Hall Hire
All matters set out herein are subject to confirmation.
There are two halls available for hire: Fellowship House and St Mary’s Garden Hall.
- Fellowship House, built in the 1970s, is available for hire at weekends. During the week it accommodates the Oak Tree Day Nursery.
- St Mary’s Garden Hall is a modern building which has won architectural awards. One side is completely of glass, part of which can be opened up to give access to the grass area outside.
You will find answers to many of your queries in the following section:
Frequently Asked Questions
Booking Information
Hall Information
Deposits & Rates
Planning your event
Hall Facilities
After your event
Booking Information
When are the halls available for hire?
Fellowship House is not available at all on weekdays up to 6:30pm on Fridays. At weekends it is used on Sundays until 12:30pm by our crèche & Sunday School. Otherwise it can be hired out.
The Garden Hall is in use by the church on Sunday mornings until 12:30pm. Otherwise it may be hired any day subject to availability. On Sunday evenings the Garden Hall is likely to be used for church youth activities. However, when not needed by them it may still be bookable and Fellowship House may also be available on Sunday evenings.
Please note that events in either hall must end with guests being out by 11:00pm and clearing up must be completed by 11:30pm. We ask you to ensure people leave quietly to avoid disturbing our neighbours.
How do I go about booking?
Telephone
You can telephone Jenny or Fiona on 020 8879 4951. On occasion the Administrator is called to other buildings in the Church complex for a short while. You will be able to leave a message on the answer machine.
In Person
You can call in at the Parish Office to check availability. The office is closed on Wednesday mornings but otherwise open on weekdays only from 9:15am to 1:00pm and 2:30pm to 4:00pm.
You may also email enquiries to . Please be sure to include your telephone number and address in your message. You may expect a reply to your email within 2 or 3 days.
Once you have found a suitable date your name, address and telephone number will be pencilled in across the relevant time slot in the halls diaries. You will then be asked to send in the deposit cheque (see below for rates) within the next couple of days. Failure to do so will mean the booking cannot be guaranteed. You will also need to provide a stamp addressed envelope so that we can send you out a confirmation letter. If you do not receive this letter within a few days of posting your cheque you should phone to make sure it has arrived safely. If you do not want to go ahead with the pencilled in booking please let us know immediately. You can always leave a message out of hours if the line is busy during the day.
Do you hire the halls out to regular users?
The halls are used to a great extent on weekdays by regular classes but if you would like to see if we have a slot available please contact the Parish Administrator on 020 8879 4950.
What are the address and telephone number of the Parish Office?
Please mark your envelope “Hall Hire”.
The Parish Office, Fellowship House, 30 St Mary’s Road, SW19 7BP
Email:
Telephone (Hall Hire): 020 8879 4951
Hall Information
How many people can the halls accommodate?
Fellowship House can hold 80 - 100 people standing. The Garden Hall can take up to 200 standing.
What about tables and chairs and seated numbers?
Fellowship House has 6 tables each measuring 6ft x 2ft. 6ins and 40 - 50 chairs. The Garden Hall has 120 chairs. It has 16 tables each of which seat 6 (i.e. 96 seated at tables) and these measure 2ft 6ins. by 5ft.
What are the dimensions of the halls?
Fellowship House hall measures approx. 46 x 14 ft. The Garden Hall measures approx. 39 x 34 ft.
Are there any events you do not allow?
We regret that we do not allow any teenage parties in either hall. Wedding receptions are not permitted in Fellowship House and may only take place in the Garden Hall if the wedding has taken place at St Mary's Church.
Deposits & Rates
Do I need to provide a deposit?
No firm booking is made until the deposit is received. These are made by cheque, payable to “St Mary’s Church”. They will not be cashed unless you cancel your booking or break the conditions of your hire.
The deposits are:
- Fellowship House: £100 for all bookings.
- The Garden Hall: £200 for all bookings.
How much does it cost to hire a hall?
“One off” events are as follows (Rates from September 2009):
- Fellowship House: £27.00 per hour.
- The Garden Hall rates are £36.00 per hour on weekdays up to 6:00pm on Fridays and from that time and throughout Saturday and Sunday £45.00 per hour.
The regular user costs per hour are at a discounted rate. Please apply to the Parish Office.
When do I pay the hall hire fee?
Payment is due in the week leading up to your party. You will need to bring it to the Parish Office during office hours so that, on receipt of the cheque, we can give you a key. Failure to do this will mean you have no access to the hall. We suggest you telephone before coming to confirm that there will be someone here who can deal with it.
Planning your event
What about parking?
Parking cannot be guaranteed. If you need access for unloading you can ask at the Parish Office when you make your booking. Guests will not be able to park in the churchyard on weekdays. At weekends hirers can park near the halls but we ask you to keep guest cars to a minimum to avoid disturbance for church users and they will not be able to park in the churchyard when there are church services. Please check when you collect your key. For an extra £63.00 the field adjoining the premises can be hired but use will be subject to weather conditions on the day.
Otherwise parking is in the neighbouring streets. Pay and display bays operate between the Church and the Village until 6:30pm Monday to Saturday but in Arthur Road restrictions currently only apply 11am – 3pm, Monday to Friday. However we strongly advise you to check the notices on the posts.
Can I have a bouncy castle?
Small bouncy castles may be used in Fellowship House. None may be used in the Garden Hall but you may put one on the grass outside. In both cases you will need prior permission from the Parish Office and we charge an extra £10. We insist that the equipment be delivered and removed from the site during the period of hall rental. You must also ensure that your castle provider has comprehensive insurance.
Can I use any outdoor space?
The grassed area between the halls may be used by those who have hired the Garden Hall, but not for ball games and we ask you to exercise sensitivity to church users and to our neighbours. The children's play area on the side of Fellowship House furthest from the Garden Hall is the property of the Day Nursery and may not be used.
We regret that the grassed area between Garden Hall and Fellowship House will be out of action between November 2009 and early May 2010 due to landscaping and reseeding.
Can I have candles?
You can have small tea candles on the tables but not anywhere else. Any wax remaining will result in a cleaning charge being deducted from the deposit.
Can I have a marquee?
Requests for marquees are dealt with on an individual basis and will need to be referred to the Church Wardens. Special arrangements will have to be made with the Parish Office as to the time the marquee is to be erected and removed and this may involve extra hire charges. We do not ourselves have marquees available for hire.
Can I have a disco?
We do not have any equipment for this purpose but you may bring your own. However, the halls are in a residential area and we are bound by law as well as consideration for our neighbours to keep noise at a reasonable level. To this end we have a noise meter which cuts out all electrical power to the hall if the limit rated for residential areas is exceeded. Teenage discos are not permitted.
Can I put up decorations?
Nothing may be stuck to the walls. Helium balloons tied to chair backs make attractive decorations.
Do you provide a caterer?
Names of caterers who are used regularly by hirers can be supplied by the Parish Office although we will not make recommendations. Any subsequent agreement to hire a caterer is solely between the hall hirer and the caterer. The onus is on the hirers to see that any caterer employed by them complies with our conditions of hire.
Hall Facilities
Do you provide child size tables and chairs?
We do not have small tables and chairs. Most people seem to manage with the adult ones but should you arrange to hire any from a company we insist they are delivered and removed only during the period of your hire.
Is there a kitchen and how is it equipped?
Both halls have kitchens where you may prepare food and the following equipment is available:
- Fellowship House has a cooker, kettle and a fridge.
- The Garden Hall has hob, oven, fridge and microwave, kettles and an urn.
The dishwasher in the Garden Hall has a very fast cycle, but please read the instructions carefully before using it and ensure that all crockery has been returned to the cupboards before leaving.
Is there any crockery and cutlery?
Fellowship House has a few mugs but that is all. Garden Hall has plates and cutlery but we do not supply any glasses. Any breakages must be reported and paid for.
Can I borrow play equipment from the Church or Day Nursery?
No, we are afraid not and the Day Nursery play area and its equipment outside Fellowship House kitchen is out of bounds.
After your event
What happens about cleaning?
Hirers are responsible for leaving the hall in a clean, tidy condition, taking all rubbish home immediately after the event has ended as there are no bin facilities on site. Mop, bucket, broom etc are provided and some cleaning materials but it may be advisable to supplement these with your own and to bring tea towels and bin bags. Because all balloons must be removed we recommend a long string also be attached in case they rise to the ceiling.
What do I do with the key after my event?
When you are given the key you will be shown where to return it. The return must be done as soon as your hire period ends. Otherwise the deposit may be docked.
We hope this has dealt with most questions but if you have any other queries or would like to make a booking we shall be glad to hear from you on 020 8879 4951 or do call in at the Parish Office which is based to the right of the Church in the same building as Oak Tree Day Nursery.
Updated September 2009