Terms and Conditions (with COVID-19 Clause)
Definitions
The Conference Centre. King’s House Conference Centre, operated by King’s House Conference (Greater Manchester) Ltd and owned by King’s Church in Greater Manchester Ltd (KCGM).
The Management Team. Any member of The Conference Centre management team.
The Conference Staff. A member of The Management Team or another staff member.
The Client. Any person and/ or organisation responsible for booking Services from The Conference Centre, or the main contact person on the day of the booking.
Delegate(s). Every person at an event including those organising or attending an event.
Service(s). Hire of rooms, equipment, staff or other miscellaneous items, and purchase of catering.
Booking(s). Any combination of Services.
Contract. The agreement for The Conference Centre to supply Services to The Client.
Total Contract Sum. The total Booking value, including VAT at the prevailing rate, of any Services booked from The Conference Centre.
Booking Process and Statuses
Booking enquiries may progress through one or all the following statuses:
Enquiry. The Booking is added to the diary system but no space is held.
Second Option. Space is unavailable. The Booking is added to the diary system, should space become available.
Hold Room. Space is held but will generally be released after 7 days. This time period will be reduced for short notice bookings.
Provisional. Space is held but will generally be released after 14 days. This time period will be reduced for short notice bookings.
All Bookings will progress through the following statuses:
Contract Sent. The Booking is confirmed by The Client, verbally or in writing. The Contract containing the provisional number of Delegates is sent to The Client. A non-refundable deposit invoice, for 30% of the Total Contract Sum, is sent to The Client, for payment within 14 days. The space may be released if the deposit payment is late.
Confirmed. The signed Contract and deposit have been received by The Conference Centre. Email confirmation, stating the contract number and Total Contract Sum, will be accepted in place of a signed Contract. Any subsequent written amendments or additions become part of the Contract.
Finalised. Final details, including the final number of Delegates, are confirmed 7 days before the event. An amended Contract showing the amended Total Contract Sum is then sent to The Client. Any subsequent chargeable additions will be added to the Total Contract Sum for the final invoice.
Invoiced. The final invoice is sent to The Client for payment within 21 days. The preferred payment method is by bank transfer or cheque. If card payment is used a 5% card surcharge applies. Late payments may also incur a credit charge of 2% of the outstanding amount; this charge increasing by 2% every 30 days.
The Management Team reserve the right to amend or add to these standard terms and conditions before a Booking reaches Confirmed status.
The Conference Centre reserves the right to insist on full payment before an event if The Client is new, has a poor credit rating or where previous invoices have been paid late.
For Bookings that have come through a conference agency, any commission due will be paid to that agency once the Total Contract Sum has been paid. The conference agency must provide a commission invoice (VAT invoice, if applicable) to The Conference Centre.
Rooms
The Conference Centre is normally open weekdays from 8:30am to 5:30pm. The Conference Centre is not open evenings or Sundays or bank holidays. The Conference Centre is open on some Saturdays when an additional out-of-office hours surcharge applies.
Bookings are charged from the start of setup until The Conference Centre is completely vacated, in periods of half days and full days. Half day means 8:30am to 1pm or 1pm to 5:30pm. Full day means 8:30am to 5:30pm.
There is no half day rate for the Auditorium. All Auditorium Bookings are charged at full day rates.
Start and end times on the Contract include access times for setting up, and clearing away time. Events that over-run these times are subject to an additional hourly charge.
Requests for Services at any point after a Booking reaches Finalised status, should be directed to The Conference Staff. Where it is possible to meet these requests, they will need to be agreed in writing by The Client and will be charged according to our standard rates.
It may be necessary to substitute a booked room for a different one, after appropriate consultation between The Conference Staff and The Client, where possible.
Setup the day before an event may only be confirmed 10 days before the event, subject to room availability and other factors.
Equipment
Room rates include Wi-Fi access and use of the following standard equipment (if required): chairs, tables, coat rail, coat hangers, projector screen, one flip chart with paper and pens, and an induction loop system.
Exam desks are available to hire for exams or other Bookings.
The following AV equipment is available for hire and should ideally be requested at the time of Booking: additional flip charts with paper and pens, LCD projectors, laptops, DVD players and conference telephones.
The following PA equipment is available for hire and should ideally be requested at the time of Booking: laptop/ DVD player speakers, portable PA systems and the Auditorium PA system.
The Auditorium PA system may only be operated by The Conference Centre technicians.
If The Client chooses to bring a PA system into The Conference Centre, The Client must provide evidence of up-to-date PAT testing. It will not be possible to use any of The Conference Centre PA equipment unless it is hired and signed for on the day.
Where any PA equipment is used The Client must ensure sound levels do not impact on other people using The Conference Centre.
Catering
The Conference Centre will endeavour to supply the catering detailed on the Contract but may have to substitute certain elements.
Dietary requirements may incur a surcharge.
The Client may only bring in external catering with written permission from The Conference Staff and proof of current food hygiene training and public liability insurance.
If external catering is brought in and The Client wants to use crockery, cutlery etc from The Conference Centre, a charge will apply.
Alcohol may not be brought into The Conference Centre without written permission from The Management Team.
When kitchen equipment is hired, food hygiene and health and safety procedures and standards must be scrupulously followed. Immediately after use The Client must thoroughly clean any equipment used and return it to its original location. Any breakages will be invoiced. All work surfaces and the floor must also be cleaned by The Client. Failure to do so may result in an additional cleaning charge.
Exam Bookings
The Conference Centre hosts lots of academic and professional exams. The Client should be aware of any exams happening in the vicinity of their event and ask Delegates to be quiet near the exam rooms.
There is no half day rate for exam Bookings. All exam Bookings are charged at full day rates.
Unless The Client books a waiting room, exam candidates must queue quietly outside the building until the invigilator calls them in for the exam. The Client should ask exam candidates to maintain exam conditions from when they enter the building.
The Client should communicate clearly with exam candidates that they must leave the building quietly and immediately after the exam, unless The Client has booked a room for use after the exams.
The Client should escort exam candidates out of the building.
Cancellation by The Client
Once a Booking reaches Confirmed status, if The Client cancels the Booking, the non-refundable deposit will be retained, as a cancellation fee, by The Conference Centre.
Depending on the cancellation date in relation to the planned Booking date, a further cancellation fee may also apply. The total cancellation fee, including the non-refundable deposit, is a percentage of the Total Contract Sum, including catering based on Provisional and then Finalised Delegate numbers. The cancellation fee will also apply to any cancelled Services, where the event still goes ahead.
The fee will be based on the following:
Events Over 30 Delegates
8-16 weeks before - 30%
4-8 weeks before - 50%
1-4 weeks before - 70%
Less than 1 week before - 90%
Events up to 30 Delegates
8-16 weeks before - No Fee
4-8 weeks before - 30%
1-4 weeks before - 60%
Less than 1 week before - 90%
Cancellation by The Conference Centre
The Conference Centre may cancel a Booking at any time and without any obligation to The Client in any of the following circumstances:
If The Conference Centre or any part of it is closed due to fire, flood, extreme weather, power failure, by order of any public authority or through any reason beyond The Conference Centre’s control.
If The Client becomes bankrupt, insolvent or enters into administration.
If The Client is more than 21 days in arrears with payments to The Conference Centre.
Where it becomes clear that defamatory content, contrary to the values of The Conference Centre or its owner, KCGM, or likely to cause offence to other people who use the building, is likely to be part of a Booking.
Where any form of damage has been caused to The Conference Centre as a result of a previous Booking from The Client, and this damage has not been rectified at the expense of The Client.
Liabilities
The Client should be aware that lots of different groups of people use The Conference Centre. The Client should be considerate to others, safeguard property accordingly and not leave windows open in unoccupied rooms.
The Client is responsible for the conduct of all Delegates attending their event and should pay special attention to the care and supervision of any children or vulnerable adults attending. Children and vulnerable adults are not permitted in any kitchen at any time.
Whilst The Conference Centre takes all reasonable steps to ensure a safe environment, The Conference Centre cannot accept liability for loss or damage to property, or death or illness of or injury to persons in or around The Conference Centre. The Client is advised to check their insurance cover.
The Client will indemnify The Conference Centre from and against all liability to loss of, or damage to property, or death or illness of or injury to persons, and against any and all claims, costs, demands, proceedings and damages arising from, or as a result of their event. The Client is advised to check their insurance cover.
The Client should notify The Conference Staff on the day of the event, of any damage to the fabric and fittings of The Conference Centre arising from the activities of their event or its Delegates. The Conference Centre will invoice The Client for any such damage reported by The Client or later discovered by The Conference Centre.
The Client will be invoiced for any excessive or specialised cleaning required as a result of their event.
The Client may be asked to produce evidence of appropriate PAT testing for any electrical equipment brought into The Conference Centre. The Conference Centre may insist that uncertified equipment is not used.
The Conference Centre will not accept any form of abuse towards its staff, or others in the building, and reserves the right to ask offending Delegates to leave the building. This could also negatively affect any future bookings The Client may want to make.
Fire Safety
The Client is advised to be familiar with the Emergency Action Plan (copies available on request) and the location of fire exits and escape routes.
The Client must never block any fire exit, escape route or staircase.
The Client is responsible for keeping a register (blank ones available on request) of all Delegates at their event. The Client will need to take this register to the assembly point, in event of an evacuation.
The Client should ask any Delegates who smoke, to do so at least 3 metres away from the entrance, and use the cigarette bin provided. The use of e-cigarettes is not permitted in the building.
The Conference Centre does not allow the use of candles, indoor fireworks or pyrotechnics.
Data Protection
The Client consents to The Conference Centre holding contact details and other information about The Client in electronic form. This information is used to fulfil our Contracts and occasionally to inform The Client of upgrades or changes to The Conference Centre.
The Conference Centre makes every effort to protect this information, restricting access to both paper and electronic versions and protecting our network from outside invasion.
Any devices using The Conference Centre WiFi network will be logged for 30 days.
General
The Client should ask Delegates to take care not to disturb other people using the building, particularly those sitting exams.
The Client should ask Delegates to dispose of waste in the bins and recycling containers provided.
The Conference Centre does not allow anything to be fixed to any ceiling, wall or floor with white tack or adhesive tape or similar materials. Blu-tac may be used with written permission from The Conference Staff.
The Conference Centre does not admit any animals (except assistance dogs).
The Conference Centre must occasionally conduct repairs and maintenance during office hours. Whilst disruption will be kept to a minimum, silence cannot be guaranteed.
The Conference Centre operates a CCTV system in certain areas, for the purposes of safety, crime prevention and prosecution of offenders.
The Conference Centre reserves the right to use any client feedback and /or photos of events for marketing and training purposes, unless The Client specifically withdraws permission, in writing, prior to the day of the Booking.
COVID-19
As a member of the Meetings Industry Association (MIA), The Conference Centre is adopting their below COVID-19 clause for all future bookings for events in 2022:
Both parties acknowledge the ongoing COVID-19 crisis in the UK and accept their obligation to comply with any official guidance from UK Government. The parties agree to communicate without delay any issues they may have in performing their obligations under this agreement. You [organiser] acknowledge that COVID-19 may require us to take one or more of the following measures for the safety of our staff and the safety of delegates attending the event to which this booking relates:
Impose maximum delegate numbers at the event.
Limit food or drink availability.
Impose specific requirements regarding personal protective equipment such as the wearing of masks.
Restrict the numbers of overnight stays if applicable.
Limit any planned entertainment for your event.
Designate alternative entrance and exit routes.
In some circumstances we might consider revising your booking fee.
If we are obliged due to specific Government restrictions, to close our venue, we may offer you an alternative date for the event but if that cannot be agreed the booking will be deemed cancelled and your deposit will be returned in full with no further payment required.
If you are unable to provide the agreed delegate numbers because of infections or travel restrictions, then we will offer you either a proportionate reduced fee for the event or agree to cancel the booking and return your deposit and any additional sums already paid in accordance with MIA guidelines. If delegate numbers decrease below 70% of the contracted number (notified by the organiser in writing a minimum of 15 working days prior to event), we reserve the right to cancel the event.
Date of Issue: 19/8/2020 (with COVID-19 clause extended on 6/1/2022 to include 2022 bookings).