HIRING A STORAGE SPACE OR PERFORMANCE VENUE

No matter what type of venue you select for a performance you will need some form of written agreement. Even if it is a “One Night Only Special”, you do not want to find yourself in a position where there is a problem with

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access to the venue at the last moment.

The same applies to storage space. Unless the society is in it’s first few years of operation the  likelihood is that a large volume of costumes, sets, lighting , etc has accumulated and needs to be stored in a safe, secure and dry space.

For smaller productions held in a hotel, a booking receipt will probably suffice but for any other arrangements it is vital that a proper lease or licence is written and confirmed with the help of a solicitor. Hopefully there will be a solicitor within the society membership which will save costs but if not
professional advice should be sought.

Most arrangements for hiring a venue for performances will be a licence. The owner of the venue will  retain overall control of the building with permission granted to the licensee to use parts of the  building, during certain times of the day.

The alternative to a licence is a lease. In practice the differences between a lease and a licence can be hard to spot. This is where legal advice is essential. A lease will grant more rights than a  licence so the distinction is important.

Leases are normally used if the landlord wants to allow the group sole and exclusive use of a building for a fixed period of time at an agreed rate. Having exclusive use of a building is very important particularly if the group plans to store valuable costumes and equipment on the premises.

Make sure any lease agreement is supported by appropriate documentation. Statutory rules exist for leases of more than six months duration.

The key point to bear in mind is that it can long term dividends by engaging a solicitor to advise on the preparation of a lease document. It is only when difficulties arise that the benefit of that advice will become apparent. The trick is to avoid any problems in the first place.