very important that you are aware of the following:
You must make absolutely sure that the person or company putting up, using and dismantling the bouncy castle is insured against the following risks:
- Damage to his own equipment
- Damage done to our hall
- Injury etc to all adults and children involved in the activity.
If you do not check this out, and there is an accident – and the castle provider does not have insurance, there is a chance that the liability will rest with you. Sorry to be blunt about this, but it is important as several years ago a child was injured while enjoying a similar activity, and the resulting claim went into £ six figures.
The Hall does not have a licence for the sale of alcohol, but it does have the facility to offer a small number of Temporary Events Notices (TENs) which permit such sales.
The hirer is responsible for applying to Somerset Council for the TEN (a form for which can be found at https://ssdc.somerset.gov.uk/?doccode=LITEEVNO31) which must be made available for inspection by the Bookings Secretary at least 10 days in advance of the event.
Unless a TEN has been applied for, it is illegal to sell alcohol on the premises, or to include alcoholic drinks as part of a ticket price. Please see our Terms and Conditions for more details.
All hirers need to appoint a ‘Responsible Person’ to ensure that activities are conducted in a way safe from Fire. The locations of fire exits, fire extinguishers and toilets should be notified to all groups at the start of an event. These are displayed on a floor plan in the Entrance Foyer.
A First Aid box and Accident Book are kept in the Servery to the Meeting Room. Fire exits are to be kept clear of obstructions at all times. The number of persons on the premises must not exceed maximum capacities of the Main Hall and the Meeting room in order to comply with Fire Regulations
If hirers wish to store equipment or materials within the premises, they must first obtain the consent of the Bookings Secretary. No flammable substances are to be stored anywhere within the premises and any stored equipment or materials must not obstruct fire exits or prevent easy access to Hall users
The Village Hall insurance policy covers only Public Liability and loss caused by Fire, Theft or Storm damage. Regular hirers are advised to take out their own insurance to cover their activities and responsibilities. Occasional hirers may find that their household insurance covers some eventualities, but this should be checked with their insurance provider. Any materials, equipment or kitchen goods are left at the hall strictly at the owner’s risk
If you choose to include the Servery in your booking, you will find around 60 sets of cups, saucers and plates, along with cutlery, glasses etc in the cupboards. There are also kettles, teapots, milk jugs and other accessories. These are basic items, ideal for children’s parties, meetings etc and their use is included in the hire charge. But be sure to read the next item in this section!
If the Servery has been used during an event, hirers are to ensure that this is left clean and tidy, such that it can be used by the next hirer. All crockery and equipment should be cleaned and returned, and any food or perishables must be removed at the end of the event. Animals are strictly prohibited from the Servery area and the Servery should not be used for any purpose other than for the preparation and distribution of food and drink.
Special conditions apply to the use of the Main Kitchen where this is permitted.
Hirers will be held personally responsible for ensuring that the premises are left clean and tidy for the next hirer unless a Cleaning Charge has been paid prior to the event. This will include the sweeping of floors, removal of all rubbish and recycling from the premises, flushing the toilets and ensuring that they are left clean and tidy and replacing any chairs, tables etc that may have been moved. No posters, decorations or notices are to be affixed to the walls by any means without the prior approval of the Bookings Secretary. No gambling, betting or lottery is permitted to take place on the premises.
Hirers are responsible for the security of the Hall if they are the last to leave the premises. This includes ensuring that all internal lights, air conditioning and AV equipment are switched off, including within areas that may not have been used by you, all fire doors closed and all external doors locked using the keycode provided. A report of any damage that may have been occasioned during the event is to be made to the Bookings Secretary as soon as possible. The Hall Management reserves the right to enter the premises without notice at any time during any event.
Hirers are to ensure that any activities for children under eight years of age comply with the provisions of the Child Care Act 2006 and that only fit and proper persons who have passed the appropriate Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks have access to the children. Checks may also apply where children over eight and vulnerable adults are taking part in activities. Hirers should be made aware of the Village Hall Safeguarding Policy (to be found in the Display folder) and may be required to provide the Village Hall Committee with a copy of their DBS Check and Child Protection Policy.
Details of current hire fees are shown on the Village Hall page . A deposit of up to £1,000 may be required for occasional hirers. This will be returned, less any deduction for damage or losses, provided that no nuisance has been reported by neighbours to the Village Hall Committee or Parish Council, whose decision in such matters will be final.
Failure to observe the rules relating to the Hall and its equipment may result in some or all of your deposit being retained!
Bookings will be invoiced around the middle of the month prior to the booking(s) and payment must be made by the Due Date shown on the invoice.
Any cancellations or amendments must be made in writing to the Bookings Secretary at least ten days before the event is due to take place or the full hiring fee will be due. All bookings are accepted on the understanding that they are made in strict compliance with the Hall’s Terms and Conditions.
Opening and Closing the Village Hall
Depending on your booking time, you may need to open or close the Village Hall. Please refer to the Opening and Closing the Village Hall document for full instructions.