TranslateSection 1 (General)
1. For the duration of the hire period, the customer (here in after referred to as the “licensee”) shall have the right to enter and use the premises or grounds (here in after the “venue”) under a licence to occupy only and no relationship of landlord and tenant is created between North Ayrshire Council and the licensee. North Ayrshire Council retains control, possession and management of the venue and the licensee has no right to exclude North Ayrshire Council from the venue. North Ayrshire Council reserves the right to enter the venue at all times during the hire period.
2. If a venue is hired for the purpose that involves working regularly with young people under the age of 18 then the licensee must have a Child Protection Policy in place. If a venue is hired for a purpose that involves working regularly with vulnerable adults, then the licensee must have an Adult Protection Policy in place. Copies of these policies must be provided to North Ayrshire Council upon request. The licensee is responsible for ensuring that all staff, volunteers and sub-contractors working with children and/or vulnerable adults adhere to national guidance and have been vetted through Disclosure Scotland and/or recently registered with the PVG Scheme as required to ensure compliance with the Disclosure (Scotland) Act 2020 and the Protection of Vulnerable Groups (Scotland) Act 2007. Further national guidance on child protection can be obtained from the North Ayrshire Child Protection Committee on the North Ayrshire Health and Social Care Partnership website which provides information for professionals working within North Ayrshire, including guidance for practitioners and staff on child protection and safeguarding. Further information on Adult support and protection is available on our website.
3. Smoking and Vaping are prohibited in and around all North Ayrshire Council premises. “No smoking” signs will be displayed in all such premises, and it will be the responsibility of the person who signed the licence to occupy application to ensure compliance.
4. It shall be a material condition of every licence to occupy that the licensee shall not engage in or permit activity in the venue that in the reasonable opinion of North Ayrshire Council that:
- contravenes the Equality Act 2010 or would so contravene the Equality Act 2010 if the activity was carried out by the council
- infringes or is liable to infringe the Convention rights of others
- provides a platform for extremists or disseminates extremist views
North Ayrshire Council have responsibilities to ensure that venues are not used for events that promote hate, intolerance, or pose a risk to public order, in line with government legislation such as the Counter Terrorism and Security Act, Crime and Disorder Act, Human Rights Act, and Equality Act. North Ayrshire Council in its exercise of due diligence may carry out statutory searches to monitor compliance with this term
5. North Ayrshire Council cannot accept responsibility for any loss of possessions, loss or damage to equipment or materials or for personal injury unless negligence by North Ayrshire Council can be established. Licensees are responsible for ensuring that children and vulnerable persons are adequately supervised at all times and that personal possessions are adequately safeguarded.
6. The licensee shall indemnify North Ayrshire Council against any claim arising out of or connected with their licence to occupy the venue in respect of (1) breach of or any infringement of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 or (2) breach of the North Ayrshire Council's Agreement with PPL PRS Ltd.
7. The licensee will indemnify North Ayrshire Council against all expenses, liability claims and proceedings whatsoever arising under statute or common law in respect of personal injury to or death of any person whomsoever and loss of or damage to any property whatsoever (real or personal) arising in connection with their licence to occupy, occupation and use of the venue. Nothing in this contract limits any liability which cannot legally be limited, including liability for death or personal injury caused by breach of duty by North Ayrshire Council.
8. Licence to occupy applications will only be accepted from persons aged 18 years or over.
9. A minimum of 14 days’ notice must be given when a licence to occupy is requested.
10. Cancellations must be made in writing and will only be eligible for a refund if made with 14 days’ notice. Refunds are made at the discretion of the venue booking office. Cancellations should be emailed to the venue booking office.
11. Licensees must ensure that set up and clear away time is included in the time they book the venue for. Access will only be given from the time booked, for example, if your party starts at 7pm consider what time your bar/caterer/DJ will need in to set up. If you do not book sufficient time for set up and clear away, the venue booking office reserve the right to amend/cancel your booking to take account of any other licences to occupy that are booked after or before you.
12. Charges will be in line with North Ayrshire Council’s approved pricing structure which can be accessed on our website. Conditions of licence to occupy may be subject to variation at North Ayrshire Council’s sole discretion. Price increases are likely to be introduced on 1 April each year, they will apply to any previously booked/granted licences to occupy which have not yet taken place. In the case of recurring licences to occupy, the new charges will apply to any part of the licence to occupy not undertaken at the time of the introduction of the new charges. Our charitable rate is only applicable to groups registered with the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR) and at the discretion of the venue booking office.
13. The available licensing periods will be set annually and may be subject to change at North Ayrshire Council’s discretion.
14. If the licensee fails to attend on the stated days and times specified on the application form, the licence to occupy will be charged at the full rate. Such failure may also result in review of further licences to occupy for that organisation, group or customer.
15. Where a licence to occupy in a North Ayrshire Council venue is approved for the purpose of private gain by an individual or commercial organisation, full economic rate will be charged.
16. North Ayrshire Council reserves the right to request copies of groups’ constitution and list of bearers.
17. The licensee must cover the expenses for extra cleaning and waste management, as well as for repairing any damage to or loss of property and/or equipment that occurs during their occupancy or as a result of their use of the venue or equipment.
18. North Ayrshire Council is committed to providing customers and clients with an effective and efficient service in a polite and respectful manner. Our staff have the right to be treated with respect in return. Aggressive or violent behaviour, in any form, including the use of foul or abusive language towards North Ayrshire Council staff will not be tolerated. Accordingly, anyone acting in an inappropriate manner will be asked to leave the venue and if necessary, the Police will be contacted.
19. The person applying for the licence to occupy is responsible for ensuring that the conditions of licence to occupy are adhered to. It is important to consider this when applying for a booking as the applicant will be held responsible for damage or loss suffered by North Ayrshire Council.
20. No licences to occupy will be granted for any period after 1:00am unless written permission has been received from the venue booking office.
21. No nails, screws, glue, adhesives, cello tape, sticky tape, tacks, blu tack or similar shall be used to make fixings in structure, furniture or fittings in any premises unless specific permission is given in writing. Damage charges may apply should these be used without written permission.
22. All property/equipment/belongings/unused supplies/unsold goods etc must be removed from the venue immediately at the end of the licence to occupy, or later with prior approval from the venue booking office. North Ayrshire Council cannot be held responsible for the loss or damage of any property/possessions left at the venue.
23. No signs and/or any other means of advertising shall be exhibited within the park without the prior written consent from the venue booking office.
24. Disabled parking bays (if any) should only be used by authorised Blue Badge holders. Licensees must reinforce this message to group members and ensure that they adhere to this.
25. It is expected the licensee is in attendance for all licences. In the exceptional circumstance where the licensee cannot attend, they must appoint an appropriate responsible adult who will supervise the licence to occupy and ensure all licensing conditions are adhered to. The licensee must provide the responsible adult’s contact details to the venue booking office as soon as reasonably practicable.
26. North Ayrshire Council reserve the right at their sole discretion to refuse any application for a licence to occupy a venue.
27. North Ayrshire Council reserve the right at their sole discretion to cancel bookings without prior notice to accommodate other services fitting with North Ayrshire Council’s essential priorities. Licensees are encouraged when booking large scale events to carry their own insurance to alleviate the implications of any licence to occupy being cancelled.
28. At North Ayrshire Council's discretion, additional terms and conditions may apply to bookings on a case-by-case basis.
29. In so far as the licence to occupy, or any part thereof, may relate to ‘functions of a public nature’, the licensee shall for the duration of the licence to occupy act compatibly with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (Incorporation) (Scotland) Act 2024. During the period of the licence to occupy, the licensee shall produce such evidence to satisfy the council that the licensee has complied with this clause. For further guidance, please visit Statutory guidance on Part 2 of the UNCRC (Incorporation) (Scotland) Act 2024 which contains some discussion about what is meant by ‘functions of a public nature.’
Section 2 (Health and Safety)
1. Organisations and individuals making use of the venue must accept full responsibility for any accidents, injury, or damage to any person as a result of the activity carried out by them or which may occur as a result of their use of the venue. All such organisations must have sufficient insurance cover in place to meet this responsibility and shall produce the relevant insurance certificate to North Ayrshire Council on request.
2. No additional fittings of stage curtains, drapes, props or decoration shall be carried out or introduced without the prior approval from the venue booking office.
Before approval can be given the licensee must confirm in writing that all material has been rendered fireproof.
3. Under no circumstances should power supplies and utilities be tampered with. If additional electrical services are needed, a written request must be submitted to the venue booking office at the time of booking. When permission is granted for the use of additional electrical equipment, it may be necessary to equip the devices with Residual Current Devices (RCDs), which are safety devices designed to protect against electric shocks and fires by automatically cutting off the electricity flow. The licensee is responsible for checking electrical equipment brought to our sites for safety prior to use. Notwithstanding the foregoing, North Ayrshire Council reserves the right to disable and remove any equipment discovered to be defective.
4. Sound amplification must be kept to the levels stipulated by the staff member on duty or as otherwise directed by an officer from North Ayrshire Council’s Environmental Health team.
5. Where the licensee is an employer subject to the Provisions of COSHH (Care of Substances Hazardous to Health 2002) Regulations, the licensee must ensure these are adhered to. Licensees will seek advice from the relevant venue booking office and shall comply with any instructions given.
6. Any use of fireworks/pyrotechnics for outdoor events must be properly planned, controlled, risk assessed, insured and managed by a competent company, organisation, or person and must be authorised by North Ayrshire Council. Risk assessments, evidence of appropriate insurance, suitable stewarding arrangements, and adequate first aid provision must be submitted and approved by the venue booking office before any promotion or licence can take place. Failure to comply with this process may result in restrictions being placed on future use and action may be taken to address the impacts of unauthorised activities, including financial recovery. Please refer to Risk assessment: Template and examples - HSE for further guidance on risk assessments.
7. Confirmation of a booking within an Eglinton Country Park community facility does not permit the use of the surrounding council grounds for any extended activity or event. Should you wish to organise an outdoor activity/spectacle within Eglinton Country Park grounds, you must clearly include the outdoor area you intend to hire within your booking forms so that it can be considered as part of the overall application. For further information on organising an event out with Eglinton Country Park facilities, premises and grounds, please contact events@north-ayrshire.gov.uk.
8. Candles are only permitted to be used on cakes for parties and other celebration events. Battery powered decorative candles must be used for table displays and venue dressing. Flares and sparklers are prohibited in all Council venues.
9. In the event of an incident or accident within the venue the licensee has a responsibility to report the incident or accident without delay to the member of staff on duty.
10. New licensees are responsible for making themselves aware of the venue’s fire evacuation procedures by approaching the member of staff on duty. They are also responsible for relaying the fire safety procedures to participants via a pre safety announcement and ensuring their participants comply with the fire evacuation process. Participants/members of each group must be aware of the method of exit from the building and the position of the Assembly Area after leaving the building. Licensees are advised that the member of staff on duty will conduct a Fire Drill twice per annum and they must co-operate therewith.
11. It is a requirement that the licensees of all recurring licences to occupy indoor premises, in co-operation with the staff member on duty, undertake a Fire Drill twice per annum.
12. Practical and physical education activities must be conducted in accordance with the appropriate Code of Practice for the activity. A copy of the relevant Code of Practice may be inspected by arrangement with the staff member on duty. Where required, a current risk assessment must be completed by a qualified individual for the activity being carried out and must be available for inspection by North Ayrshire Council. Where relevant, safe systems of work should also be completed and shared with North Ayrshire Council on request. For further guidance on risk assessments, please refer to the Health and Safety Executive.
13. The licensee will take responsibility for conducting, recording and sharing their own risk assessments with appropriate group leaders and participants. Risk assessments must be up to date and available for inspection at any time by the venue booking office. For further guidance on risk assessments, please refer to the Health and Safety Executive Guidance on risk assessments.
14. It is the policy of North Ayrshire Council that specialist activities can only be undertaken by suitably qualified persons endorsed by the appropriate national governing body for example, British Amateur Gymnastics Association or Scottish Football Association. The venue booking office shall have sole discretion in deciding what constitutes an appropriate national governing body. North Ayrshire Council advise that whilst lesser qualifications may be deemed suitable by licensees for such activities, all licensees are advised to note Council policy and ensure that adequate third-party liability and professional indemnity insurance are in place. North Ayrshire Council takes no responsibility for the negligence, fault or failures of the licensee and participants.
15. All passageways and exits must be kept free and Emergency Exit doors/ gates kept unlocked during the period of occupancy.
16. Tickets must not be issued, nor persons admitted in excess of the capacity of the area of licence. Advice on maximum capacity levels can be obtained from the venue booking office.
17. All applicants must detail the type of apparatus, objects or equipment being set up at the point of booking. The venue booking office/staff member on duty reserves the right to refuse the use/set-up of apparatus, objects or equipment on the grounds of Health & Safety or risk of damage to property. North Ayrshire Council prohibits the use of certain equipment within its premises, such as smoke, bubble, cold spark, and foam machines, as well as any other equipment deemed unsafe. Furthermore, balloons used on the premises must be weighted down to prevent the activation of intruder alarms. The use of prohibited equipment and/or the activation of intruder alarms due to failure to comply with this clause may result in additional charges.
18. Food handling, preparation, storage and service by recurring licensees or food businesses must comply with all relevant food law in Scotland and with any requirements issued by North Ayrshire Council’s Environmental Health service. Individuals supplying food for private, community or charity events must ensure that all food provided is safe to eat and prepared using good food hygiene practices, including maintaining clean work areas preventing cross contamination and keeping food at safe temperatures.
19. Organisers must take reasonable steps to provide accurate information about food allergens and ensure that anyone consuming food can obtain clear details of any ingredients that may cause an allergic reaction. Environmental Health officers may inspect food activities to verify compliance, and any concerns raised must be addressed promptly. For advice on food safety contact environmentalhealth@north-ayrshire.gov.uk.
20. All waste (including food) must be segregated appropriately using the waste receptacles provided. Signage is available detailing the requirement to comply with North Ayrshire Council's Waste Management policy.
21. During the course of the licence to occupy the licensee has responsibility for advising the member of staff on duty of any liquid spillages, glass breakages or any other hazards that may cause harm.
22. For recurring licences, it is the licensee’s responsibility to complete and provide copies of Personal Evacuation Plans (PEEPS) for each person who may require assistance evacuating the building. For further information contact the venue booking office.
23. If the licensee decides not to use the venue due to severe weather, they will still be charged, unless North Ayrshire Council has closed the venue for health and safety reasons.
24. If the licensee plans to install and use inflatables or other high-risk equipment that are not supplied by North Ayrshire Council, a copy of the company public liability insurance, risk assessment, and safety rules may need to be provided to the venue booking office prior to the booking being confirmed. It is the licensee’s responsibility to ensure that there is an appropriate adult to children supervision ratio at all times, in all circumstances, without exception during the event. Please note that North Ayrshire Council will not assume any liability for the supervision and safety of children.
25. For any temporary staging the responsibility to comply with Section 89 of the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982, regarding platforms or stages over 600mm in height, lies with the licensee. The licensee must also ensure that any application for approval from the Building Standards team is granted. Additional information is available at the Raised Structures permit on the North Ayrshire Council website or by contacting buildingstandards@north-ayrshire.gov.uk. This is in accordance with the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982, which mandates approval for the use of raised structures by the relevant local authority.
26. The staff member on duty or appropriate officer of North Ayrshire Council, after due consideration, has the right to close the doors and refuse admission to venues on the grounds of Health and Safety, crowd control.
27. The licensee will be responsible for ensuring all attendees comply with the Health & Safety and general conditions of licence.
28. Assistance dogs are permitted within all North Ayrshire Council venues. Animals are generally not permitted in community facilities where their main purpose is to provide entertainment. Dog training is not classified as animals for entertainment and is therefore permitted as an exception. Prior agreement for dog training must hold appropriate public liability insurance and relevant training certification. All dogs attending must be exercised beforehand, fully immunised and managed in accordance with appropriate hygiene standards before, during and after the booking in line with national governing body guidelines. Dogs must remain under control at all times and owners must comply with all club rules.
Section 3 (Licensing)
1. Licensees wishing an occasional alcohol licence must submit their application for the licence to occupy prior to the occasional alcohol licence being applied for. At least 28 days’ notice is required for all applications. Enquiries about occasional alcohol licences should be directed to licensing@north-ayrshire.gov.uk.
2. Alcohol can only be sold under an Occasional Licence granted by North Ayrshire Licensing Board. The occasional licence authorising the sale of alcohol will cease 45 minutes before the licence to occupy finish time.
3. The licensee must enforce bar opening and closing times in accordance with the occasional alcohol licence and ensure that patrons vacate the venue on time.
4. For licensees’ information, the licensing legislation:
- requires the public display of licences prior to the bar opening and for the premises covered by a licence (such as an ‘Occasional Licence’ for the sale of alcohol)
- authorises the Police or the Licensing Standards Officer to inspect any premises covered by a licence (such as an ‘Occasional Licence’ for the sale of alcohol)
5. If a public performance of speech, singing, live music or acting is intended, it is important that the applicants indicate this clearly on the licence to occupy application form and the licensee shall be responsible for obtaining any licence necessary. Six weeks' notice should be given for any licence. Enquiries should be directed to: licensing@north-ayrshire.gov.uk.
6. Licensees who intend to operate fairground attractions, sell goods/trade, or host raffle, gambling activities such as race nights, lottery or bingos must contact Licensing in advance of such events taking place to enquire about any necessary licences required. Licensees must state clearly on the licence to occupy application form when goods are being sold/trading is taking place. Enquiries should be directed to: licensing@north-ayrshire.gov.uk.
7. A licence to occupy will not be granted for any event or activity that comprises a striptease or nude show, whether a sexual entertainment venue licence is required or not.
8. Race nights may only be operated as non-commercial events and must comply fully with the Gambling Commission’s fundraising guidance. They are permitted only under one of the following non-commercial equal chance gaming, or incidental lottery. The licensee is responsible for ensuring full compliance with all Gambling Commission rules and limits. Failure to comply may result in the activity being treated as contrary to the Gambling Act 2005, for which the licensee will be fully responsible.
9. Incidental lotteries and raffles must be conducted fully in line with the Gambling Commission’s guidance, and the licensee is responsible for ensuring the activity meets the legal definition and requirements of an incidental lottery. If the activity differs in any way from the permitted incidental lottery rules, the licensee must inform the venue booking office and seek guidance. Failure to comply may result in the activity being treated as contrary to the Gambling Act 2005, for which the licensee will be fully responsible.
10. Where a car boot sale or the sale of goods is proposed, these activities will be treated in the same way for licensing purposes. A Market Operator’s Licence (MOL) is required for any private market where goods are sold by more than one seller. A MOL is not required when the activity is conducted by charitable, religious, youth, recreational, community, political, or similar organisations that fall under recognised exemptions. The licensee is responsible for complying with all legal requirements, and the venue booking office can provide signposting or guidance where necessary.
11. Where the licence holder proposes to show films, television programmes or other audio-visual content to members of the public within the venue, whether free of charge or otherwise, the licensee must ensure that all required permissions and licences are in place before any screening takes place. This includes compliance with copyright law and any relevant licensing requirements. Personal or domestic streaming accounts must not be used where this would breach the service terms. The council does not provide film or copyright licences as part of this Licence to Occupy and accepts no responsibility for securing permissions. Responsibility for compliance rests entirely with the licence holder.
Further guidance is available on the UK Government website. Failure to obtain the appropriate permissions may be treated as a breach of this licence.
Section 4 (Halls/Fields)
1. Booking times must be strictly adhered to. Charges will be made up to the nearest half hour and for a minimum of one and a half hours and where use extends beyond the end of the licence to occupy, an additional charge at the appropriate rate will be made.
2. Recurring licences must be booked annually around March for the term April to March. All groups will be advised by email to book for the following year. A delay in responding to us with renewal information, may result in your slot being allocated to another group. Renewal of recurring licences are subject to the condition that, if the venue is needed for other priority use fitting with North Ayrshire Council’s priorities, the licence to occupy will not be granted. Where possible at least one week's notice will be given for such events, and alternative accommodation will be provided whenever possible. Please also refer above to Section 1 for information on emergency cancellations with no prior notice.
3. A licence to occupy (other than for weddings) will not be accepted more than one year in advance unless with special permission from the venue booking office.
4. A damage or disturbance deposit of up to £500 will be taken for eighteenth/twenty first/High Risk Licences. This will be refunded after the event, only if no damage to the venue and no callouts to standby occur.
5. In the event that damage occurs to the venue, and either no deposit was taken, or the deposit is insufficient to meet the costs of remedying any damaged caused, then North Ayrshire Council reserves the right to recover additional sums due from the licensee.
6. High risk events require two fully qualified Security Industry Authority (SIA) badged Stewards to be arranged by the bar provider and licensee. Failure to arrange this will result in the licence being refused. North Ayrshire Council has sole discretion in deciding whether an event is high risk.
Section 5 (Supervision of Licence)
1. Licensees hosting events with alcohol sales or consumption must provide a ratio of one volunteer steward for every 15 guests, with a minimum of five stewards. These volunteer stewards, responsible adults, are required to be present at the event, identify themselves to the staff, provide support in case of incidents or emergencies, and share responsibility for attendee conduct such as ensuring there is no drunk or disorderly behaviour or drugs misuse within or around the venue. Licensees must confirm the availability of suitable adult stewards during the booking process, and the venue booking office may conduct informal interviews with organisers to ensure adequate public safety and venue security controls are in place.
2. Licensees holding function for parties where eleven to seventeen year olds are in attendance are required to provide a ratio of one volunteer steward to every fifteen guests with a minimum of five being available. Licensees must confirm at the time of booking that suitable adult stewards are available to supervise the licence as per Supervision of Licence term above.
3. The licensee must strictly adhere to the advice and instruction of the member of staff on duty or appropriate officer at all times.
4. Supervision by a responsible adult is required at all times for children in our community facilities to ensure their safety and wellbeing.
Section 6 (Payments/Invoices)
1. Payments for one-off events must be paid four weeks in advance. You can pay via the website or we will arrange an invoice. Failure to pay in advance will result in your let booking being cancelled and may risk future bookings.
2. Regular bookings will be invoiced 2 months in arrears and must be paid within 21 days as stated on the invoice. Invoices will be issued to your email address. Failure to pay invoices will result in your group being issued with a cancellation and may risk future applications.
Where applicable, purchase orders must be submitted in advance of the event.
For internal bookings, internal recharges must be submitted with the booking form where required.
3. The licensee who has submitted the application form is responsible for any costs related to the booking.
North Ayrshire Council has the right to immediately terminate bookings which are already underway if there is a material breach of any terms and conditions under the licence to occupy agreement. North Ayrshire Council shall have sole discretion to determine whether any breach is material.
North Ayrshire Council reserves the right in all cases to cancel or alter any of the conditions of licence to occupy at North Ayrshire Council’s sole discretion. All charges are subject to alteration by North Ayrshire Council without requirements for notice to licensees.
Implemented: May 2026.
Review Date: December 2026.