For additional information please refer to the Terms & Conditions of Hire and please see the front page for COVID-19 updates. (The detailed covid-19 related FAQ’s have been removed – 27 Oct 2021).
See also the Guide to Using the Halls
- All
- Booking the Halls
- Space and Capacity
- Facilities
- What's allowed and what's not
- Clearing up
- Access and Parking
- Accessibility for Disabled Users
- Training
Are mobile scooters welcome?
Can I bring helium balloons into the Hall?
They are not specifically excluded, but because we ask that you leave the place as you find it, that includes making sure none are left in the ceiling. We are also concerned that they don’t interfere with the ventilation system in the ceiling apex.
Can I bring indoor children’s bikes/scuttle bugs, etc. into the halls?
Yes, but please take care not to scratch the floor!
Can I have a BBQ in the garden?
No, BBQs are not permitted anywhere on site.
Can I have a Hog Roast?
Yes, provided that it its run by a commercial operator who is adequately insured for third party liability. Wherever it is placed, the ground underneath the hog roast must be covered to prevent heat damage to the underlying surface, and to prevent spillage, especially of hot fat. A copy of the insurance, and details of how the ground will be protected, will be required.
If placed on the Orchard Hall patio, the hog roast must be at the south end, on the artificial grass area. The grass must be protected by wooden boards, or similar. All equipment must be brought in round the side of the building, and not taken through Orchard Hall. Hall hirer and hog roast provider must ensure that the side fire exit route is not blocked at any time while the hall is occupied.
If placed north of Cherry Hall, the fire exit door must not be blocked, and there must be at least a two metre clearance to enable emergency access from the car park to the foyer and Orchard Hall.
If placed on the gravel south of Cherry Hall, in the Church Hall car park, or anywhere on the High Street car park area, then the hall hirer is responsible for supervision of the car park.
Note that power sockets are provided externally, on the patio, outside the Cherry Hall fire doors, and at the High Street car park entrance. All cable runs from the power sockets to the hog roasting equipment must be properly positioned so as not to present a trip hazard.
Can I hire one hall if there is a group that involves a safeguarding policy to be in place in the other hall?
Village Hall: any booking would only be accepted after consultation with the group hirer in the other hall.
Church Hall: Not relevant as the building being hired is complete and self-contained.
Can I serve alcohol at my event and do I need to pay for a licence to do this?
The Village Hall has a licence to cover the sale of alcohol (click here for details). If you are selling alcohol at your event there is a charge of £15 to cover the cost of the licence. If you are serving alcohol but not charging for it you don’t need to pay for the licence.
The Church Hall does not have a licence. Events or parties where alcohol is sold, or where a bar is run to sell drinks, or where alcohol is provided as part of a ticket covering a meal with drink are not permitted. You are permitted to serve alcohol if you are not charging for it.
Do I need a music licence
For private party hire, no.
For “commercial” hire, where you charge for your class or event, and use recorded or live music, probably.
The Music Licence collects fees for both PRS and PPL.
PRS (Performing Rights Society – which pays the people who own the music) is tied to the building, and the hall pays for a PRS licence which covers all users of the building.
PPL (Public Performance Licence/Phonographic Performance Limited – which pays the people who perform the music) is tied to the user. As trustees we only hire out the rooms and do not use them ourselves and so do not need a PPL licence. Even if we did need a PPL licence, e.g. for running our own fund raising events, that licence would not cover our users, and all users who are liable for a PPL licence are responsible for obtaining their own. Consult The Music Licence to find the PPL tariff relating to your activity. Unfortunately it is very complicated.
The formal PPL wording for the PPL licence (PPLPP116) which the hall might hold excludes: “any third party hire to commercial organisations and individuals earning an income from providing the activity such as aerobics classes, practice and social dance classes/sessions or any event where the profit does not go entirely to the voluntary organisation…
Do I need to clear up and/or remove rubbish after my booking?
Yes. The Village Hall provides cleaning equipment for users in the cleaner’s cupboard by the toilets (brooms, dustpan and brush, cleaning liquid, etc.) and there is also washing up liquid, surface cleaner and cloths in the kitchen.
Please bring your own tea towels, even if you plan to use the dishwasher and/or glass-washer.
In the Church Hall, the cleaning cupboard is on the left side of the foyer and the key is in the first cupboard on the left in the kitchen. Please ensure that the key is returned at the end of the booking.
The halls do not provide a hireable cleaning service.
Users are responsible for leaving the hall or room that they booked, plus toilets, kitchen (including appliances, crockery, etc.) and foyer in a clean and tidy condition.
Please return crockery and cutlery, etc., to the cupboard where you found them.
All rubbish must be taken off site so please also bring a bin liner with you.
Do the halls comply with the latest regulations for accessibility?
Yes. The main entrance of the Village Hall is wheelchair accessible. The front entrance (to the Cherry Hall) has steps so wheelchair users are asked to use the side entrance about halfway down the right-hand-side of the Cherry Hall. This is a fire exit and, as such, can be opened from the inside. Alternatively the Cherry Hall can also be accessed via the Main Entrance and the connecting corridor (see plan below).
All doors in the Village Hall are the required minimum width to allow wheelchair access.
There is a hearing loop both in the Orchard Hall and Cherry Hall.
There are two disabled toilets available (see A6).
There are two disabled parking spaces in the Westfield car park and a further two in the car park off the High Street.
The Church Hall also has a disabled toilet.
Do we have any scale plans
Click for on overall plan of the Village Hall:
And here are also 1:100 scale diagrams of each hall:
For calculating hall capacity during COVID we also have diagrams marked to show capacity with varying amounts of social distancing.
And here is a 1:100 sheet of ready-to-cut-out tables and chairs allowing you to plan your layout in advance. (Thanks to Upton Village Hall for this)
How big are the hireable spaces in the building?
| Orchard Hall | Floor area: 14.7m x 10.5m = 154 sq metres; Heights: Side walls 3.7m Lowest point of beams = 3.17m; Height at centre, to lights = 4.25m |
| Foyer | 7m x 7m = 49 sq metres; |
| Cherry Hall | 17m x 7m = 119 sq metres; Heights: To projector, lowest point = 3.1m To beams, towards kitchen = 3.35m To lights, south of room = 3.80m (this is where most bouncy castles are put – there is about 7m wide by 6m deep of this height) To low pipes, sides of south end = 3.45m |
| Committee Room | 3m x 5.5m = 16.5 sq metres; |
| Kitchen | 5.8m x 3.7m = 21.5 sq metres. |
| Church Hall | Main Hall: approx. 11.5m x 7m = 80.5 sq metres. |
How do I book?
Please refer to the booking page for more information.
How do I pay for my booking?
You will be sent an invoice when your booking is confirmed. Payment by bank transfer is preferred. Detail of payment terms are on the charges page.
How many people can you fit in the various rooms and halls?
Orchard Hall:
Seated for a meal (using the rectangular tables provided) it’s 120-140 people maximum; 90 seated is very comfortable as shown in the picture below:
Using the retractable seating plus one row of chairs in front this becomes 130 people, e.g. for talks, films and plays.
Cherry Hall:
Seated for a meal (using the rectangular tables provided) it’s 80-100 people maximum.
Foyer:
16 seated or 30 standing. There is access to both halls from the Foyer.
Committee Room:
12-14 seated. There is a separate access from the High Street entrance.
Church Hall:
Approx 50 seated or 80 standing.
How will I gain access to the halls for my booking?
Village Hall:
There is a keypad system for entry to the Village Hall. A code will be given to the user by the booking secretary that will only be valid during the hire period.
Users must vacate the hall by the end of the hire period as the code will not work outside the period of hire, so please do ensure you include set-up and clean-up time in your hire period to avoid inconveniencing the previous or subsequent users.
General instructions on how to enter and exit the Village halls are here.
Church Hall:
The key for the Church Hall is kept in a key press on the far left external wall. You will be given the code in an email prior to your booking.
If the weather is good can I pull tables and chairs outside?
Yes for the Village Hall, but it’s not a large patio.
This is not possible for the Church Hall.
Is there a dedicated smoking area on site?
No, smoking is not permitted anywhere on site.
Is there a stage in either hall?
No, but in the Orchard Hall if using the retractable seating (available from late December 2016), the seats are tiered and rise away from the floor creating a theatre effect so a stage would not be needed.
Is there any outdoor space suitable for toddlers/families?
Yes, at the Village Hall there is a small patio area (approx 4.7m x 19.2m) adjacent to and accessed from the Orchard Hall.
The Church Hall also has a small, fully enclosed garden. It contains play equipment provided by the nursery which children’s parties are welcome to make careful use of.
Is there be a sound system I can hook up my iPod (or similar) up to?
In the Village Hall, wireless connection is not possible at the moment, but the sound systems do have connectivity via a 3.5mm jack (provided) and there are adaptors for mobile phones.
There is no integrated sound system in the Church Hall.
Is use of all the equipment included in my hire cost?
Nearly all of the available equipment is included with two notable exceptions:
- use of the retractable seating and
- the exclusive use of the kitchen to prepare hot food (village hall)
These will attract an additional charge and must be requested at the time of booking.
NB It is permitted to use the oven to heat up small quantities of pre-prepared food for no extra charge, so long as it does not prevent other users from using the kitchen.
Performances/concerts/big events: how can I get trained on the technical equipment available, e.g. retractable seating, AV systems, etc.?
At the time of booking, please tell the booking secretary what equipment you wish to use and he/she will arrange a training session prior to your booking date. If this is not possible to schedule, a trained user will meet you on site at the start of your booking (i.e. during your set-up period) and will train you then.
What equipment comes with each room?
The equipment available in each room is listed below:
| Equipment | Orchard Hall | Cherry Hall | Committee Room | Church Hall |
| Tables and Chairs | Yes 18 rectangular tables (698mm high x 1830mm long x 760mm wide ), 80 blue chairs and 20 grey folding chairs |
Yes 12 rectangular tables, 68 blue chairs and 20 grey folding chairs |
Yes 1 boardroom table, 12 blue chairs |
Yes 7 rectangular tables 51 folding chairs plus further chairs, low tables and children’s chairs in the kitchen area. |
| Retractable seating* | Yes tiered to seat 117, with additional row of chairs in front takes capacity to 130 |
No | No | No |
| Hi Definition Projector* | Yes BenQ SU917 DLP Technology 1920 x 1200 pixels (WUXGA resolution) 5000 lumens 13,000:1 contrast ratio |
Yes Optoma 1080P 1920 x1080 pixels 3600 lumens |
HDMI connection to wall mounted flat screen TV | No, there is a TV on movable stand, stored in the cupboard just to the left of the double fire exit doors in main hall |
| Retractable screen* | Yes Sapphire Electric Screen 350 x 218 cm 16:10 Widescreen format |
Yes 3m wide, electric |
see above | No |
| Disc player* | Blu-ray, DVD, CD | CD | No | No |
| Playback connections | HDMI and phono inputs | HDMI, video and phono inputs | HDMI | No |
| Speakers | 6 small wall mounted plus 2 x large speakers |
6 small wall mounted | via TV | No |
| Hearing Loop | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Hand held and lapel Microphones* | Yes 2 of each type |
Yes | No | Yes, hand held microphone with small speaker stored with TV |
| Variable overhead lights with preset scenes | Yes |
Yes |
dimable | Yes, but no preset scenes. LED strip lighting can be dimmed and changed from white to soft lift. |
| Curtains | Yes |
Yes |
Yes | Blinds in the main hall |
| Piano | Yes |
No |
No | No |
| Flip chart easel | No |
No |
Yes | No |
| Stage Lighting | Yes -12 x Compact Par Q4 fixed lights, 2 x Showtec iW720 and 2 x Showtec iS200 (details below – click on image to open on new page):
|
No |
No | No |
*Use of retractable seating in Orchard Hall and/or audio visual equipment (AV) in Orchard & Cherry Halls:
You are encouraged to make sure you know how to use the equipment in advance of your event, and to request a Village Hall representative to show you how to use it.
Regular users are expected to have someone in their group who knows how to use the AV equipment or the seating.
Please do not use the equipment unless you have been shown how to do so.
Please refer to our Performances page for more information including charges for using specific equipment, training, etc.
What equipment is available in the Church Hall kitchen
Details to follow.
What equipment is available in the Village Hall kitchen?
The equipment in the Village Hall kitchen is listed in the table below. Instructions for the use of the electrical appliances can be found here.
| Item | Description |
| Range Cooker | Lincat Silverlink 600 Six hob plates; automatic power reduction in case pan boils dry; twin fan assisted oven; vitreous enamelled interior; designed for easy cleaning; 93 litre capacity (Suitable to cater for about 50 people) |
| Glass-washer | Mach MB9240 Freshwater Glass-washer; five minute wash cycle; fully stainless steel |
| Dish-washer | Mach MB9240DW Freshwater Dishwasher; five minute wash cycle; fully stainless steel |
| Fridge | Glass-fronted, tall. |
| Heated cabinet | Large metal cabinet for keeping food warm |
| Water heater | For tea/coffee, etc. |
| Microwave | Sanyo EM-S105 AW 700watts; 17ltr; 6 power levels for cooking; defrost setting. |
| Cookware | 3 x Baking tray 5 x Bottle Opener 1 x Frying pan 1 x Ice cream scoop 8 x Kitchen Knife 8 x Ladles/spoons 1 x Metal bowl 1 x Microwave 1 x Oven Gloves 4 x Plastic Measuring Jugs 1 x Pyrex Measuring Jug 8 x Saucepan 1 x Slow Cooker 1 x Stanley Knife 1 x Tin Opener Assorted tea towels and towel |
| Cutlery‡ | 148 x Forks 158 x Knives 78 x Spoons 30 x Teaspoons |
| Tableware‡ | White: 10 x Dessert bowls; 72 x Dessert/Starter Plates; 73 x Dinner Plates; 12 x Soup Bowls; 136 x Saucers; 100 x Tea/Coffee Cups; 48 x Large China Mugs; 2 x Crudity dishes; 33 x Soup Bowls Other Crockery: 11 x Assorted Mugs; 40 x Harwell Village Hall Mugs; 17 x Red Rimmed Dessert/Starter Plates; 18 x Red Rimmed Tea Plates; 9 x Gold Rimmed Tea Plates; 2 x Sugar Bowls; 4 x Milk Jugs; 5 x Glass Dessert Bowls; 1 x Gravy Boat Miscellaneous: 3 x Platters; 8 x Teapots (1 no lid, 2 Metal); 4 x Trays; 5 x Water Jugs Glasses: 48 x champagne glasses; 71 x tumblers of various shapes; 48 x mid size wine glasses; 68 x small wine glasses and about 27 odd onesFigures are for guidance only and as of Oct 2022, subject to breakages and donations. |
What other facilities are available?
Toilets and baby changing – the toilets in the Village Hall, including a disabled toilet with baby changing facilities are in the corridor between the two halls.
There is also a disabled toilet adjacent to and accessible from the Committee Room for users of that room (particularly when the Cherry Hall is in use).
In the Church Hall the toilets, including a disabled toilet with baby changing facilities, are accessed via the entrance foyer.
Kitchen – the kitchen in the Village Hall can be used for making of hot and cold drinks and cold refreshments unless it has been hired for the preparation of food. Use of the dishwasher and glass-washer is included in the standard room fee but they must be emptied after use, drained and wiped out. See Q7 for more information on the available equipment.
There is a tea/coffee station adjacent to the Committee Room for hirers of that room.
This comprises a kettle, a selection of mugs and a tea pot. Users must provide their own tea/coffee/milk/etc. Kettles should be filled from the sink in the kitchen, which can be accessed via the main entrance should the Cherry Hall be in use.
In the Church Hall, the kitchen can be used for cooking and food preparation as it is included in your hire. There is no dishwasher at present. To get hot water, the switch in the kitchen needs to be turned on but please ensure turned off at the end of the hire. There is a small fridge that may be used but please DON’T turn it off as it may contain milk for the nursery.
Garden – the patio garden at the Village Hal is available to those who hire the Orchard Hall when the weather is dry. We do not recommend using the patio in wet weather and users are requested not to leave wet footprints in the hall. There is no access from the Westfield Car Park but there is a fire exit gate around the side of the building, accessed from the garden.
The Church Hall has a small fully enclosed garden.
Please ensure you do not block the fire exit when using the garden.
What rooms are available to hire?
There are various spaces within the village halls complex available to hire:
- Cherry Hall
- Orchard Hall – with or without use of the retractable seating
- Kitchen – alongside a hall for the preparation of hot food and therefore exclusive use
- Committee Room
- Whole complex – i.e. all halls and rooms for exclusive use
NB The foyer is a public space and all users will have access to it unless the entire complex has been hired for the exclusive use of the booking party. The kitchen may be used by all users for making tea and coffee and cold refreshments unless a user has hired it exclusively for the preparation of food.
Harwell Church Hall can also be booked via the village hall bookings system. This is a self-contained building including a hall, kitchen, toilets, garden and car park, located about 10mins walk away from the Village Halls complex.
Where do I find out more about how to use the halls and hall equipment?
Detailed instructions on how to access the building, along with your unique security code to access the building for your booking, will be provided at the time of booking.
Instructions on how to use the heating and lighting systems at the Village Hall are available here.
Instructions on how to use items of equipment in the Village Hall kitchen, such as the cooker, dishwasher and glass-washer, etc., are provided on site and are also available for download here.
Instructions on how to use the heating and lighting systems at the Church Hall are available here.
Where should I park?
Village Hall – please use the large Westfield car park for the Orchard Hall and the High Street car park for the Committee Room and Cherry Hall.
| Car park | Postcode for Sat Navs | Capacity (including number of disabled spaces) |
| Westfield | OX11 0LG* | 24(2) |
| High Street | OX11 0EX | 10(2) |
*Sat nav users please note that Westfield is permanently blocked just past Orchard Way and there is no access from Gaveston Rd.
If your preferred car park is full, there is a path running between the two car parks so either can be used when necessary.
If you anticipate having more visiting cars than the spaces will allow, please make arrangements with the Harwelllian Club to use their Westfield car park (by the recreation ground). There will not normally be a charge for this, but the Club Manager will need to check that it doesn’t clash with another event. The Club Manager can be reached by email at: info@harwellian.club
The car park is only for the use of people attending an event in a hall. Cars are parked at the users’ own risk. Please be considerate when leaving the Halls late at night and keep noise to a minimum.
Please see separate page with details of how to find the car parks.
The Church Hall is located on the corner of Wellshead Lane and The Park and has a dedicated car park. Click here for a map of its location.
Address: St Matthew’s Church Hall, The Park, Harwell, Didcot OX11 0HB
Will I be able to set up a bouncy castle inside the building?
Yes, at the Village Hall – both the Cherry Hall and Orchard Hall can accommodate a bouncy castle, with some restrictions on sizes allowed. Bouncy castles are not permitted in the Church Hall. Please read the Bouncy Castle Policy to find out more. The user is responsible for hiring the equipment and supervising the people using it. Please ensure the supplier has the relevant/appropriate insurances (including public liability insurance) in place for the use of this or similar equipment. Please also ensure that the supplier provides all other safety equipment, e.g. mats that are required to go around the castle, etc., because there are none at the hall.
You must inform booking administration of your intent at the time of booking.
The Church Hall cannot accommodate a bouncy castle.