Booking the Courthouse

RATES

Effective for all bookings from 1 July 2023 and apply to bookings to be held until 30th June 2024. Rates for bookings after 30th June 2024 are subject to change.

The rates below apply for a full day or part thereof.

Registered Berry community groups/charities can apply to receive a discounted rate. Groups/charities must be registered and listed in the Berry Town Crier if they wish to take advantage of the discounted rate.

Private Garden

• $1,500 per day for ceremony only, and $2,500 for ceremony and reception (or other function where food and/or drink are served.)
• ‘Rain/Hall Insurance’ (that is the use of the Hall if the weather precludes use of Garden) – $350. (Please see item v. in the Terms and Conditions below)
• Plus use of Hall in addition to Garden – $500.
• The Kitchen space is only able to be used as a part of any Hall hire. Not Garden hire only or “Rain / Hall Insurance”. The Kitchen does not allow cooking inside – this must all be done outside or brought in.

Packages

• Packages are available (good for events requiring setups, deliveries and taking away hired material)
• Package price for use of both the Garden and Hall for 4 days (usually Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday) for ceremony and reception, or other function where food and drink are served is $3,500.

Hall only

• Weekend and holiday periods – $500 for one day ($1,350 for a reception or other function where food and drink are served) plus $200 per additional day.
• Midweek – $300 first day (or $1,000 for when a reception or function on one day, where food and/or drink are served) $200 each additional mid-week day (Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday – excluding Public Holidays which are treated as Weekend rates).

Optional Extras

• Chairs used outside (70 available) – $7.50 each. (white “Gladiator” style folding chairs).
• Tables used outside (6 available) – $7.50 each. (1.8mtr long plastic tops – seats 6 or 8 ).
• The use of the Chairs and Tables (for use inside only) is included in the Hall hire.

Photography

• Photographs (particularly weddings) are very popular at the Courthouse. Please ensure you make a booking for any and all photography to be done at the Courthouse in any area, steps and garden area at front included.
• Photography fee $500 for up to 3 hours. This photography fee does not apply if you have a booking for the garden and the photography if it is to be on one of your days booked.  It is included in your booking fee. Outside those days of hire the Photography charge is payable.

Bond (or Deposit Held)

• A $2,000 bond applies to every hire. This is fully refundable, if there are no damages or breaches of the Hire contract. If there is any damage, additional charges (such as for additional cleaning, COVID 19 requirements, additional Security costs or other additional charges necessary) or if there is a breach of the booking Contract then financial penalties or additional costs will be applied by the Berry Courthouse Committee and deducted from the bond/deposit amount held.

Security

• Where a function is being held, a security system will be put in place to ensure full compliance with your conditions and the contract etc. including noise restrictions, finish times, numbers, gate crashing and behaviour. This will be unobtrusive as much as possible and includes alarm and monitoring, an on-call security response etc. This is charged to the hirer and is currently $380 for 4 hours and an additional $95 per hour for any additional hours if required. 4 hours is generally the maximum required.

Covid 19 and other regulations imposed

• The Courthouse will have a current COVID 19 Plan and this must be adhered to by all hires.
• If there are additional costs related to regulations imposed by Government authorities then these costs will be in addition to the Fees in this contract. ie – if it is required to have Covid Marshalls to ensure people are signing in, complying with other regulations such as limited number of people attending or in one space, limited dancing, no singing, mask wearing, or anything else required.
• If Covid Marshalls are required then there needs to be at least one Marshall for the entire period of the function or event. Depending on numbers of attendees there may need to be two Marshalls.
• These Marshalls will be arranged by the Berry Courthouse (the venue) and charged to you, the Hirer, and will be at the same rate as the Security Guard hourly rates ($95 per hour / $380 for the minimum 4 hours as above).
• We will do what we can to minimise these costs to the hirer but it cannot include the Hirer arranging or providing their own Covid Marshall or Security Service or similar. These costs will be required to be paid by you, the Hirer.  We, the Venue, will also deduct these costs from any Bond held should we see that as necessary.

IMPORTANT TERMS & CONDITIONS

To secure a booking full payment of the hiring fee plus bond is required, along with your signed contract.

i. Any booking of either the Courthouse or the Garden is limited to a maximum of 90 people. This number will be affected by regulations that are current at the time – that is current for the date of your event. These regulations may continue to change from time to time and any restrictions or conditions will need to be complied with. Previously during the Covid 19 restrictions it was set by regulations at 1 person per 2 square metres inside (approx 40 people); and another time 1 person per 4 square metres (a maximum of 20 people inside). This can vary without much notice so the hirer needs to consider this at the time of booking.

ii. Only Hall Hire includes use of the kitchen and toilets. It does not include use of the other two rooms or the Private Garden.

iii. Private Garden Hire includes the use of the toilets but excludes the use of the building, including the kitchen or for storage.

iv. Included in the fee for a wedding in the Garden is a rehearsal time of up to one hour should you need it. Any other use outside these conditions there is a charge.

v. If you book the Private Garden you can reserve the Hall to use in case of bad weather or any other reason that the outside is not used. If you take this option you can use either the Private Garden or the Hall inside. Not both. (This includes using the Hall for storage or the kitchen etc. – To do this would require you to book both areas.

vi. You need to set up, clean up, have deliveries and collections all within your booking period or make arrangements with us if you need access outside your booked times. There is an additional charge for this additional time and this is why we offer a very reasonably priced 4 day option.

vii. Cancellations made more than one calendar month before the date of hire attract a 50% cancellation fee. Cancellations made less than one calendar month before the date of hire attract a 100% cancellation fee. If the cancellation is made as a result of regulations imposed because of Covid 19 or anything else imposed then the Courthouse Committee will determine what cancellation costs are withheld but will be as generous as possible. But the minimum cancellation fee will be 25% of the hire charge to assist in covering our costs and administration time. The bond is 100% refundable to you in the event of any cancellation. Postponed or altered bookings attract a 25% fee. If the postponed or altered booking is made as a result of regulations imposed because of Covid 19 or a similar imposed condition then the Courthouse Committee will determine what cancellation costs are withheld but will be as generous as possible. This determination will take into account if circumstances or conditions changed or the Hirer wishes to change details of their booking and similar, but the minimum cancellation fee will be 25% of the hire charge. 100% of the bond, security or Covid Marshalls charges or similar imposed requirements is refundable in the event of any cancellation. If the booking changes in anything other than a very minor way it will require a new, up to date booking contract at the rates and conditions applicable for the date of the booking.

viii. Cancellations made by the Courthouse Committee – while this is unlikely it is possible – there will be a 100% refund to you unless it is as a result of changes imposed by the Government or other authorities such as by Health Authorities.

ix. All functions to commence after 8am and must cease by 10pm midweek (Sunday to Thursday); or by 11pm on weekends (Friday and Saturday nights and nights prior to some public holidays).

x. All functions must comply with the NSW Noise Abatement legislation. It is important that any noise be kept at a reasonable level. In addition to the legislation music outside must be turned off by 8pm midweek or 9pm on weekend nights (Friday and Saturday nights), and inside the music must still be kept to reasonable volume and totally off by your finish time of 10pm (midweek) or 11pm (Friday and Saturday nights) etc. Please consider the community and also ensure your guests leave on time and leave quietly.

xi. Smoking is not allowed anywhere on the site, inside or outside. People standing outside the gate(s) to smoke or talking are especially requested to keep the noise to an absolute minimum and respect the neighbours and the community.

xii. Dogs (or other pets except Care Dogs) are not permitted at the venue, inside or outside in any of the areas.

xiii. If you are proposing to do anything ‘unusual’ or out of the ordinary then you need to obtain permission in writing from the Berry Courthouse prior to the event. ‘Unusual’ activities may include, but are not limited to, things such as dance floors and any dancing outside (both are not permitted), games, marquees, BBQs, fire pits and fire of any kind (includes candles and any flame, particularly inside), and require prior written approval and may attract additional hire fees.

xiv. We also have two offices with tenants in the back of the building. They also use the kitchen and the hallway. Please respect them and ensure they are not disturbed with noise and materials in their way on weekdays when they may be there.