Botolph's Barn - Access Policy

Botoloph's Barn has been established to fulfil three principal purposes

The preservation, maintenance and management of an important historic building within Helpston's conservation area.
The creation of a heritage and educational facility for the community and a location for a permanent interpretive exhibition about the life and works of the poet John Clare, who was born in the village and whose works celebrate the local natural environment.
The creation of a new meeting venue for the church and the community as a whole.

As a grade 2* listed building the Barn is designed as a high quality meeting and exhibition venue. Its usage should reflect this status and its principle purposes, with an emphasis on events that are in keeping with its church, community, heritage, environmental and educational themes. Within this context, small, private parties are permitted at the discretion of the Barn Chairman.

In addition, in order to raise income to cover the costs of running the Barn, the Barn is also available for commercial hire as a meeting venue.

The Barn Committee has agreed the following access policy to reflect these objectives and the Barn's education policy.

Exhibition

The exhibition will open to the public at the following times if not otherwise booked

1400-1600 Weds, Thurs, Friday
0930-1630 on Saturday
1300-1630 on Sundays

During these times the key to the barn will be available from the Annnakinn art and picture framing shop on West Street.
A notice telling visitors where to find the key will be put on the door of the barn. All visitors must enter their name and address in a visitors' book (to be provided to the key-holders by the Barn Manager).
The key holders have the right to refuse access to the Barn at their discretion.
The key will not be available at these times to anyone who either is, or appears to be, under 18, unless they have made a prior booking through the Barn Manager, which has been notified to the key-holder.

Community use

At any other time, the barn can be booked by members of the community in advance through the barn manager.
The booking fee for 2006 shall be £4 an hour.

Use by St Botolph's Church

The Barn is reserved for use by the parish church of St Botolph's on Wednesday and Sunday mornings.
At any other time, the barn can be booked by for use by St Botolph's in advance through the barn manager, although the church will have no priority over other community or commercial bookings.
The Barn shall be free of charge for groups or individuals operating as part of St Botolph's (to be defined if necessary by the Barn Chairman or PCC).
The Church will, resources permitting, run a drop-in coffee morning at the Barn every Wednesday morning for members of the community, including of the wider benefice.

Police and politicians

The downstairs room will be made available, free of charge, to the local community police office or local ward councillor or local MP for a total of one morning each week, should they so require.

Commercial use

The Barn will be available for commercial hire at the following times

Monday - until 1700
Tuesday - until 1700
Thurs - Fri - until 1330

Commercial use of the Barn will be booked in advance through the Barn Manager who will be responsible for opening the Barn and making sure it is clean and appropriately equipped at the required times.
The Barn Manager will have discretion to book the Barn for commercial use at other times during the week, including at those times when the Barn exhibition would be normally open, provided that

There are no prior community bookings
There are no more than two full days of commercial bookings each week
The key holders are informed in advance
A notice is placed on the Barn door notifying people of the closure of the Barn at those times to the general public

Unless in exception (at the decision of the Barn manager and with the provision that there should be no more than two full days of commercial bookings in any one week), there shall be no commercial bookings at weekends.
The fees for commercial use of the Barn in 2006 shall be as follows

£20 an hour
£75 for half a day (4 hours)
£125 for a full day

Booking policy

All bookings for use of the Barn will be through the Barn Manager, who will be responsible for collecting and banking the fees.
The key to the Barn for all meetings booked in advance will be available from the Barn Manager only (not from the exhibition keyholders).
Bookings will be taken on a first come first served basis.
No priority will be given to any one group or individual, with the exception of the permanent reservation of the Barn by the church on Wednesday and Sunday mornings.
Booking forms and details of current bookings will also be available on the Botolph's Barn website. The Barn Manager will be responsible for developing booking forms and for keeping this part of the website up-to-date.
Booking forms should address issues of liability and health and safety.

Equipment hire

The Barn's kitchen equipment and projector and screen are available for hire for use at other venues within the wider benefice by recognised community groups, provided they are not required for use in the Barn at that time.
The Barn Manager has discretion as to whether to charge for the loan of kitchen equipment, but should charge a suitable deposit.
Responsibility for any damage will lie with the individual or group hiring the equipment, who will be expected to replace it on a like for like basis.
The cost of hiring the projector and screen shall be £4 an hour in 2006.
There shall be no charge for Church groups as defined by the PCC of St Botolph's.

Responsibility

The Barn Committee is responsible for implementing this access policy.
Changes to this policy can only be made by the Barn Committee.
This policy should be reviewed annually.
Charges for barn usage should be reviewed annually, with the presumption that they will rise on an annual basis roughly in line with inflation. Charges should also, if possible, remain in line with those for similar venues in the area, particularly those for Helpston Village Hall.