Home

RESERVATIONS

HOW TO MAKE A RESERVATION

AND SMALL PRINT INCLUDING
CHARGES - CANCELLATIONS - MOBILE PICK-UP - CATERING - DAMAGE
RESPECT / BOUNDARIES AND LIMITATIONS - DISABILITIES -DIETS - FINNISH

01202-399227 (between 10am - 8pm)

gaymen@btconnect.com

Home News & Views Comments Health & fitness Contact Us

Phone or e mail with your details of dates / workshop required with your credit card details ( below )

Please have your credit card details at hand when you make the call.

We will make the charges described below and confirm with an e mail

It is as simple as that.

We may do things a little differently to other venues, but then, we are not like other venues.

visa

We do not take American Express
after they lied and bullshitted us - which was blatantly obvious to a child - and acted in an obnoxiously unprofessional and amateurish manner unbecoming - or typical of - big business, so we refuse to accept their card. They may be big, but they are arrogantly unfriendly to small business. We call them Asshole Express.

Credit / Debit / Switch Card details required

We must have all the details listed below for a confirmed reservation.

This is for your protection and that of everyone else. Please respect this.

1) Card number.

2) Cardholders name as it appears on the card.

3) Expiry date.

4) Security number on the reverse of the card. see below

5) Solo / Maestro/ Switch cards - the Issue Number.

6) Return billing address with your house number and post code.

7) Home / Mobile phone number.

8) Details of your required reservation.

9) Your e mail address to send a confirmation e mail to.

If in doubt, phone us,

otherwise please follow our payment instructions as stated.

for more on credit cards - see below

If your card expires before the date of your actual reservation, we shall charge the full amount owed. If your card does not clear for the amount requested and we have to phone and get another card number, we also add £10 onto the transaction to cover our time and expenses and we charge the full amount owed. Some people like to play silly games with us or with their finances and we do not have time for this, hence the charge. Please be responsible for your own finances and card details.

We charge between 50-100% of the full amount at the time the reservation is made as confirmation of your booking, depending on the length of your stay.

All the details of the reservation will be confirmed either in writing or by e mail.

The remaining amount owed for your stay is to be paid on arrival in cash please - as we are trying to cut down on our ever increasing bank charges.

ARRIVAL TIMES:

B&B - Between 12pm and 2pm - and 6pm - 8pm

Workshops - Between 4pm - 6.30pm

If you are going to arrive outside of these times, it is no problem as long as you have NOTIFIED US IN ADVANCE of a vague arrival time - and we will then be here with the kettle on. We have no reception or staff manning the non existent reception and we do not sit at the front door waiting...

This is because we also like a private life and need to get out and see the sea occasionally - or even take an afternoon nap, or on occasions have rampant nookie without being disturbed... ha ha

Payment by credit card

Please either phone 01202-399227 or e mail us with your details.

We charge a minimum of 75% of the workshop charge against your credit card at the time the reservation is made as confirmation and ask you to please pay the remainder in cash on arrival.
If on arrival you pay the remainder on your credit card we add 10% of the entire bill as we are trying to cut down our costly banking charges - so PLEASE remember to bring cash.

We no longer accept cheques

unless this method of payment has been discussed with Hamilton Hall in advance.

A simple phone call is all it takes.

HOWEVER: IF this has been discussed and agreed, then we ask you to pay the full amount at the time the reservation is made and send your cheque to our address above with all your details:- dates required, function booked, your address and phone details etc. and allow at least 3 weeks before the reservation so we have time to bank the cheque. Please - we follow strict banking guidelines to avoid being conned and having cheques bounce on us. If you cannot respect this and act in an unprofessional manner then we will ask for a different method of payment that IS confirmed instantly.

If you send a cheque with no address and personal details, then we will bank the cheque and require photo proof of ID when you arrive including home address and phone number. If you cannot provide this, then you may find we do not accept your reservation and no refund will be forthcoming. We do not allow guests into the building who hide their identity. If you cannot be open and honest with us, we do not offer you a place here. This protects us from the media and those who wish to spy on us and is for your own protection.

( cheque made payable to Hamilton Hall. ) Too many people like to play financial games with us and we do not play these childish games.

PLEASE: Use the same e mail address every time you contact us.

Press RETURN every time you e mail us so all past e mails are returned and we can just scan down and see what has been said before - otherwise we have to find you in the system which wastes valuable time.

State your SURNAME CLEARLY on every communication and the DATE and/or NAME of the workshop / B&B period you are requesting information about.

It is also redundant to send a letter or e mail with no details. We receive hundreds of phone and e mails every single day so PLEASE do not expect us to remember...especially when my mind is on doughnuts....

If we waste a lot of time through this - we may bill you for our time as some people make a habit out of being prats and annoying time wasters and we do not appreciate this manner of business. You would be gobsmacked how many people think it funny to waste our time.

Christmas / New Year / Bank Holiday periods are charged in full at the time of reservation.

We will send by e mail or post a confirmation of your booking.

We do not send duplicates or reminders.

A credit card booking confirms a reservation immediately and is the preferred method of payment as cheques have to be banked.

(Believe me, we get loads of time wasters)
Credit cards are charged as Hamilton Hall.

If at any time a mistake has been made, please inform us immediately and we will correct it where possible.

HOLIDAY INSURANCE

Watch closely to the £10 note below and see how the Queen winks at you ....

( for B&B cancellations see below )

Less than 14 days notice of cancellation:

We are unable to offer a refund and all outstanding amounts owed to pay the full price will be charged against your credit card so we are fully paid. These Workshops and Special Events are a huge responsibility to organise and to keep the numbers correct. Please respect that Hamilton Hall is a NOT FOR PROFIT VENUE and your facilitator and host DOES NOT TAKE A WAGE while working between 12 and 18 hours a day.

In the case of a workshop weekend, we also charge a £50 Facilitators Fee as this means our numbers are wrong and the facilitator has to join in the workshop as well as facilitating and we hope this is an incentive NOT to cancel.

If enough time is given and we can fill your space, then the Facilitators Fee is waived and 50% of the weekend cost is returned.

The Facilitators Fee also applies in all situations where someone, once started, leaves the workshop resulting in the wrong number to work in pairs and the facilitator has to join in.

More than 14 days notice of cancellation:

50% of the amount paid is returned and the remainder kept by Hamilton Hall to cover our staff, admin. and exorbitant banking charges.

Christmas / New Year and Bank Holiday Workshop periods. No refunds are available under any circumstances and we strongly suggest Holiday Insurance to cover any potential for cancellation. This is our busy time and we cannot have empty spaces under any conditions and the responsibility is yours. If you cancel at these times, regardless of reasons, the full amount is charged.

As a small venue, we cannot afford to have our Special Events empty of people canceling at the last minute or to loose the income so needed by this NOT FOR PROFIT VENUE.

Changed dates:
If you change the date of an event you are booked in for, less than 14 days prior to the event itself, this will be seen as a cancellation and the charges detailed above will apply.

If you allow more than 14 days notice, then a Date Change Fee is charged at £25 per person. If you change the dates a second time, we charge a further £50 per person. A third alteration will mean we keep all moneys paid and cancel the reservation.

All funds owed for a Date Change Fee are to be paid at the time the date is changed and not paid on arrival for the event.

In all correspondence with Hamilton Hall, please ALWAYS state your surname and date of booking. This eases confusion. If sending an e mail or a letter through the mail service, PLEASE be aware that not all e mails or mail, arrives at their destinations. If you are cancelling and you do not hear within 5 days from us, PLEASE confirm receipt with a simple phone call.

If you do not turn up for your reservation and we hear absolutely nothing, we charge the full amount owed.

Less than 7 days notice of cancellation: Nothing is returned.
More than 7 days notice of cancellation: £30 is kept by Hamilton Hall to cover our staff, admin. and exorbitant banking charges and the remainder is returned. If you have a group booking then the amount retained against our costs will vary as to the size of your reservation and the amount so far charged against your credit / debit card.

Cancellation & late arrival
Please telephone Hamilton Hall on 01202-399227 and advise us, in person, of any cancellation and please follow that up in writing, either through e mail or letter.
When you write or e mail us, please check within 5 days that your mail / e mail has been received if you have not heard from us in return. If you do not and we have not received your e mail, which can happen, we may charge you for your entire stay.

If you ask your secretary or someone else to phone and cancel, and s/he forgets - you are responsible.
If you use a medical condition / work / as cause for cancellation, we may ask for evidence if a refund is available and/or expected.

We will not enter into dialogue if we are not treated equally, fairly, truthfully and with respect.

Hamilton Hall is very open to discuss cancellation or a date change with you, as nothing is set in stone.

please - be truthful - even if just to yourself.

You'd be shocked how some people use dying parents, sick children, cancer, Hep A and an assortment of excuses when canceling and trying to get their money back when the truth is often very different, they just forgot the reservation or have chosen to do something else instead. So please, if you are going to try and pass a fast one on us, get up early, as we have just about heard it all before and were not born yesterday. We trust our intuition and have never been failed by it so far. Please - be honest with us and ultimately, honest with yourself. Be brave enough to admit an honest mistake and don't lie.

Just recently, ( June 2007 ) Alexander N. reserved a triple room for the weekend and then did not turn up and we waited in all day from midday to midnight for their arrival, left repeated phone messages and never heard a whisper. So I charged his credit card according to our contractual small print and sent a polite and professional e mail informing him of such, and got a very childish and unprofessional e mail in response. He turned bitchy and all because of his own shortcomings. Then again ( July 2007 ) 24 hours before a special bears weekend I am told on the phone that e mails sent 6 weeks ago had not been answered in response to a cancellation, and I was blamed as was my British Telecom server. The truth was that the customer had never e mailed 6 weeks prior or sent anything at all and was just lying - bullshitting me by attacking me and my server - and once again, he was charged the full price. He wasn't mature enough or professional enough to take responsibility for his own childish behaviour towards us in a business like manner. He tried complaining through his bank and we sent evidence and information as to his behaviour and his bank agreed with us and allowed the full charge to go ahead, so he made a fool of himself even to his bank.

Please... don't think I am a fool and insult my intelligence. If you make a mistake, as we all make them, be brave enough to admit it and move on with your life... a little poorer ( ha ha ) but honest. It's the grown up thing to do and anything else... well.. you already know the answer to that... huh ?

Contacting us by e mail indicates permission to add your e mail address to our multi e mail package for the occasional advertising by e mail. To opt out, please return any offending e mail and we will take you off the register within 24 hours but you MUST return the offending e mail.

For health and safety reasons, as a venue with naked gay and bisexual men, if we refuse your reservation, no offense is meant. We cater to the individual and we must always be conscious and aware of the group setting, and to this aim, if we refuse your reservation, please try and be understanding and respectful.

WHY DO WE NEED A SMALL PRINT PAGE

Sadly - because there are those who seem unable to grasp the concept of acting in a business like manner and offering respect - not only to us, but to others, - we have had to put this 'small print page' together. This protects ourselves and our guests alike. There are still those out there who never cease to amaze and horrify, and who expect everything for nothing and who expect the world - while offering nothing in return, and so this page continues to change and grow to encompass all the possibilities that are thrown at us.
.
We mean no offense by having these guidelines, as sadly, it is a fact of life that any business needs to protect itself. It saddens us greatly that we have to be so business like and have these conditions in place and cannot fathom why people cannot act in a responsible, adult and respectful manner towards others at all times and in all circumstances, but sadly it seems some cannot / do not - offer this.
.
We once had a Mother and Father abandon their 'special needs' 36 year old gay son on us one Christmas as they wanted rid of him for a period so they could have some fun without him ( of which we knew nothing of this until afterwards ) and he not only wet his bed repeatedly, but he completely ruined 2 beds, 6 pillows, 3 duvets and 2 chairs - all of which had to be replaced with new ones, and the carpet in his room needed cleaning right down to the underlay, which was a great deal of work. We didn't discover any of this until the night before he was to leave and it cost a small fortune to put right. His parents claimed no responsibility and said it was not their business to inform us that he might / would wet the bed.

His local Social Services - who we complained to, stated that this man's lifestyle was a 'chosen lifestyle' - even though - as I pointed out... ' This man has been wallowing around in a piss soaked bed for 5 days and you claim this is a chosen lifestyle when the man has obvious special needs' - the point is, Social Services often are not worthy as they are all too often under trained, under staffed, over worked and under funded and central government expects them to work miracles. We hear repeatedly of the horrendous mistakes made and this was one of those instances when his local Social Services simply didn't want to know, and the general public and his family are abused because of their lack of interest in a care package for a man who had desperate special needs. - After all the hard work over the Christmas period, almost every penny we may have made to see us through the winter, was lost. It was truly heartbreaking.
.
This sort of abuse - of us and of their own son, is sad, I felt deeply for all concerned but it was me who had to foot the bill for all the damage. But no more. If this was to happen again, we would have to take court action and reclaim the expenses, especially as our insurance company states that any claim - we have to pay the first £500 ( and you would be right in saying - 'What's the use of having insurance then ?' - except it's the law.)
.
So, apologies for this small print - it is aimed at the few who are incapable of acting in a decent manner.

FORGET TO TURN UP
If after you have made a reservation you forget to turn up, we bill you for the full cost of the weekend plus the Facilitator Fee.
( Someone forgot to attend a workshop booked some months prior and then blamed us. As I pointed out, I am not his Mother or his secretary and that he was responsible.)

BAD WEATHER CANCELLATION

If cancellation is because of adverse weather conditions - making the journey impossible or dangerous, please understand that Hamilton Hall's ongoing costs and outgoings do not stop because the weather restricts how our guests get here, or not. If you have booked for a weekend / period at Hamilton Hall and the weather / trains / motorways - in some manner - restricts your travel plans, our cancellation policy above still stands firm and charges will be levied. We completely appreciate how this may seem unfair under certain conditions, and understand how frustrating this may be, and as we still have to heat and maintain Hamilton Hall, especially during adverse weather conditions, your appreciation of our position is invited.

UTILITY CHARGES:

As reported in the media, the price of our gas and electricity has sky rocketed. This is then taxed with Climate Levy Tax which then has VAT charged against the tax. Although we keep Hamilton Hall toasty warm with our central heating, some of the bedrooms may appear cooler or some people may feel the cold easier than others, and we now offer extra electric radiators for the rooms at £10 per night. March 2008 - Our trash collection which we have to pay for, went up by 33% - and we cannot pass all these extras onto you - we have to absorb these extra costs.

It is our intention to keep the ambient temperature warm and comfortable, BUT: where weather conditions are severe and the threat of power cuts, fuel shortages etc. hit us all, we will do what we can to keep the venue warm and the rest is up to you.

This comes about because some people have badly abused our kind offer and good will with supplying extra heaters and have left them on full, all day, even when not in the hotel let alone not in their room, and the room has been like a sauna, and this is thoughtless. Our prices are extremely good value and taking advantage in this manner spoils it for others, so we have introduced this charge and taken the extra heaters out until requested and paid for.

If costs keep spiraling beyond the rate of inflation and beyond our control, we shall add a surcharge to the winter weekend workshops to help offset these outrageous price hikes, and if you want to complain then do so to the government who caused these middle east wars and so causing chaos in the utility markets. British Airways sometimes adds a fuel surcharge and no-one says a word, and if we have to do the same, your appreciation and payment towards this, is appreciated.

HOT WEATHER

We maintain our prices and offer special deals for bed and breakfast and our charges are extremely low for what you get in return. If the weather is adversely hot and you require a fan in your room, we charge £5 a day and expect you to appreciate and understand our position

WE RECOMMEND HOLIDAY INSURANCE

DISCOUNTS

All discounts are discretionary and if you give us a hard time, then the discount will be stopped and the price will revert to the full price and no discount will be offered. (As experienced with a guest who was attending the Conservative Party Conference - October 2004 ) As a busy venue throughout the year, we offer discounts in order that everyone can enjoy our facilities regardless of financial ability.

If a single person has a twin room and uses both beds, then we charge for the second bed as if two people were using the room.. This will automatically be charged against your credit card and an explanation will be posted with the credit card receipt. All staff members within Hamilton Hall at the time will be asked to witness the fact that more that one bed has been used.

If a hotel key is taken - it can be returned in a padded envelope with a first class stamp.

Please be aware - pay attention and be responsible.

3 nights for £75 / £90 is available per person, per 7 day period. Extra days can be added at the usual B&B price and any (extra) discount offered is between John Bellamy and his intuition.

This is available all year ( except Workshop / Christmas / New Year and Bank Holiday periods and when any special event is planned. )
To receive these discounts, pre booking and pre payment must be made and arranged with Hamilton Hall at the time of enquiry and reservation, in advance of your stay. All special deals are discretionary and we have the right to withdraw any special offers and we will inform you of our reasons why. This deal is only available to credit card bookings, No special price will be offered on the phone if you have not seen the web site and know of our special deals.

Please mention you saw this offer on our web page.

If using this special offer on a weekend,

a Friday and Saturday night must be used together.

All payments and deposits made to Hamilton Hall,
is an indication that you have read and understood and agree upon, our terms and conditions

Cancellation & late arrival / no-show charges & credit difficulties.

Declined Card Cost

Unlike many venues, we do not charge a surcharge if paying by credit card, and if we make several attempts to charge monies to your credit card and it is repeatedly declined, and we may even have to phone you back for another card number, we bill you £15 for our time and costs involved. As a not for profit venue, we cannot afford extras added to our banking charges in this manner. Please use cards that have enough funds available and are current and not nearly out of date. Our time is valuable to us.

Your personal and credit card details are not stored on computer except your e mail will/may be kept on file for some years before being deleted. Any credit details phoned through are kept on paper in our Diary of Events against the date of your reservation and is kept on file. If at any time in the future you owe us monies, do not turn up for a reservation or leave your room damaged, costs incurred will be charged against your card and you will be notified accordingly.

We expect you to be responsible and accountable for your own credit card bills and for checking that these are correct. There are many fraudsters out there who try and play games with us and we do not play those games and warn our customers to keep an eye on their account as to whom and what has been charged against their credit card. We expect you to be responsible for your own accounting.

cancellation:

If you ask your secretary or someone else to phone and cancel, and s/he forgets - you are responsible.
If you use a medical condition / work / as cause for cancellation, we may ask for evidence if a refund is available and/or expected.

We will not enter into dialogue if we are not treated equally, fairly, truthfully and with respect.

Hamilton Hall is very open to discuss cancellation or a date change with you, as nothing is set in stone.
We may request evidence in order to facilitate a rebate; otherwise -

Cancellation:

Hamilton Hall is very open to discuss cancellation or a date change with you, as nothing is set in stone. We may request evidence in order to facilitate a rebate; otherwise -

WORKSHOP & SPECIAL EVENTS

Less than 7 days notice of cancellation: no refund is available and all outstanding amounts owed to pay the full price will be charged against your credit card so we are fully paid.
More than 7 days notice of cancellation: 50% of the amount paid is returned and the remainder kept by Hamilton Hall to cover our staff, admin. and exorbitant banking charges. More than 14 days notice of cancellation, we retain £50 against our costs and return the remainder.

SHORT NOTICE CANCELLATION: If you reserve a room on credit card and cancel within 24 hours, then we refund your monies and retain a percentage to cover our admin and banking charges. We have no control over the bank charging us monies regardless of how quickly you cancel your reservation.

We suggest if in any doubt, you take out Holiday Insurance
which should cover you against loss, delay and cancellation.

Changed dates:
If you change the date of an event you are booked in for, less than 7 days prior to the event itself, this will be seen as a cancellation and Hamilton Hall has the right to retain all of the funds paid.

If you allow more than 14 days notice, then a Date Change Fee is charged at £25 per person. If you change the dates a second time, we charge a further £50 per person. A third alteration will mean we keep all moneys paid and cancel the reservation.

All funds owed for a Date Change Fee are to be paid at the time the date is changed and not paid on arrival for the event.

In all correspondence with Hamilton Hall, please ALWAYS state your surname and date of booking. This eases confusion. If sending an e mail or a letter through the mail service, PLEASE be aware that not all e mails or mail, arrives at their destinations. If you are canceling and you do not hear within 5 days from us, PLEASE confirm receipt with a simple phone call.

CANCELLATION: For Group Bookings where the entire venue has been reserved.

More that 28 days cancellation: 50% ( the deposit ) is retained by Hamilton Hall.

Less than 28 days notice of cancellation : The deposit is retained PLUS 30% of the entire amount remaining, is owed, making a total of 80% of the entire sum.

If less than 14 days notice of cancellation: The deposit is retained PLUS 40% of the entire amount remaining, is owed, making a total of 90% of the entire sum owed.

For full terms and conditions of renting the entire venue, please ask.

If Hamilton Hall cancels an event we will advise you on the phone or through e mail and arrange to either send you a cheque in return for the full amount paid, refund against your credit card, or if you prefer, we can carry your funds over for a different date that is agreeable with all parties. In all instances of Hamilton Hall canceling, all funds are repaid fully and with our apologies. We also often offer a discount on a future booking as a gesture of good will.

LATE ARRIVALS

If we do not hear and we wait around for more than 4 hours, we may make a charge for our time regardless of the room being paid for. Please read below...
If you do not turn up on the first day/ night of your reservation, and we hear nothing from you, the remainder of your reservation will be cancelled and no refund will be forthcoming. As my Mother always says... 'There's always a phone dear, just call and let me know what's going on so I don't worry.'

On some occasions when someone states they will arrive at 10am ( for instance ) and they do not arrive until 7pm because they decided to go straight to the beach or take a later flight without bothering to inform us, we are then here all day waiting when we could go out and do things. As a very busy venue - we have a great deal to do and we truly value what time we do have off and do not want our time wasted when a simple phone call is all it takes. We do not employ reception staff as we are a small venue and we appreciate being kept informed of arrival times, - it's not too much to ask and is a very simple thing... a phone call takes 2 minutes and saves us waiting around for hours.

During the summer of 2005 I had some old friends staying from Portugal who I have known for years and on their last day I wanted to take them to the river for a picnic, and as soon as our one new guest had arrived --- off we would go. Except we waited in ALL DAY and he did not turn up at all, even though we called his mobile many times and left messages, he was a 'no show' that day and the next day and the next. He had paid his money for the room, and being the bank holiday the room would have been fully booked anyway, but more to the point, my time and that of my friends, on the last day of their holiday, had been spoiled, and it is really thoughtless. He never did return my calls and never did turn up, so whatever the reasons were, I don't know, and I have full sympathy if something important, an emergency or whatever, had cropped up, and I do appreciate that sometimes it is difficult to call or it just slips your mind if a family emergency comes up... of course, family comes first and I TRULY value that, but he had a mobile and it was switched off.

FREE PICK UP

Hamilton Hall offers a Free ‘Pick-Up’ and ‘Drop-Off’ Service to and from the local coach and train stations and to and from Studland Beach. Please phone on arrival and we can collect you.
Studland drop off and pick up is available at 10.30am and collection around 4.30pm. Donations towards the cost of petrol etc. can be made in the hall's Donation Box. ( usual cost for a cab to the ferry - £15 EACH WAY - so please - PUT A DONATION IN THE BOX ...)

If you are flying into Bournemouth Airport, with advance booking, we can also arrange to collect you, but charge a small donation of £5 to cover car park costs etc.

THIS IS NOT AN INSURED TAXI SERVICE

and is only offered as a friendly gesture, staff and time permitting.
IF IN ANY DOUBT TAKE AN INSURED TAXI OR A BUS
We accept no responsibility what-so-ever for your journey to and from Bournemouth or Hamilton Hall. Donations towards our costs can be placed in the box within the front door of Hamilton Hall.

DISABILITIES

People who are blind or partially sighted - or who are deaf or hard of hearing
People who have heart conditions - and those with Epilepsy
People who have problems with continence - and people who have insulin dependent diabetes
People with Downs Syndrome - Dyslexia - and those who have Arthritis
People who are wheelchair users
People who have experienced mental health problems and those who have learning disabilities.

Hamilton Hall does not have a Hearing Loop. We also do not have disabled toilet facilities or a ground floor bedroom. According to the law, introduced on 1st October 2004, we are suppose to ask and evaluate every single customer if they have special needs / a disability, and to be honest, I find this law, as usual, to be an ass. EVERYBODY - according to this law, is disabled, as EVERYONE has had a mental disability at some time or another ( depressed, mood swings, bereavement, broken heart - are all mental health issues...) so what is the point in this neurotic law ? ( do you get the joke there...??? ) All it does is cost businesses like mine more money and makes for more jobs for civil servants and gives us all something else to worry about and another silly little label to wear and pin on ourselves and for what... Nothing. They claim it's because of discrimination,- well how about the man whose business has to close because he hasn't got wheelchair access and the building is an historic one and cannot be altered, and he is now forced to close because one of the 640,000 people in wheelchairs in the UK wants to buy a 80p ice cream and cannot gain access.
I am often asked by short elderly ladies in Tesco's to reach for something on a high shelf - which I do with pleasure and a laugh - and are we now to make legislation lowering the height of shelves and then have people complaining that Top Shelf Magazines are now too low and children will get hold of them and because everything is lower, the shop is twice the size and prices will reflect this ???

You can't win. As usual, what probably started as a good idea has grown into an unworkable situation for councils and officials to monitor and where hundreds of thousands of business properties will not / cannot adapt their properties for various logistical as well as financial reasons and they will either be forced to close or the authorities will evaluate each venue on its own merit and act accordingly. In that case hundreds of thousands of venues will simply not bother and this makes an ass out of the law.

PLEASE

If you have a disability that you feel may cause you some concern during your stay at Hamilton Hall, please tell us when you make the reservation. I know MANY people who - if asked - would tell me where to shove it and to mind my own business. The government is fast becoming a NANNY STATE if it expects mature and educated adults to NEED to be asked such a thing, and this is indicating that if people have a disability, they are incapable of telling me for themselves without me having to ask, or that I need to know they are diabetic, have arthritis or can't read.

We do not discriminate against disabilities or judge you according to your disability as we see you as a human being and not a disability, and it does help us if we at least know in advance, if - and only if - you think it may cause you concern during your visit. Otherwise I believe that if you are dyslexic - or if you have arthritis etc. this is your own and very personal concern and not for every Tom, Dick and Harry to keep pestering you with asking about it all the time, especially as there is bugger all I can do for you if you are....

If you have a problem with wetting the bed, then obviously, we can take precautions and need to be informed in advance, as any damage is to be paid for. However, most of the other disabilities listed;- there is very little we can do to assist - so what's the point in telling us ???

We cannot be held responsible if you have not informed us of a health problem or disability in advance and it then becomes a problem for you.
PLEASE BE RESPONSIBLE FOR YOUR OWN WELL BEING. I know it's not fashionable to take personal responsibility, but at Hamilton Hall, that's exactly how we work. If you are not responsible for your own actions, then who is...??? Certainly not me.

With your help, we can all have a wonderful time, disabled or not.

As usual, the law is an ass.

FOOD: If you are a vegetarian or vegan please inform us at the time you make the reservation or at least 4 days in advance of your stay , as we can offer these alternatives.

GLUTEN FREE: If you are attending an event and require Gluten Free meals, ( full board catering only) then we charge an extra £20 per day or £50 for a weekend event, towards the huge expense and time in purchasing expensive products and cooking a separate meal.
If you surprise us at the last minute by stating you need a special diet, then the food supplied will not be the best we could have offered. We do not shop once a weekend has commenced..

We are not licensed, and you are welcome to bring your own booze and whatever helps you to relax. From July we shall be a NON SMOKING VENUE by law, and our smoking area indoors will have to stop. You will be able to smoke in the garden, although in the winter this will be f-f-f-freeeeezing cold. You are welcome to bring whatever helps you to chill out and relax - i.e.: your worry beads, knitting, herbal remedies, teddy bear or fluffy bunny slippers. ( Business is not allowed to build a shelter with 4 walls and a ceiling for a smoking area. It cannot be enclosed, so the law is saying you must get wet, shiver and freeze your balls off if you want a fag. The nanny state has gone mad and I am watching to see when the same is applied to alcohol, as more people die from throat cancer die to binge drinking than they do from smoking, and the highest - biggest cause of throat cancer is.... URBAN LIVING ... so when is the government going to give us a decent transport system so we can leave the car at home and clean up the environment. THAT is the danger, not cigarettes. )

GM FOODS. It appears the government expects us to know exactly what is in the food stuff we purchase and use even though it is recognized that many GM products are not clearly marked on the label and things like Soya from the USA is hidden in with non GM Soya - so who would know. I am suppose to mark all foods that have GM products in them, yet the government itself needs to tighten up on food labeling in order for the general public to know how to find these products, what the label says clearly and in English instead of all in coded wording and E numbers etc. and then and ONLY then, we the ignorant masses ( most of us are not scientists ) will know what we are looking at when we pick these products up in the supermarket. So please... be responsible for yourself and where we can, we do not buy GM foods, but as we are no more aware of what is in some food products that anyone else, if you have concerns about this, please either ask and where we can - we will figure it out together, or eat somewhere else.
It's just another excuse by the government to 'pass the buck' down the line to the 'little man' at the end of the chain rather than taking responsibility for it themselves, at the top,- the government who makes this silly legislation that no-one in the street can possibly follow.

Boundaries and Limitations

Boundaries and limitations are to be adhered to and respected in, and during, all workshops and any period spent at Hamilton Hall.
You need to bring a huge sense of humor and a broad minded approach to life, love and the universe.

If you are easily offended, then some of our workshops are not for you.

We offer a broad minded approach to life, love and the universe, and anyone acting in an inappropriate manner will be asked discretely to curb their behavior, and if this is not forthcoming, they will be asked to leave and no refund will be offered. We adhere to the law and offer a safe space for everyone attending and ask everyone to adhere to, and respect, our guidelines at Hamilton Hall.

Please read all material relevant to your workshop, clearly, as any mistake made in your interpretation of our written word, - is your responsibility and is not the responsibility of Hamilton Hall. If in doubt, ask when you make the booking.
If you decide during a workshop that the contents are not for you, and you choose not to continue, please wait until the next break and speak to your facilitator quietly.

For various reasons, you may choose to miss one section of the workshop. More than one section missed and we ask you not to return to the workshop.

We reserve the right to ask you to check-out of Hamilton Hall if it is felt you are not taking the work seriously or respecting those who wish to continue with the training.

No refund is then forthcoming.

For obvious reasons, we restrict those staying at Hamilton Hall during a workshop / training to those taking part in the course. We do not allow non participating customers into the building as this introduces confusion and a very different energy within the work space.

Nothing is set in stone, and we ask that you please speak to John Bellamy concerning any concerns you may have, in private, and please do not disturb the remainder of the group.

We all create our own reality and are responsible for what we want and expect,- to bring to - and take from - the workshop trainings.

It is never our intention to cause emotional or physical stress and/or discomfort for anyone and if at any time anything within a workshop becomes too graphic, too much to handle or simply not your cup of tea, then you are welcome to sit one section of the workshop out, and return afterwards.
Please be responsible for your own well being at all times.

We may touch on deeply held belief structures from a very different angle, and it is not our intention to cause emotional stress or discomfort by doing so. Only through open and honest discussion can anything me learned. We do not appreciate arguing as this stifles conversation and growth and is usually offered from a place of anger, frustration and one of domination. Heated debate, where respect is offered by both parties, is valued and in some cases, encouraged.

We may talk about Recreational drugs - Pedophilia and other abuses, Alcohol, Viagra, the Church and numerous esoteric topics, BUT WE DO NOT PROMOTE ANY OF THESE ITEMS AND JUST BECAUSE WE SHARE SOME ALTERNATIVE TRUTHS ON THESE - AND OTHER SUBJECTS - DOES NOT MEAN WE INVITE YOU TO TRY THEM OR THAT THEY ARE CORRECT. Please take responsibility for the fact that all too often, what you know on these subjects, is usually in error. Mainstream media manipulates and misinforms and when we share some alternative truths, we are NOT PROMOTING, ENCOURAGING OR INVITING ANYONE to take part in, to swallow, inject, sniff, sit on, suck, eat, listen to or believe, as gospel, ANYTHING. YOU ALONE ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR WHAT YOU CHOOSE TO BELIEVE AND PUT INTO PRACTICE. NO-ONE ELSE. PLEASE take responsibility for your own self.

As we always say - Believe nothing you hear, see or read, unless it resonates within you as a truth, and then find out for yourself. Read a couple of different books on the same subject and do not just blindly read and believe the first one,- try and find several different angles to the same topic and get a general overview. Never blindly believe or trust anyone or anything unless your soul - your inner guide - your intuition - your gut reaction, tells you it is to be trusted and is safe. And then, never doubt your intuition.

Many say that Hamilton Hall feels very therapeutic, and on many levels - people are healed,-
but - we do NOT offer or administer therapy.

Dogs ( and I don't mean your Ex boyfriend ) are allowed with permission and advance notice and with a credit card as confirmation. Any damage is charged at 'new for old' and carries a 25% surcharge to cover staff time shopping for new. We have an old pussy who stays out of the way and be prepared for me making a fuss of your dog for hours and hours....

DAMAGE - LOSS and/or THEFT - LEFT BEHIND ITEMS
TAKING ADVANTAGE

DAMAGE please read

Damage: ( if you break a nail, tough...) However caused, is to be paid for by the person responsible or whoever has paid for their visit. If you wet or soil the bed, be prepared to pay for a new mattress and bedding. If you spill your coffee all over the beige carpet, then a cleaning machine and labor will be charged. We expect you to respect our facilities as if they were your own.
We respect that accidents happen and make allowances for this, but where stupidity or thoughtless behavior has meant that Hamilton Hall's property is damaged, we will make a charge for repair / cleaning, replacement etc.
( Recently, someone spilt the entire contents of the powdered coffee container in the dining room, all over the carpet some 6 feet away from where he was suppose to be making coffee, and we never did quite fathom why he was carrying it across the room. He was staying on a 3 nights for 2 basis and paying just £60 - and it ended up costing us £57 to clean up his mess besides staff time and petrol going to rent the carpet cleaner. So we were at a huge loss... 3 nights B&B where we were not paid... so in theory we had a guest stay for nothing and it actually COST US to have him stay here... and we cannot - and will not - allow that to happen again. We are a NOT FOR PROFIT VENUE and if you are clumsy - be prepared to pay for your clumsiness.). He was everso apologetic and I really do appreciate accidents happen, but some things are thoughtless and will be charged for.

Sadly we have had those who have abused and stolen from us here at Hamilton Hall and we have to have this in place to protect ourselves.
.
If after you have checked out from Hamilton Hall we discover items missing from your room, we charge 'new for old' plus a 25% surcharge, against your credit card for a replacement item. We will send you the credit card receipt and inform you of why we have done this. You are welcome to enter into dialogue concerning the missing items, but if items are missing, the charge will stand.

Our rooms have that very special 'home from home' feel and have many of the finishing touches not usually found, and we ask that this is respected.
All rooms are inspected before and after a customer arrives and leaves and anything missing is noted.

ITEMS LEFT AT HAMILTON HALL
.
If you leave items at Hamilton Hall after you check out, please phone to ascertain the items have been found. If they have, you are to send a Post Office Pre Paid Box to us here at Hamilton Hall big enough for the items, otherwise we will hold the items for a max. of 6 weeks pending your pick-up, and after that it will either be thrown or given to a charity shop.

SOCIAL WORKER
We ask that anyone visiting who has 'special needs' where a social worker or carer should be in attendance, please notify us in advance and supply us with the social worker / carers name and phone number and advise us as to needs and requirements. If no social worker or career is in attendance, we are not responsible for the welfare of the person involved and take no responsibility. If we receive any damage to our property, this will be billed to the person responsible and/or the social services administrator, as 'new for old' plus a 25% extra charge towards staff time and any extra expenses incurred. We are not a care facility and we are not trained as such. Please do not expect us to be more than we are.
Bookings such as this must always be paid with a credit card.

Hamilton Hall is an ADULT ONLY VENUE

to finish
We try and run Hamilton Hall in a professional and friendly manner and hope that you will respect and value that we may work a little differently to other venues, but then, we are not like other venues and we work the way that is best for us. If this means we do things a little differently, then so be it.

If you should get us on a bad day, when we are rushed, panicked, stressed or simply distracted by thought, our apologies if we are a little short. This is called 'being human' and no-one regrets it more than we do. In defense - we get a great many time wasters who seem to think it funny to waste our time over and over again, and as a venue with HUGE overheads, we cannot afford extra staff to cope with these time wasters and - at times - it does annoy us, just as it would any of you.
We try our very best and if that is not good enough for you, then find another venue.

Having said that:-

We offer a very laid back - relaxed and friendly environment and ask that you respect this and hope you will chill out and enjoy your stay here.
We will do whatever we can to make you happy and enjoy your time with us an experience to remember. Hamilton Hall has certain legal responsibilities and moral guidelines to adhere to, and if in any doubt, these can be found in the vestibule (lobby) at Hamilton Hall.

Hamilton Hall is privately owned and run by John Bellamy, who put his money where his mouth is, and chose to open a self and spiritual development retreat for the gay community, the only such venue in the country.

We do not tolerate racism, elitist behavior, ageism, arrogance, intellectual and educational snobbery, homophobic or heterophobic behavior, brutish behavior, intolerance, bigotry of any kind or anything which may cause annoyance or offense to anyone present. Most of all, we find quite offensive and a ruination to many - POLITICAL CORRECTNESS. It limits growth. It labels everyone with another label, which divides and separates, it does NOT unite and consolidate. PC behavior is boring and dangerous and has brought nothing but confusion and heartache for many who are now worried about 'should I call her woman or lady.... lesbian or dyke .... ' etc. etc. etc. while the newspapers are legally allowed to still call us 'queer and puff.' - and we get completely lost in words and the pathetic ness of needing a label so we will feel included. How sad. There are, of course, obvious exceptions concerning respect and decency, but alas, very few.

Running a small business in this country is very hard and although the government claims to support small business, it really seems not to. On all business gas and electricity bills, we now have to pay something called the 'Climate Levy Tax' which is designed to make business use less gas and electricity, and the horrifying thing is , that this TAX to business, then has VAT added to it... so the tax is taxed.
I wouldn't mind if the Climate Levy Tax was then put aside for spending on cleaning up the rivers, the air, the environment etc. but it is not... it's just another tax.

Having said all this.
You have GOT to laugh... life is too short to get bogged down in red tape, conspiracy theories ( which I adore) and negative energies.

Laugh, and the world laughs with you.
Laugh, and the healing begins.
Laugh, and you'll live for ever.

Everyone is welcome.

In Peace

John Bellamy

me, after writing all this out, checking, checking and checking again and again and yet I am sure there are mistakes even now....

If you have read right to the end here... have you nothing better to do...?

If you wish to use any of our articles or writings elsewhere, we believe in the sharing of information and ask that you respect the writer enough to simply ask first and give a credit and web page link in return.