Please take the time to read this as it may be of help when deciding on a venue

A Word of Warning to all persons/groups thinking of hiring the Eastwood Studio for a show/performance. We had booked the Eastwood Theatre for  February 2006 and had booked on a vacant week during the Half term holidays.  The deposit had been accepted and cashed, and a confirmation sent to us.  We had only then started work on the usual things associated with a production like costumes, scenery, posters, tickets, advertising etc when three weeks after the event we received a letter of cancellation.  The reasons given were for a Double Booking.  This was incorrect as no other bookings had been taken or deposits accepted through the Business Manager as per rule 1 of the conditions of hire. Another group, and we were told in the letter it was Merlin's Theatre Group, had booked from last year, but this was not true as when we originally booked, no deposits or paperwork was in the hands of the Bookings manager (rule 1), and we were told if we would like that week it was free.  The reasons for cancellation were that QUOTE "the Merlins Group had used the theatre for five years during February half term and would indeed require the space again in 2006". "We therefore honour their commitment" UNQUOTE.   No bookings made, and no deposits taken.  Just Word of Mouth, or not what you know, but who you know. The get out rule that the theatre had used was  Rule 5  " The Eastwood Studio Theatre may at any time cancel any booking in this case the hirer would receive the full amount paid as deposit or hire charge.  The Eastwood Theatre will not be responsible for any loss of estimated income or any other losses or expenses sustained by the hirer from such cancellation". We sought legal advise on this matter as we have lost a large amount of capital to date in preparation after receiving the confirmation letter from Eastwood.  Please be very careful should you wish to hire the Theatre and it you do, ask them to amend rule 5 for your protection. Eastwood had offered us a 50% discount on a weeks booking at Easter, which under rule 5 they are not obliged to do (a sweetener perhaps or guilt), but again, they can still cancel.   Remember this has happened, this can happen and , this could happen to you.   

If you would like any further information about this incident, please let us know and we can supply copies of the letters /conditions of use for you.

Further to this statement, we advise you that we have received a full settlement out of court for all of the expenses incurred by Eastwoods admission of mismanagement, namely because they knew that they would lose if taken further.  We still to date have not received an apology for their unacceptable  behaviour, or a reasonable explanation as to why they didn't adhere to their own strict booking rules.  Rule 5 is still in force.

For legal reasons, we are not asking you to avoid the theatre, all we are doing is letting you know what has happened to us a  Drama Group making a legitimate booking through the correct channels.  All names mentioned in the above statement appear on the letter from the Eastwood Theatre to us and again a copy is available for anyone wishing to see it.