Availability
Contact Us
Availability
Contact Us

Before I hire

Is there car parking available?
There is very limited parking for up approximately 6 cars outside of the Hall.  Please park considerately should you need to park on the public highway.  There is a free car park opposite the hall for approximately 30 cars.

What’s the layout of the Hall?
We have an entrance hall giving direct access to the Eisenhower room (larger room) with a stage.  There is a smaller room (Montgomery room) off the entrance hall as well as a kitchen area with hatches to both rooms.
There are also lavatories for ladies, gentlemen, an accessibility toilet which contains baby changing facilities.  The hall is fully accessible. A diagram of the hall layout can be found on the Facilities page.

What access is there to the kitchen?
The kitchen is directly accessible only from the Entrance Hall.   The use of the kitchen is included in the hire charge for either the Eisenhower or Montgomery Room.

Can I visit the Hall before I book to see if it’s suitable?
We are all volunteers, many with full-time jobs, which makes it difficult to arrange viewings.   The pictures of the hall on our website are accurate. However, if you are planning a larger event and this is important to you please contact the Bookings Secretary and we will do our best to accommodate a visit when the hall is free (please see Availability).

Can I arrange a Bouncy Castle for my party?
The use of bouncy castles and inflatables inside the hall is permitted as long as the provider has adequate liability insurance as they are expressly excluded from our insurance policy as a hazardous activity.  It is your responsibility to check this with the provider.If you wish to use a  bouncy castle or inflatable outside the premises on the grass near the hall please contact the booking secretary as strict limitations apply.

Is there a stage and sound equipment?
Yes, there is a limited AV suite to hire and includes a 5000 lumen projector and 3m by 2.5m screen with PA system suitable for showing film, presentations and sound.

Is there WiFi in the Hall?
Yes, WiFi is freely available for use by our guests. The Wifi network is called Dday hall. The password is on the noticeboard in the entrance hall.

What is the capacity of the Hall?
We can accommodate Seating up to 160 theatre style or 120 for dining at tables in Eisenhower room (larger room).  The small Montgomery room can accommodate approximately 30 people dining format.

Are there facilities for the disabled?
The hall is fully accessible for those in wheelchairs, and there is a large lavatory especially equipped for the disabled. There are no significant floor level changes inside.

Do you have cutlery, wine glasses, beer glasses, cups, saucers, plates. tables, chairs? We have approximately 100 settings of basic cutlery and approximately 80 water glasses.  We suggest you bring your own or hire them
There is a crockery set for about 80 comprising a large plate, small plate, bowl, cup and saucers. There are 18 tables, 14 seating 8 persons. and 4 tables seating 6 persons, and 100 padded chairs, 20 with arms.

Table sizes are:  Large 1.8 x 0.77m and Medium 1.5 x 0.77m

 What appliances are available in the kitchen?
The kitchen is well equipped with a new double width oven, 6 hot plate commercial cooker, 20 litre Burco boiler, commercial dishwasher, small commercial fridge and freezer, double sink and utensils.
If you want to use the dishwasher, you must obtain prior consent; it operates very differently to a domestic model and you must be instructed in its use. If you have not been authorised to use it you will lose your deposit in the event of improper usage.You must bring your own bin bags, table cloths and tea towels, as these are not provided.

Is there any free time allowed for setting up and/or clearing up?
We ask that you book and pay for all the time you will be in occupation; this will include any time necessary for setting-up and clearing down.

Can I provide alcohol at my event?
If you intend to provide alcohol at an event for which money changes hands at any point, you will need a licence. For example, you will need an alcohol licence if you sell tickets which include a free drink, if you sell alcohol at a bar, or if you provide alcohol to members of a club. Individual event licence for the sale of alcohol will be required by applying for a TENS to Winchester City Council: http://www.winchester.gov.uk/licensing/alcohol-entertainment/ten/

The hall holds an entertainment licence, with music allowed to be played until 11pm (10.30pm Sundays). Events must be vacated by midnight on any day.

As the Hall is located close to a residential area please manage noise levels to avoid disturbing the neighbours. MUSIC MUST END BY 11.00 PM. The committee reserves the right to impose a financial penalty if this rule is not observed e.g. your deposit may not be refunded.  On a number of occasions music has continued on beyond 11.00 pm causing distress and nuisance to the neighbours. Such action puts the Charity in breach of its license.

Can I have a BBQ or spit roast at the hall?
Please ensure you follow the guidelines below if you wish to have a BBQ or spit roast at your event:
1. It must be placed on the grass area by the hall – this is owned by Southwick Parish Council with strict rules and regulations.  Therefore, you must speak to the booking secretary at the time of the booking.
2.  Only raised barbecues not less than half a metre above the ground may be used and must not be sited where they might cause a danger or nuisance to other Users.
3.  The BBQ must be supervised at all times.
4. No hot coals must be disposed of in the refuse bins
5. No BBQ – even disposable ones – can be used inside the village hall.

When do I pay for my hire?
We are unable to issue reminders, so please ensure that you make your final payment no later than eight weeks before your event. If full payment has not been received you may forfeit the period booked and we may accept bookings from other hirers.

Do you offer any discounts?
We offer discounts to the residents of Southwick.

Do you have any restrictions as to who can hire the Hall?
We do not hire the Hall to anyone aged less than 18 years, nor to anyone who may still owe money to the Hall for any reason. There may be some activities or events for which we would choose not to hire out the Hall; please ask if you need to.

On The Day

How do I collect a key?
We are fortunate to partner with Southwick Village Stores and Tea Room for your key collection needs. The stores are conveniently located on the high street:

Opening hours:
Monday to Friday: 7am – 6pm
Saturday: 8am – 6pm
Sunday: 8am – 5pm

You will be asked to sign for the keys when they are collected.

At the end of the Hire:
Please return the keys to Southwick Stores. If the store is closed, simply drop them through their door.  Please ensure that you return the keys promptly as they will be required for the next booking.

My guests want to arrive earlier than the time booked; what should I do?
The Hall will be available from the time you booked, and unless you have made an alteration (with the agreement of the Bookings Secretary), that is the time you and your guests may enter. If the Hall is already open owing to an earlier event being in progress, we ask that you respect their tenancy of the Hall and don’t enter prematurely.

There is another event occurring in one of the other rooms; what should I do?
Please confine your use of the Hall to the room(s) you have booked and respect others’ rights to the room they are in.

Respecting Your Booking and Other Users.
Please ensure that you and your guests use only the room or rooms specified in your booking. It is important to respect the rights of other hirers and occupants, and to avoid entering spaces that have not been allocated to you. Maintaining this consideration ensures smooth operation of events and a positive experience for everyone using the Hall.

Concurrent Bookings
If there is a booking taking place in another room at the same time as yours, we will always inform you in advance.

Can I attach decorations to the wall and ceiling?
Yes, but only using approved materials. Do not use clear tape as it leaves a residue on surfaces which is difficult or impossible to remove. You must not attach anything to lighting appliances or to other electrical equipment – doing so is not only a safety hazard but can also cause damage. We strongly recommend the use of 3M Command hooks – these are inexpensive (about £4 for 20), strong, non-permanent hooks which can be purchased in supermarkets, stationers and DIY stores, as well as online through Amazon and eBay etc. Search for ‘command decorating clips’….
There are some tie points on the beams for the attachment of bunting, streamers etc.

During the Hire

What should I do in the event of a fire?
Please refer to and familiarise yourself with the Hall Fire action plans prior to the event. As the hirer you are the designated responsible person and the safety of all users is of primary importance.
Fire action plans are posted throughout the hall and beside fire alarms.  Muster point is in the car park to the front of the Hall.

There is some faulty equipment at the Hall; what should I do?
We’d be pleased if you would report it to the Bookings Secretary. If a malfunction is interfering with the proper running of your event, you may report it immediately to any of the people whose numbers appear on the Hiring Information Sheet.

I’ve broken something belonging to the Hall; where should I report this?
Again, to the Bookings Secretary. We have an understanding view of accidental breakage, but if we feel an item has been broken through misbehaviour or similar we would expect it to be paid for. We would far rather discuss a breakage with a hirer than have to pursue them later and would hope to come to a reasonable arrangement.

How do I operate the cooker / heaters / lights / other equipment?
For the cooker there is a simple isolation switch on the wall to the left of the cooker and it is operated through the dials on the front of the unit.
The air conditioning instructions are sited within the Eisenhower room.  AV equipment has an easy to use card placed on the units to the right hand side of the stage.

At the Close of my Event

How much cleaning-up do you expect me to do?
We expect that all tables will be clean and floors swept, food and rubbish to have been removed. Please note that our Hiring Terms state that should the Hall be left in such a state that cleaning by our local volunteers is unnecessary; we reserve the right to deduct the cost from the deposit left with us.

What time must we leave?
The Hall must be vacated by the end of the hire period.

What should I do with my rubbish?
Although there is a BIFFA bin at the back of the hall and glass recycling in the car park opposite the hall, please arrange to bag up your rubbish and take it with you. There are frequently several events at the hall during the course of a week, each generating sizeable amounts of refuse. Winchester City Council empties the bins frequently, so if hirers leave their rubbish behind the bins can overflow, creating unpleasantness for all our users. Remember to bring black bags with you – they are not provided.

After the Event

I think I’ve left some property at the Hall; what can I do about it?
We understand that it’s easy to leave behind some item of property and we have a policy of keeping lost property for up to three months. Please contact the Bookings Secretary if you think you’ve left something with us.

When do I get back my deposit? 
We aim to refund the deposit within a week after the event. Please note that we reserve the right to deduct an appropriate amount, if damage has occurred or cleaning is required.

I’d like to leave some feedback on my experience of the Hall. How do I do this?
We should be very grateful if you wish to share any opinion of the Hall and/or the volunteers you have dealt with during the hire process. Please e-mail the Bookings Secretary if you wish to provide feedback.

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