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FAQ on hiring the hall

Pretty much all the questions that people ask us about hiring the hall are answered here. Please take a few minutes to scan it.

Question Answer
THE BASICS
 Our hire terms Oct24 – Please note updated clause 18. Weekend hire is available from 08:00 to 20:00.
What is the availability of the hall? Please check the hall calendar (link at top of page) for up to date availability. Note that we only take one booking per day at the weekend between 0800 and 2000. Booking must be done online at least a week in advance and be for a minimum of 4 hours. For regular and weekday bookings, please see that page (link at top of page) and contact us.
Do I need to allow time for setting up before and cleaning up after? You need to book enough time, in total, to allow yourself sufficient time to set up before your event and clean up afterwards, including vacuuming. We suggest an hour each side of your event and this is why we have a 4-hour minimum hire period.
What are the hall hire rates? Current hourly hire rates are on the weekend booking and regular booking pages. There is a mandatory security deposit, returnable soon after the hire, assuming none of the hire terms have been broken. There is also a non-refundable £5 booking fee. You book online and your booking is only confirmed once all hire fees and security deposits are paid.
How do I pay? You pay for your hire using PayPal. This does not require you to have a PayPal account – you can pay as normal with a credit/debit card. We will refund the security deposit to the same card.
What is the cancellation policy? In the event of cancellation by the hirer, we will refund 75% of the hire charge if the hire is cancelled 30 or more days in advance of the hire date, a 50% refund if cancelled between 30 and 7 days, and no refund if cancelled with 7 or fewer days notice.
What is the hall capacity and furniture?

For practical purposes, we recommend a maximum of 100 people, fewer if you are using space for a DJ, dancing, catering and other purposes.

If you are also using the outdoor space in the summer, the limit is 150 people. But that will be busy if the weather forces everyone inside!

We have seating for about 75 people. We do not have any child-sized chairs, tables or high-chairs.

There are 19 tables:

  • six large wooden tables (1.8m x 0.8m)
  • one round wooden table (1.8m)
  • eight medium grey tables (1.2m x 0.7m)
  • four small grey tables (0.7m x 0.7m).
All furniture you use must be wiped down and returned to its storage position at the end of the hire (there is a picture in the hall).
What is the hall size and layout? You need to download the Hall plan.
Can I visit the hall to look around? Of course. You can visit any Friday evening from 7:15pm to 8:30pm – no appointment needed. Just ask at the bar when you arrive (have a drink too!). Our postcode should take you to just outside the hall: RG7 1TR. The whatthreewords for the car park entrance are: speeded.pets.inflation
THE LOGISTICS
How do I access the hall on my hire day? We will send you a 4-digit code for the gate and a 6-digit code for the main door, specific to your hire period.
Can I leave the hall during my hire period? Yes, you may leave but you remain fully responsible for the hall during your entire hire period. Please ensure the hall is secure and, if you will be gone for more than 30m, that the car park gates are locked. Your access code works for the period of your hire. You must let us know beforehand if you plan to do this.
What if I have a problem during my hire period? Call one of the numbers in the green information/help file at the hall and a volunteer will do what we can to remedy the problem. Also do this if you are running late and will go past your end time – this is a condition of hire and we do check the hall after each hire.
What cleaning am I expected to do at the end of my hire period? Basically, as tidy as you found it, ready for the next hirer. This means:
  • Mop/clean up any spills as they occur.
  • Bag and remove all your rubbish & recycling, from both inside and outside the hall.
  • Vacuum the floors.
  • Tidy the toilets, empty the bins.
  • Clean kitchen surfaces and wash all glasses, plates, and cutlery (2 dishwashers, leave running).
  • Wipe tables and put tables and chairs back in their original positions (see picture on the wall).
  • Report any breakages, damage, and faults so we can attend to them.
When do I get my security deposit back? Assuming there is no damage or broken hire conditions, we will refund you within a week or so via PayPal to your original payment method only.
THE FACILITIES
Do you have Wi-Fi? We have a fast fibre connection (900Mbps) powering our WiFi and it’s use is included in your hire. The current password is on the board above the bar.
What furniture is there? We have seating for about 75 people. There is no child-sized seating or tables and we don’t provide high-chairs or table cloths There are 18 tables:
  • six large wooden tables (1.8m x 0.8m)
  • one round wooden table (1.8m)
  • eight medium grey tables (1.2m x 0.7m)
  • four small grey tables (0.7m x 0.7m).
All furniture you use must be wiped down and returned to its storage position at the end of the hire (there is a picture in the hall).
What are the catering facilities? The kitchen has:
  • An electric range cooker with two ovens and a 5-plate ceramic hob
  • A small microwave, two kettles, several kitchen knives
  • About 50 each of large white plates, medium white plates, white bowls (soup/dessert), knives, forks and spoons.
  • About a dozen mugs and a similar number of tea cups
  • We suggest you bring your own tea towels and kitchen utensils (whatever you need to cook, heat, serve).
  • We do not have an urn.
  • We do not have table cloths.
Do you have an amplifier / sound system? In the main hall we have a Denon receiver and two speakers, which are mounted on the wall. This is suitable for background music. Connection is by Bluetooth and instructions are on the wall. We have a BlueRay/DVD player, data projector and speakers in the Bishop Room. These are not moveable. We do not have a microphone or a PA system. Let us know if you need to check anything that is critical to your event before your hire.
Do you have a data projector? We have an HD digital projector in the Bishop room. This is not moveable as it is ceiling-mounted. Connection is by HDMI (bring a cable). Let us know if you need to check anything that is  critical to your event before your hire.
Do you have facilities for disabled people? There is a ramp at the back door suitable for wheelchairs. There is a small lip in the doorway but once inside, all floors are level and there is a disabled toilet.
Is there a garden? There is a garden, which you are welcome to use. It is well fenced but not child-proof. We strongly suggest an adult supervises the garden when children are there. Note that the bowls green is off-limits and available for hire separately.
How much parking is there? We have our own off-road car park with 36 spaces including 2 disabled spaces.
Is there any public transport? For all practical purposes, there isn’t any.
WHAT YOU CAN AND CANNOT DO
Can I use caterers and entertainers? You can use caterers, entertainers etc., provided they each carry public liability insurance of at least £1m (we may ask to see a copy) and you tell us who you are using on the booking form.
Can I serve alcohol?
  • Option 1 – Bring and serve your own alcohol, use our glasses if you wish (just wash them & pay for any breakages). BUT you may not charge your guests in any way, separately or within a ticket price.
  • Option 2 – If you want to run a cash bar, first get our written agreement then apply in good time for a TEN (temporary event notice), from Wokingham Council.
Can I decorate the hall? You can decorate, but you must use the low tack tape we supply (nothing else – you can find it on the shelf above the dishwasher in the corridor behind the bar) and please return the rest of the roll. Do not use blue tac, white tac, cellotape, pins, or anything else – they all damage the hall and may result in a charge to your security deposit. You must not attach anything to lights or to pictures (safety). Don’t forget to leave yourself enough time to take down all decorations and tidy up.
Can I use confetti? If you use confetti you must have a way to clean it up, inside and outside. Do not use confetti bombs.
Can I have a Bouncy castle? You can have one but only the smallest ones fit inside, larger ones need to be outside in the garden. You are responsible for safety, supervision and insurance so use a good supplier and let us have a copy of their insurance certificate.
Can I use a BBQ? You can bring a BBQ, but you must position it outside, a safe distance from the hall and the LPG tank (buried in the garden). Note that our BBQ is not available to hirers and we do not have any BBQ tools.
Do you allow teenage parties?  We hire only to local hirers we know for teenage parties, subject to special terms that will include organised security.
   

If you have a question not answered above, why not visit the hall any Friday evening? Please arrive between 19:15 and 20:30. No need to book, just be aware we may not open over Christmas and Easter holidays.

Or  you may email us at: questions@victoryhalltrust.com, but allow a few days for a reply.