Catspaw

Catspaw Authentic Entertainment - v ery special entertainment for special events. Check out our workshops - especially the range of story workshops. Or make your party an event to go down in history with one of our shows from the Dark Ages, Medieval, Viking, Elizabethan periods. Our wedding listings offer something a little different for stag and hen and wedding entertainments.

Terms and Conditions of Business

INSURANCE AND SAFETY:

Our regular high risk performers have their own insurance: eg: large animatronics, fire jugglers etc
Most other performers also have some Public Liability Insurance.
If you have specific PLI requirements then please confirm these before booking so additional costs incurred can be accounted for, if it is possible to meet your requirements.

Though we do not knowingly use performers who have any unsafe equipment cannot vouch for all electrical equipment used by all performers being PAT tested. If this is a requirement for your event please let us know well in advance as it can often take over a month to get equipment booked in for testing and you may need to cover the cost.

If you require risk assessments please specify at time of booking requests arriving less than a month before performance cannot always be easily met due to performer availability.

Client is responsible for providing suitable venue/performance space. What a suitable space is will have been discussed in emails/phone in advance. (eg: fire juggling require a clear outdoor space with no overhangs and no leaf litter/kindling around. The Creatures need a changing space with a non slip floor and 9' headroom.)

Special conditions will be noted on your booking contract.
It is not Catspaw or the artists liability if they are unable to perform due to venue conditions being unsafe.

Many of our performers are CRB checked, if you require a copy for your records please let us know in good time.

 

PAYMENTS:

An invoice for your records can be provided from any point from time of booking to the event. It should be paid within this time frame – no later than on arrival on the day. Preferred method of payment is cash on the day allowing performers to use it immediately for expenses etc. We do not like to delay paying our artists waiting for payment to clear so if you wish to pay by cheque we would prefer that you pay in advance if possible.

We are flexible where we can be, but we do need you to agree payment terms and abide by them.

If you need an invoice before you can pay us please ensure we are aware of this in advance.

Discounts are conditional on prompt payment according to all terms. If you avoid or delay payment then the full fee will be due and all discounts invalidated.

Clients are responsible for paying all additional fees (eg: venue and caterers) directly even when catspaw is helping find them.

Payment (if not clearly specified otherwise) is due on the day or in advance.
On rare occasions we agree to delayed payments for up to 7, or in extremes no more than 14 days, after delivery commences. This must be agreed in advance.

Please allow for 3 day transfer if paying by BACS within the 14 days (therefore payment no later than day 11 after start of delivery). Bank account details for transfers within the UK or internationally can be provided on request.

Whatever our agreement is, if terms are breached then we reserve the right to charge both of the following:

• An immediate penalty fee of £30 or 10% of full total booking value, whichever is higher and

• additional charge of 10% per week or part thereof for which payment is delayed

(Example: on a £200 booking a delay of a week will cost £50, two weeks is £70, three weeks £90 etc)

We realise this may sound a large amount but it is proportional to the charges we may incur as a result of not being paid when expected and the extra administration created. If your payment is likely to be delayed at all please inform us ASAP so we can minimise impact. We hope not to have to charge these as we believe all clients making bookings should be fully capable of making payments within 14 days and this should simply provide motivation to do so. If you remain in contact with us we can minimise costs.

Though we appreciate this sounds severe many small/medium businesses do collapse due to late payment this is our attempt to avoid being one of them. If you do right by us these conditions will have no impact on you.

Please pay on time.

CANCELLATION:
In the rare case where for an unavoidable reason, such as illness or accident, an act you have booked becomes unavailable we will do our best to find an equivalent or acceptable alternative at the same price. We will notify you as soon as practically possible. If we can only offer a more expensive alternative you will have the option of cancelling the booking with no penalty. We will try to avoid cancellation if at all possible and will work with you to find an acceptable solution, including negotiating reduced rates with the replacement artist if possible. If cancellation is necessary in these circumstances any monies paid and not already expended on the event will be returned however we will do our utmost to substitute fittingly to avoid cancellation.

If you cancel a booking (for any reason) then (dates are from when we actually receive the notification, not when you send it so please make sure to get confirmation that we have received any email or answerphone message):

* More than 30 days in advance of the event – you will forfeit your deposit and in addition be charged 20% of total fee (including any deposit paid).

* 30 days to 14 days in advance – half the fee will still be payable to cover lost bookings by the artists.

* 14 days or less in advance – the full fee will be payable to cover lost bookings and wasted planning time/booked and things already paid for such as travel, accommodation and other expenses.

If you change the date of your event it will count as a cancellation of the initial booking and a creation of a new booking. Any cancellation charges on the original event will still be due as well as the full fee for the new booking.

There is no automatic right to credit any payments already made to the new booking and we will only consider the possibility if you give good notice and have good reason and it is practical and convenient for the artists involved to move the date and we agree to the changes.



All of these conditions are included on the booking forms, but they also apply to the commitments made, verbally, in writing or in emails by you to us, and thus are included here for your reference.

If you confirm a booking in writing/email or verbally then you are accepting our terms of business implicitly even when the signed contract and deposit have not yet been received by us.

If we agree a booking and send a booking contract, and you do not return it promptly but have already confirmed the booking verbally or in writing then these terms still apply, however until we receive your deposit we cannot guarantee that the artist involved will not take another booking for the date.

Please return your booking contract and deposit promptly to ensure a smooth and stress free process for all involved.



We look forward to enjoying doing business with you and contributing our part to help make your event something very special indeed.