Terms and conditions

General

In these conditions "One Birdcage Walk" means Professional Engineering Projects Limited of One Birdcage Walk, Westminster, London SW1H 9JJ.

These conditions apply to venue hire by Professional Engineering Projects of services at The Institution of Mechanical Engineers, trading as One Birdcage Walk, London, SW1H 9JJ ("the venue").

Sponsorship and publicity material

All publicity material produced by the organizer of any meeting, seminar, conference, exhibition, lecture, or other activity at the venue must state the full name of the organizer, the name of the company, name of the event, room the event is being held in and the name of the contact at the venue.

The hire of rooms at the venue does not imply or give the Hirer the right to assume or claim any connection with or sponsorship by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers or Professional Engineering Projects.

Insurance

Neither the venue nor One Birdcage Walk accept any responsibility for any damage, loss, injury, or other claim arising out of the hiring and/or the Hirer's use and occupation of any rooms at the venue or the provision of services. The Hirer will indemnify the venue and One Birdcage Walk against all such claims and must affect adequate insurance to cover the risk.

Fire instructions

For the protection and safety of all concerned strict fire instructions apply to the venue. Fire instructions and fire escape routes are displayed in all meeting rooms, and fire exits and routes MUST NOT BE OBSTRUCTED. Smoking is not permitted within any part of the venue.

Security

The Hirer must comply with the security arrangements in force throughout the venue. All persons visiting the venue must sign the appropriate visitors' book and always wear an identification badge within the venue. Unless otherwise agreed, registration and the provision of badges is the responsibility of the Hirer who must provide One Birdcage Walk with, and leave at the venue reception, a registration sheet giving the full names of all attending the function. A programme of the event must be forwarded to One Birdcage Walk (OBW) Venue staff prior to the event as requested on the Confirmation Contract.

Evening events greater than 50 guests will require the hire of additional security personnel, arranged by OBW Venue Staff, at the Hirer’s expense.

Room capacities

The room capacity, which is agreed in advance between the Hirer and One Birdcage Walk must not be exceeded. One Birdcage Walk reserves the right to refuse entry to any guest once a room’s capacity has been reached.

Session times and charges

The session times are:

• Morning - 08:30 to 13:00
• Afternoon - 14:00 to 17:30
• Evening - 18:30 to 22:00

These times can only be extended by prior arrangement with OBW Venue staff, and overruns not agreed in advance will be charged on a pro rata basis.

Facilities and equipment

The venue hire charge includes a self-service cloakroom and washroom facilities, and provision of audio-visual equipment in the Lecture Theatre.

Audio-visual equipment is available in the meeting rooms on request. It is the Hirer's responsibility to make sure that the equipment available meets their requirements. Equipment may be brought in with the prior permission of OBW staff, at the client's risk. It is the Hirer's responsibility to ensure that any equipment brought in is compatible with the venue's equipment. Any electrical equipment not hired from the venue must have the current electrical safety certificate prior to use.

In the event that the Hirer brings equipment to the venue, the Hirer must provide a method statement to OBW staff which includes: all agreed equipment, a risk assessment, details of delivery, installation, removal, and contact details of any suppliers.

Set-up and break-down

Set-up on the day of the event is from the time the room has been booked. Early set up for a full day booking can be arranged from 07:30 with the prior permission of OBW staff.

Should set-up be required the night before the event, the following charges apply for all event spaces:

• 08:30 to 17:30 - Full room hire
• 18:30 to 22:00 - Evening room hire
• Saturday/Sunday - £P.0.A

Photography, filming and interviews

Photographs and filming may only be taken within the rooms hired. TV and radio interviews may take place with the prior permission of OBW Staff and then must be contained within the hired room.

Booking confirmation

This Hire Agreement will be sent to the client upon confirmation and must be signed and returned within 7 working days of receipt.

Cancellation of room hire

The Hirer must inform OBW staff immediately if it becomes necessary to cancel a booking. A cancellation by telephone must be confirmed in writing by the Hirer.

In the event the booking is cancelled, the following cancellation fee(s) will apply:

Force majeure

Subject to condition neither party shall be liable for delay in performing, or failure to perform its obligations under the Hire Agreement if that delay or failure arises from or is attributable to acts, events, omissions or accidents beyond its reasonable control (a Force Majeure Event) including, but not limited to, any of the following: (a) Acts of God, including but not limited to fire, flood, earthquake, windstorm or other natural disaster; extreme adverse weather conditions; (b) explosion or accidental damage; collapse of building structures, failure of machinery, computers or vehicles;  (c) war, armed conflict, imposition of sanctions, embargo, breaking off of diplomatic relations or similar actions; terrorist attack, civil war, civil commotion or riots; pandemic; declaration of a state of emergency; nuclear, chemical or biological contamination or sonic boom or the threat of or preparation for any such events or acts; or (d) voluntary or mandatory compliance with any law (including any change in the law or interpretation of the law); non-performance by suppliers or subcontractors; and interruption or failure of a utility service, including but not limited to electric power, gas or water.

Nothing shall operate to exclude a party from paying any sums that have already fallen due under the Hire Agreement.

Catering

In-House Catering is provided by CH&Co. and One Birdcage Walk will confirm the Hirer's requirements and invoice the Hirer accordingly as the agent of CH &Co. Catering requirements, menus and final catering numbers must be confirmed by 12 noon on the Thursday of the week prior to the event. The invoice will be raised for the final numbers confirmed on the Thursday prior to the event or the number of delegates on the day should any increase in catering be requested and accommodated by CH&Co. (whichever is the greater).

The venue also has a list of accredited suppliers; the client may choose another caterer from this list to provide their services. Should the client select one of these caterers they will need to abide by the caterer’s separate contract and Terms and Conditions also.

Staff

Waiting staff sufficient for the number of delegates that are being catered for are inclusive of the in-house catering prices. Should further staff members be requested, a charge per staff member will be applied. Should catering be booked for less than the number of delegates attending but staffing is required for the full number attending, additional staff members will be charged at a per staff member rate.

Water

Should tap water be ordered instead of bottled water, a service charge of £1.00 + VAT will apply.

Corkage

P.O.A

Cancellation of catering (CH&Co only)