Cube Seats

Guide to private hire at the Cube Cinema


Before you read on:

The Cube is usually open for all kinds of events and hires. However at the moment we are at capacity and we suggest you check back in May 2024.

It can be booked to put on private film screenings, public meetings, rehearsals, conferences, music, festivals, etc. Our preference leans towards public events that directly benefit our community and the communities on our doorstep, and that make our programme richer, more exciting and diverse.

Hire opportunities are limited by our other events and volunteer availability. The public site does not reflect everything that's happening at the Cube, therefore days you want may be unavailable. Please give us as much notice as you can, ideally 6+ weeks.

We don't take bookings for private closed personal parties or events such as birthdays, weddings etc.

Some alternatives to the Cube include -

For short films under 20 minutes (shorter is better), a good, free option is to submit your film to Bluescreen, which happens at the Cube every two months and is first come, first served.

To show films to a few people, a good option for up to 18 people is Kino at 20th Century Flicks.

For theatre, the The Room Above (White Bear) and the Alma Tavern Theatre are possibilities.

How do I request a hire?

First, please read our FAQ below fully. Most questions you’ll ask will be answered there.

Please then complete and send a Hire and Enquire Form (link at the end of this page).

HIRE FAQ

What is the capacity of the Cube?

CINEMA seats: 105 people.
THE LICENSED BAR: 50 people comfortably.
THE GARDEN: 25 people

General advice is 100 people maximum for an event.

What technology and equipment do you have?

See our Technical Specs.

We also have a mini grand piano, full lighting rig and projection equipment for other formats. Use of these items may incur additional hire fees.

How much does hire of the cinema cost?

We have two options for hiring the cinema:

Corporate Hire* £300

Community Hire** £200

This includes projectionist, usher and volunteers who will serve drinks from our bar/cafe.

This is for a 3 hour hire. If your event is longer than 3 hours, the hire fee will increase.

Participants in post-film Q&A sessions will not be provided with microphones. The acoustics in the auditorium are excellent and amplification is not usually required. If you do require amplification please include details on your “Hire and Enquire” form.

* Universities, Colleges, businesses, large/medium sized organisations, large charities, funded projects

**Community groups, local projects, schools, grass roots

Film Licensing costs

Our hire prices do not include the cost of any film copyright licensing, transport or any extra specific equipment.

You will need to provide evidence that you have secured the appropriate theatrical licence for any proposed screening.

How much does a gig hire cost?

If you are a promoter, band or musician and want to hire the venue for a gig, the hire rates and conditions will vary depending on the type, timing, tech and staffing requirements of the event. Rates can vary from £250 to £1500. Sunday - Wednesday hires will generally be cheaper than weekends.

You will need to hire a freelance sound tech. We will provide you with a list of skilled freelancers familiar with the Cube PA, but it is up to you to negotiate a fee with them.

You will manage your own box office, and all the door money is yours. We strongly advise that you have your own card payment machine as majority of payments are now via card.

Gigs usually take place between:

7pm - 11pm Monday - Thursday

7pm - 12am Friday and Saturday

7pm - 11pm Sunday

Entry to the Cube for set up is not before 4pm on the day of the gig.

No equipment may be left in the Cube overnight.

Club Nights / Late Licenses

Our late licenses are extremely limited and reserved for specific events throughout the year. We are also fully staffed by volunteers who are less likely to work late night shifts. Therefore we don’t hire the building for club nights with late finishes.

Hire for other events: training sessions, workshops, conferences

You might want to hire the Cube for something different - a workshop, training session, a scratch rehearsal or conference.

The hire of the venue space is £150 for 4 hours or £250 for the day (9-5pm). If you require support for projection, use of our sound or lighting system or any other tech requirements or support please be as specific as you can on the “Hire and Enquire” form to ensure your needs are fully met. We will not be able to arrange technical support at short notice or on the day.

Putting on an Exhibition

Our opening times are irregular depending on what events are happening. We therefore do not offer to hang exhibitions for the public. Any exhibition you see will have been created / curated in-house.

Accessibility

A number of awkward level changes within our historic building make the building inaccessible for non-ambulant guests / wheelchair users. We have plans to improve this in the future but currently lack the funding to carry out the required changes.

Hearing Loop

The installation of a hearing loop has been put on hold due to a lack of funding. We hope to have one installed in the future.

Smoking

The Cube is a non-smoking venue (including vapes). Smoking is allowed in the garden.

Safeguarding

If you are organising an event, training session or workshop attended by young people (under 16) who will not be accompanied by guardians, or for adults who could be considered vulnerable, we need to see your safeguarding policy, risk assessment and possibly up to date DBS depending on the nature of what you are proposing.

Notes

Event hire includes a minimum of four trained volunteer staff.

If you are running a public event, we will upload details to our website, including ticket links and will share as best we can through our social media channels. However, it is mainly your responsibility to promote your own gig or event. We recommend using Headfirst for tickets.

For public events you will need to provide copy text and images at least four weeks prior to the event date to be included on the website and media channels.

If you need a DJ for your event you will have to provide your own.

Hires will be invoiced 14 days prior to the event and fee must be paid in full prior to start of event.

How do I enquire about hiring?

Fill in the “Hire and Enquire” form.