Venue Hire FAQs

Can an individual hire a The Hive venue?

All activities and events taking place at The Hive must be for an educational nature. Individuals wishing to run a workshop/ learning activity /meeting may hire one of the The Hive venues, but they must show evidence that they have public liability insurance to cover their activity.

Can I hire a The Hive venue for a party?

You won’t be able to hire one of our rooms for a party, as all activities taking place on-site must be of an educational nature.  

Do you have charity or discounted rates?

The Hive is a not-for-profit organisation owned by the London Borough of Waltham Forest Council and we're unable to guarantee discounts to charities or non-profit organisations.

Do you require a deposit?

For all bookings we require a deposit. Your booking will not be confirmed until you have provided us with a completed Booking Form and deposit.

When do I need to pay in full?

The balance becomes payable no less than 14 days prior to the hire date.

Will I get charged if I cancel?

In the event of cancellation, Hirers are liable for payment of charges as detailed below. Notification of cancellations should be made in writing and will be effective on the date received by The Hive 

In the event of a cancellation, Hirers are liable for payment of charges as follows:

• More than 8 weeks before date of hire deposit forfeited
• 4-8 weeks before date of hire 50% of fee payable
• Less than 4 weeks before date of hire 100% of fee payable

Hive reserves the right to cancel bookings which are counter to educational aims.

If The Hive is unable to honour your booking due to circumstances beyond its control, including due to changes to the Covid-19 guidance, we will offer you a refund or an alternative booking as applicable.

Do I need to carry out a risk assessment of the activity?

In addition to the hirer showing proof that they have public liability insurance to cover their activity, hirers must carry out their own risk assessment of their activity and may be asked to provide The Hive with evidence.

When staying overnight who do I report problems to outside office hours?

We’ll provide you with an out of hours emergency phone number when you arrive.

How accessible are the different venues?

Oak and Beech rooms in the main Hive building are on the first floor accessed via stairs.

The Ash garden room and the lodge are fully accessible. We have two accessible camping pods.

Can I bring my own food and drink including alcohol?

The Hive does not provide public kitchen facilities.

Please note that the hire charge for the camping facilities includes catering for dinner and breakfast.

For day venue hire, on request, for a modest fee, Hive can provide a tea & coffee station, and for whole day bookings a finger buffet lunch.

If you choose to bring your own food and drink, please note that Hive is unable to provide any crockery or cutlery. Any rubbish will need to be taken with you when you leave.

The Hive does not serve alcohol. Provision of alcoholic drinks as part of any food & drink the hirer provides for attendees is at the discretion of the hirer, but must not be sold separately to attendees.

Do I have to clean the space after hire?

Yes, we asks all hirers to return the spaces to how they found them. This will include packing down and returning all furniture, sweeping/mopping any spillages.  We ask for you to take away with you any rubbish generated as a result of your activity.

Please ask for equipment at Reception.

In addition, extra cleaning will need to be carried out to make the room COVID-secure after use. We will provide you with information about this when you book a room as the guidance is updated regularly.

Can I decorate the venue I hire?

Please check with us before hanging any decorations.  If decorations are allowed, please ensure that all are taken down and taken away at the end of your activity.

What are The Hives opening hours?

We are not open for the general public as a drop-in venue except for particular events. We offer flexible opening hours for bookings throughout the year, including evenings and weekends.