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Friends House Letting Policy

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Lettings of rooms and halls in Friends House are undertaken to raise income and to help pay the running costs of the building. It is also a valuable opportunity to publicise Quaker work and beliefs. Over one hundred thousand people visit Friends House to attend meetings every year

Facilities are offered to a great variety of organisations as a general reflection of Friends long held belief in the rights of everyone to express diverse opinions. Friends House offers a valuable safe meeting place for many groups, some of whom might otherwise find it difficult to meet together peacefully and in reasonable surroundings. Friends House is primarily for use by Quakers. Lettings to outside bodies are usually made so that they do not interfere with activities and meetings of Friends House Department and their associated committees.

Any organisation or individual may hire any part of Friends House normally available for lettings. Bookings from external customers are made on the following basis:

  • Written details are normally requested from new groups detailing their aims and policies before holding meetings in Friends House
  • Provisional bookings may be made orally
  • Booking are not formally accepted until written confirmation is received
  • All bookings are subject to our standard terms and conditions of letting which are sent to every customer
  • Standard Room Hire Terms & Conditions cover the following features:
    • Methods of booking
    • Rights reserved to charge cancellation fees
    • Indemnity and damages
    • The hirer’s responsibility whilst on the premises including matters relating to health & safety, maintenance, cleanliness, hirer’s property on site and stewarding Large Meeting House
    • Conditions for advertising, the sale of literature and for TV and radio recording by hirers
    • Smoking and consumption of alcohol is not permitted
    • The Society’s right of access to all parts of the building at all times
    • The Society’s right to cancel bookings without giving reasons

A booking may be refused if:

  • The aims and policies of the organisation or individual are in serious conflict with Quaker beliefs. Written details of the aims or policies of new groups wishing to hold meetings in Friends house are normally requested
  • Violence or the encouragement of violence at a meeting may reasonably be anticipated
  • Contravention of fire or health and safety regulations may reasonably be anticipated
  • Misbehaviour has occurred at a previous meeting organised by the organisation or individual in question
  • A hirer persistently breaches Friends House Room Hire Terms and Conditions

Doubtful cases are always referred to the Head of Hospitality. When the activities of a customer seem to be contrary with, or be directly prejudicial to, the work of the Society, the Head of Hospitality will consult relevant staff in other Departments and, if necessary, refer to the Recording Clerk. If doubtful cases cannot be decided easily then the potential hirer should be informed of the delay so that they have time to make alternative arrangements.

Standard charges apply except that:

  1. Yearly Meeting, BYM Trustees, Meeting for Sufferings and their standing or ad-hoc committees or Trusts are given a 100% discount on room bookings and a 30% discount of food and drink.
  2. Constituent general, area and local meetings and other bodies of BYM with their committees, trusts and ad hoc groups are given 50% on room bookings and a 30% discount on food and drink
  3. All other autonomous Quaker bodies listed in the Book of Meetings or recognised by the Recording Clerk are given a 50% discount on room bookings and a 30% discount on food and drink. Autonomous groups may occasionally be hosted or sponsored by bodies under (a) or (b) above in which the case the usual charges are made to the host or sponsoring body.
  4. Quaker Schools and Quaker Colleges are given a 50% discount on room bookings and a 30% discount on food and drink.
  5. A discount may be given to groups that are considered to further our charitable objectives at the discretion of the Recording Clerk. The head of Hospitality may agree discounts on commercial bookings.

A discount may be given to deserving groups and on block bookings at the discretion of the Head of Hospitality.

This policy and standard conditions of letting are reviewed periodically and are subject to change to meet the changing needs of the premises and the Society.