Frequently asked questions
Please follow the links below for answers to frequently asked questions about hiring Stoke Newington Town Hall.
- What rooms are available to hire?
- What are the times during which I can hire rooms?
- What are the dimensions and capacity of the rooms?
- What is the cost of hire?
- What is included in the hire price?
- Do you offer community group / not-for-profit rates?
- Do I have to pay a deposit?
- Which methods of payment do you accept?
- How do I make a booking?
- How do I know if my application has been successful?
- How far in advance can bookings be accepted?
- What types of events are allowed to be held?
- Is there a dance floor?
- Is there a stage?
- Will tables and chairs be provided?
- Is parking available?
- What kitchen facilities are available?
- Is there in-house catering or do I have to arrange my own caterer?
- Are there bar facilities?
- Can the bar be hired seperately?
- Are there cloak room facilities?
- Do you have baby changing facilities?
- What lighting is available?
- Is your equipment adapted for the hard of hearing?
- Do the venues have disabled access?
- Are you licensed to perform civil marriages and partnership ceremonies?
- Will there be someone to provide assistance on the day of my event?
- Can you provide staff for my event?
- Do I have to clean and put away hired furniture?
- What happens if I cancel my booking?
What rooms are available to hire?
The Assembly Hall and Council Chamber are available for public hire, subject to compliance with our Terms and Conditions of Hire (PDF, 68KB) and Risk Assessment.
What are the times during which I can hire rooms?
The Assembly Hall and Council Chamber are available to hire during the following hours:
- Monday to Thursday: 9.00 am to 12.00 am (midnight)
- Friday to Saturday: 9.00 am to 1.00 am
- Sunday: 9.00 am to 11.00 pm.
What are the dimensions and capacity of the rooms?
Council Chamber:
- Dimensions: 156sqM (12.5m x 12.5m)
- Occupancy: standing: 70, seated: 53, balcony: 30
Assembly Hall (with bar and kitchen facility):
- Dimensions: 420sqM (20.5m x 20.5m)
- Occupancy:
Overall maximum capacity of Assembly Hall is 550 people
Overall maximum capacity of Assembly Hall + Bar is 610 people
The Assembly Hall's capacity is 420 people when they are seated theatre-style
The Assembly Hall's capacity is 300 people when they are seated banquet-style (30 tables x 10 per 1600mm-diameter table)
The balcony area seats 94, theatre-style
What is the cost of hire?
The cost of hire depends on the day of the week and time of your event and whether you are hiring on a "dry hire" or "inclusive hire" basis (see below for an explanation of the terms). Different pricing structures are in place for Mondays, Tuesdays to Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, and Sunday and public holidays.
Please refer to our lettings framework page for full pricing information. Alternatively, please contact our Events Management Team for a quotation tailored to your event requirements - our details are at the top-right corner of this page.
What is included in the hire price?
There are two types of hiring arrangement: 'dry hire' and 'inclusive hire'. See below for an explanation of both.
The following items are included in the "Dry Hire" price:
- Hired space (Assembly Hall and/or Council Chamber)
- Tables and chairs
- Bar and kitchen facilities (Assembly Hall only)
- Use of AV equipment (Assembly Hall and/or Council Chamber)
- Two robing rooms and a ceremonial waiting room (Council Chamber only)
- Mandatory pre and post event clean
With "dry hire", the following items are subject to an additional fee:
- Room set-up and breakdown team (Assembly Hall only)
- Mandatory door supervisors
- Cloakroom attendants
- Mandatory sound technician (all brought-in equipment must run through our noise limiter, this a licence condition).
- Extra hours required
The following items are included in the "Inclusive Hire" price:
Inclusive hire only available for the Assembly Hall.
- The following items are included in the Inclusive Hire price:
- Hired space
- Tables & Chairs
- Bar & Kitchen facilities
- Use of AV equipment
- Room set-up and breakdown team
- Cloakroom attendants
- Housekeeper
- 2 x mandatory door supervisors (extra door supervisors may be required at an additional cost as per licence requirements)
- Mandatory pre and post event clean
With "inclusive hire", the following items are subject to an additional fee:
- Mandatory monitoring technician (All brought in equipment must run through our noise limiter, this a licence condition)
- Extra hours required
Do you offer community group / not-for-profit rates?
Currently we offer educational institutional rates to communicty groups based within the London Borough of Hackney, and not-for-profit rates to national and local charities.
To find out whether your organisation qualifies for a discount, please contact our Events Management Team (see details at top-right hand corner of this page) or refer to our lettings framework.
Do I have to pay a deposit?
Once your application is accepted,
- you will be required to pay a 33% non refundable deposit of the total hire cost in order to confirm your booking
- you will be sent an invoice for this amount which is payable within 14 days of receipt.
- the final balance is payable no later than 28 days prior to your event.
- should your event be less than 28 days away, full payment will be required on receipt of your invoice.
- a £1000.00 damage deposit is required in addition to the hire fee, to cover any costs of damage (incl. noise pollution) caused during your event.
Please refer to our Terms and Conditions of Hire (see section 6.3) for further information.
What methods of payment do you accept?
The Council offers a number of payment methods for settling your account. Full details of available options are detailed on the back of your invoice. These include the following methods:
- By post: cheque/postal order
- In person: cash, cheque, credit/debit card
All in-person payments should be made at our cashier's office at 2 Hillman Street, Hackney, E8 1FB. No payments are acceptable at Stoke
How do I make a booking?
Should you wish to make a booking, please speak with a member of our Events Team in the first instance. They will be able to advise on availability and answer any questions you may have.
All booking requests must be made via our application form, which is available to download online or can be obtained from a member of the events team. Completed application forms must be emailed to: stokenewingtonvenuehire@hackney.gov.uk or the Events Management Team, Room 16 Stoke Newington Town Hall, Stoke Newington Church Street, Hackney, N16 0JR.
How do I know if my application has been successful?
You will be notified in writing as to whether or not your application has been accepted within 14 days after submission of your application for hire.
How far in advance can bookings be accepted?
- Commercial and non-commercial bookings can be made up to 6 months prior to your event - with the exception of weddings and Bar/Bat Mitzvahs, which can to be booked up to 12 months in advance.
- Educational institutional bookings can be made one month in advance.
What types of events are allowed to be held?
The Assembly Hall and Council Chamber may be used for a variety of events such as weddings, performances, meetings and conferences. According to our regulated entertainment licence, this includes:
1 Plays
2 Films
3 Live music
4 Recorded music
5 Performances of dance
6 Anything of a similar description to that falling within 3, 4, or 5
Each application for hire will be individually assessed to determine its suitability and you will be notified in writing as to whether or not your application has been accepted. Please refer to our Terms and Conditions of Hire (section 3.7) for further details.
Is there a dance floor?
Yes, the entire floor of the Assembly Hall (20.5m x 20.5m) has a Canadian Maple sprung dance floor.
Is there a stage?
Yes, there is a large stage (15m x 5.5m) in the Assembly Hall together with 4 dressing rooms below. Lighting, sound and an AV system is also available.
Will tables and chairs be provided?
Yes, tables and chairs are available for use, subject to availability. The maximum number of tables and chairs available are detailed below:
Assembly Hall:
- Chairs: 420
- Tables: 30
Council Chamber:
- Chairs: 30
- Chairs (leather): 24
- Tables (rectangular): 14
Is parking available?
Disabled parking spaces are available at the Town Hall. There is limited public parking surrounding the venue, so we strongly encourage using public transport when visiting the Town hall.
What kitchen facilities are available?
There is a kitchen (42sqM) available with the following facilities:
- 2 stainless steel double sinks
- Stainless steel counter between the 2 double sinks
- 11 free standing units/worktop counters in stainless steel
- Hand wash basin
- Space to plug in 4 warm-up ovens (which will not be provided)
- Space to plug in 3 fridges (which will not be provided)
- Supply extract system
The fit out of the kitchen is also compatible with kosher requirements.
Is there in-house catering or do I have to arrange my own caterer?
In-house catering is not provided. All hirers are required to source and provide their own caterers. Please note the facilities are suitable for the re-heating of food only.
Are there bar facilities?
There is an unstocked bar available to use with hire of the Assembly Hall. Bar attendants will need to be provided by the hirer and work under the supervision of the Designated Premises Supervisor. All members of the event management team are personal licence holders.
Can the bar be hired separately?
No, you are not able to hire the bar alone. The bar is available as part of the Assembly Hall hire package only.
Are there cloakroom facilities?
Yes, there are cloakroom facilities available. Should you wish to use the cloakroom you will be required to use cloakroom attendants - these can be provided by the Council (at an additional cost), or you can provide your own staff.
Do you have baby-changing facilities?
There are baby-changing facilities in both the disabled/accessible toilets on the ground floor.
What lighting is available?
There are LED lights set in square tracks in the Assembly Hall. These are set in each square on the ceiling. In addition there are five stage bars with specialist lighting for the stage.
In the Council Chamber there is a central chandelier and additional up lighting around the dome.
Is your equipment adapted for the hard of hearing?
The Assembly Hall is fitted with a Sennheiser induction loop hearing aid system.
Do the venues have disabled access?
The venues are fully accessible, with the exception of the gallery areas of both the Assembly Hall and Council Chamber.
Are you licensed to perform civil marriages and partnership ceremonies?
Stoke Newington Town Hall is licensed as an approved venue for civil ceremonies. If you are interested in hiring a room for your wedding or civil partnership, please request a copy of the Council's Registration Service brochure. This provides a step-by-step guide to arranging your ceremony, details of all the services provided by the Council's Registration Service, and a list of each of the approved venues for civil ceremonies in the borough.
For more information or to get a copy of the brochure, please contact Hackney Register Office on 020 8356 3000 or email registrars@hackney.gov.uk.
Will there be someone to provide assistance on the day of my event?
An Event Management Officer will be on-site during your event to provide assistance where necessary. For events requiring the use of audio-visual equipment, it is a requirement that one of our technicians is on-site (at an additional cost) to assist with set-up and equipment operation. Dependent on the size of the event, security must be provided by the Council at an additional charge.
Can you provide staff for my event?
We provide security, cloakroom attendees, cleaners, technical staff and management. Unfortunately we cannot provide catering staff, service staff or a wedding planner;
Do I have to clean and put away hired furniture?
All hirers are expected to leave the venue in good condition at the end of the hire period, ensuring that the venue is left clear of all litter. If hiring the council's set up and breakdown team, you will not be required to move any furniture provided by the council. If you are proving your own set up team you will be required to move hired furniture under the supervision of an Event Manager.
What happens if I cancel my booking?
Should you cancel your booking more than 28 days prior to your event, the Council will refund the hire fee (if paid) minus the booking deposit. However, should you cancel your event 28 days or less prior to your event, the Council will not be liable to refund any sums paid.
If you cancel your booking prior to the Due Date (28 days before the event), the Council will refund the Hire Fee (if paid) minus the 33% non-refundable Booking Deposit, together with any Damage Deposit paid by you.
Please refer to our Terms and Conditions of Hire (section 14) for further information.
Page updated: 16 Jan 2012
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