EHMCC Guidelines

Community Hall Guidelines

All bookings are subject to the following Terms & Conditions which shall form the contract between EHMCC and The Hirer.

Definitions :

In these terms & conditions: “EHMCC” means Edinburgh Hindu Mandir & Cultural Centre, Charity Registration Number SC008893. “Hirer” means the person or persons with whom EHMCC has contracted to hire the premises and who is ultimately responsible for the payment of all charges incurred. If a booking is made on behalf of a Hirer by an authorised person/organisation they (and all its current and future post holders) is/are considered to be the “Hirer” and is/are liable for the terms of any room hire agreement. “The Premises” means the ground floor Hall including all fixtures and fittings, which the Hirer has contracted to hire at our temple address at  St Andrew Pl, Leith, Edinburgh EH6 7EG

About The premises:

Our Downstairs Hall is currently renovated, it can serve as a hub of activities for the hundreds of devotees who come to learn, worship and celebrate at the Mandir.

It's 22 meters X 17 meters – which can accommodate 200 people. with folding partitions, the hall can also be sectioned into two halves.

The perfect venue for your event, located close to Edinburgh City Centre near the foot of Leith walk, EHMCC hall can be hired for:

• ·   Engagements
• ·   Weddings
• ·   Parties (Birthday parties, Anniversaries etc.)
• ·   Religious events, such as Satsangs and Pujas.
• ·   Teaching (Yoga Class, Meditation class, Dance class etc.)
• ·   Meeting & Presentation.

Coming Soon With Folding Stage Block to create a stage of any size, in any part of the hall, the empty hall is your blank canvas. Sound system, kitchen facilities and dining/servery area also available.

Booking procedure

EHMCC Booking Request Form must be filled in and the availability checked. A deposit as agreed must be paid to secure the booking. This will be refunded within one week after the hire completes. The deposit is non-refundable if a booking is cancelled by the Hirer, without one week's notice in advance.

Payment may be made by cheque or bank transfer. A receipt will be issued once the monies are received by EHMCC.

Catering

Only Vegetarian Food is allowed on site – regardless of whether pre-cooked or packaged No alcohol is to be brought into or consumed on the premises.

The caterer and the Hirer must follow our kitchen Health & Safety procedures. No gas cylinders are allowed in the kitchen – only our cooking stoves must be used. Electric cookers/ kettles may be used on the kitchen work surfaces with care. Plugs on these must be marked PAT tested and operation is the responsibility and liability of the Caterer.

Gloves, hair nets and aprons must be worn by all those preparing, cooking or serving food. All leftover food must be taken away by the Caterer or Hirer. This must not be left in our bins as it will not be disposed of by SVNUK. Extra charges will be made for this.

Cleaning and clearing up after events

Cleaning of the Halls and Kitchen after the event is the responsibility of the Hirer.

Black bags for the disposal of used disposable crockery and cutlery must be provided by the Hirer and disposed of in the large bins provided by EHMCC. Extra charges will be levied if the premises are not returned as delivered.

Payment & Cancellation

Payment should be made atleast14 days before the event. Payment can be made by:

• ·   Cheque – Payable to Edinburgh Hindu Mandir And Cultural Centre
• ·   BACS - Bank Details Edinburgh Hindu Mandir & Cultural Centre (80-02-27, 00328766).
• ·   Card Machine – We can accept Deposits/ charges via Card Machine. The deposit will be returned to your UK Bank Account only.

Only exceptionally will cash payments be accepted and then only in person during office hours.

The deposit is non-refundable if a booking is cancelled by the Hirer, without giving at least 7 days’ notice.

In general, the Temple provides reservations on a first-come-first-serve basis. Still, it reserves the right to deny in the case of Temple-related activities requiring the use of the facility. In that case, the Hirer will be informed within 15 days after the reservation has been made. No reservations are considered confirmed and approved by the Temple or are binding to the Temple unless appropriate payments have been made to the Temple.

Other Terms & Conditions

• The Hirer will comply with all Government and council laws, regulations, fire codes and other ordinances.
• The Hirer/sponsor agrees to indemnify and to hold the EHMCC; all its Trustees, Officers, Members, and Employees harmless from and against any losses, damages, costs, expenses, liabilities, claims, demands, and causes of action of any nature whatsoever and from any expenses, including reasonable attorney’s fees and for injury to or death of a person(s) or loss of and/or damage to property occurring in a manner directly or indirectly arising out of or in connection with the use of the Hindu Temple by the Hirer/sponsor and the guests of the Hirer/sponsor.
• Except where incidental to the program, all other advertising, sale of merchandise, or distribution of printed material is prohibited. No solicitation of any kind is allowed.
• Admission charges or collections are prohibited unless prior permission is expressly obtained. Such permission will normally be granted only when proceeds, after necessary expenses, will be used solely for religious, charitable, philanthropic, civic, or other non-commercial or non-personal purposes. The financial statements of receipts and expenditures may be required within seven days of the event.
• The Hirer undertakes to enforce and preserve the sanctity of the Temple by preventing shoes and consumption of food in the prayer hall.
• All decorations must be removed after the function. No items shall be attached to the building property, except masking tape to hang light decorative items to walls, or any modifications made to the building structure, equipment, or grounds. Please do not use duct tape or nails. Any damage caused by this action will be charged to and paid for by the Hirer/sponsor as determined by the Edinburgh Hindu Mandir.
• The hiring permission will not be granted to minors. An adult must be present for all activities involving the youth. The adult in charge of the activity will be present during the entire occupancy period. This person will be responsible for the proper use of the facilities and the proper conduct of those in attendance.
• Use of the Kitchen is limited to cooking and consuming food on the premises. Food cooked in the Kitchen must be consumed in the Temple. Food cooked in the temple can’t be taken out for consumption.
• Alcohol, smoking, or narcotics are NOT allowed on the whole premises.
• Non-vegetarian food can NOT be cooked, consumed, or served on the Temple premises.
• All garbage must be bagged for disposal and disposed of in the garbage dumpster located outside of the kitchen area; otherwise, additional cleaning charges may apply. The hirer must bring about 15 tall –trash bags and after all the clean-up is complete; fresh bags must be installed in all the trash cans.
• The premises must be put back in order the way it was handed for hiring. Please refer pictures along with this document to understand the standard settings of the premises. Utensils in the kitchen, kitchen area, freezer and refrigerator need to be cleaned by Hirer if hiring Kitchen area.
• Any Tables/Chairs you have used please put them back in the storage area. 
• Kitchen and Toilets must be handed back in order the way it was handed before hiring.
• If we find any blockage in the toilets after your hire, you will be responsible for the repair
• Kitchen Pots, Cups, and Dishes must be cleaned if used.
• The serving Area must be cleaned as well
• You will be fully responsible to keep the Toilets clean

Additional Terms & Conditions for FREE or Discounted Hirer

• Please book your session beforehand. Only one contact person from the group can book the slot each time
• Please do not come over without booking, We can’t allocate an ad-hock slot.
• Please be prepared to share your slot time with another team.
• Do not hand over your slot to another team without prior permission.
• We are not charging for the booking but you are fully responsible to maintain the cleanliness of the Hall. 
• If you damage anything, You will have to pay to fix that
• Please keep Main Door closed to make sure  no one sneaks upstairs
• No kitchen access please
• Please return the hall in the same condition as you get.
• If you are the last one to leave the premises, make sure all the lights are off. The heating is turned off. Lock the premises securely. 
• Temple Event gets first priority. If anything is planned for Temple, your slot is subject to change
• If we find anything out of order, You have to pay a fine of up to £50 & repair any damage that occurred