Booking Terms & Conditions

The following terms and conditions are designed to protect both parties and help guarantee we will deliver our promise of an unforgettable digital dome experience. Please ensure you read and understand the terms and conditions fully.

1. Dome Operational Requirements
   
   
   1. Our various domes require a certain amount of time for set up and take down. Please ensure your school schedule allows for this:
      
      
      • 4m dome
        • the 4m dome requires 30min to set up initially and 25min to pack away
        • if dismantled for lunch, the 4m dome requires 15min to take down and 20min to put back up.
      • 5m dome
        • the 5m dome requires 30min to set up initially and 25min to pack away
        • if dismantled for lunch, the 5m dome requires 15min to take down and 25min to put back up.
      • 6m dome
        • the 6m dome requires 45min to set up initially and 30min to pack away
        • if dismantled for lunch, the 6m dome requires 20min to take down and 35min to put back up.
      • 7m dome
        • the 7m dome requires 60min to set up initially and 30min to pack away
        • if dismantled for lunch, the 7m dome requires 25min to take down and 40min to put back up.
          
          
   2. Please ensure the hall / venue has been swept clean to avoid dust coming into contact with the dome projection surface. If the floor is dirty when we arrive, it will first need to be swept before we can begin setting up, which will delay the start of the programme.
      
      
   3. If the hall / venue is not on the ground floor we will require either an elevator or an assistant to help us carry the bulky planetarium equipment. The 6m and 7m domes are particularly heavy and will require a strong assistant. 
      
      
   4. Secondary schools must have at least four teachers / adults with the students in the 7m dome and three teachers / adults in the 6m dome.
      
      
   5. Schools are encouraged to provide gym mats for students to sit on, or we can bring our foam flooring for an extra charge.
      
      
      
2. Booking form
   
   
   1. Unless you have already discussed your booking with us, completing the online booking form is NOT a confirmation of your booking.
   2. Before completing the online booking form, we ask that you please check with us (a) the date you require is available and (b) the booking option you require is possible to your location.
      
      
      
3. Payment Deadlines
   
   
   1. After your booking is confirmed, you will receive an invoice requesting full payment by a certain date.
   2. Deadlines for invoices are as follows:
      1. 4m and 5m domes - payment needs to be received 2 weeks before the date of the visit.
      2. 6m and 7m domes – payment needs to be received 3 weeks before the date of the visit.
   3. If you are unable to pay by the invoice deadline, please notify us and we will discuss an alternative date.
   4. We will not issue a reminder before payment is due, but will issue automated reminders after payment is due.
   5. Your payment will be held securely and should you cancel within the timeframe indicated in Section 4 below, your money will be refunded in full.
   6. On receipt of full payment we will email you an acknowledgement. Receipts are only issued on request.
   7. If payment has not been received after 30 days of the completed visit and you have not provided a valid reason for the delay in payment, we reserve the right to:
      • begin charging interest on the outstanding balance at a rate of 1.5% per month 
      • eventually forward the invoice to our debt collection agency, after which you will also be liable for all administrative, legal and court fees.
        
        
        
4. Booking Cancellation / Refund Policy
   
   
   1. If you need to cancel a booking at short notice, we will issue a refund and / or arrange an alternate date with you.
   2. Equally, if our presenter Mario becomes ill and cannot deliver a booking at short notice, we will issue a refund and / or arrange an alternate date with you.
      
      
      
5. Booking expectations on the day
   
   
   1. Venue for the dome
      1. The customer needs to provide an indoor space large enough for the dome that has been booked
      2. The floor needs to be level, sturdy and clean
      3. The space needs to be hazard-free and sheltered from the elements.
         
         
   2. Accessibility
      1. Easy access to the venue is essential. This can include a ramp or lift leading to the space where the equipment will be set up.
      2. Ideally there should be no (or very few) steps. If there are more than 4 or 5 steps leading to the space where the dome is to be set up, please inform us beforehand.
      3. If the venue is not located on the ground floor, then an elevator will be necessary. The equipment is heavy, bulky and transported on a narrow trolley (able to fit through standard doorways). If there is no elevator, a strong assistant will be required to help carry the equipment. NOTE: the 6m and 7m domes cannot be moved to above or below ground without either an elevator or at least three strong adult assistants provided by the venue.
         
         
   3. Equipment safety
      1. Most of our equipment is fragile and expensive and cannot be left unattended. If you wish to book Immersive Theatres for more than one day, it will be helpful if you can provide a dry, safe and secure space to store the equipment overnight.
         
         
   4. Parking
      1. We will require parking for our small van
      2. If parking is not available on your premises, please inform us beforehand with recommended alternate options, keeping in mind we have a significant amount of equipment to offload / reload
      3. If we incur unexpected parking charges we will need to recover the fees by invoicing you
      4. If we have to park in the street and need to top up the meter and / or move our vehicle every few hours, please note this may affect the start and / or delivery of the planetarium programme.
         
         
         
6. Site Visit
   
   
   1. If you have concerns about the suitability of your venue, please feel free to request a site visit (yet this may be charged extra).
      
      
      
7. Conduct and Behaviour
   
   
   1. It is the responsibility of teachers to maintain good behaviour in the dome - it is not the responsibility of our presenters.
   2. Immersive Theatres will endeavour to deliver a friendly, educational, entertaining and enjoyable experience for everyone involved. This may include deviating from previously agreed content if the audience is clearly not interested.
   3. If any person does not adhere to our Audience Code of Conduct and acts outside what is considered appropriate behaviour, then Immersive Theatres staff reserve the right to ask them to leave the dome.
   4. If any equipment is damaged by an individual of your organisation / audience (including children, teachers, students or adults) due to misconduct, then we will request compensation for the full replacement value of the damaged item(s)
      1. We strongly recommend you ensure the area around the dome is kept clear at all times. There needs to be little or no traffic of people. If a school, then students not booked into the dome cannot be in the vicinity of the dome without teacher supervision.
   5. Our members of staff have the right to cancel the booking on the day, with no refund being issued, under the following circumstances:
      1. On arrival the venue is found to be unsafe for Immersive Theatres staff to operate in
      2. The space where the dome is to be set up is not clean and cannot be cleaned in time eg. very dirty or wet floor
      3. The space is not protected from the elements such as wind, rain or strong direct sunlight
      4. The audience is rude, abrasive or behaves violently outside or inside the dome
      5. Any member of your organisation acts inappropriately towards Immersive Theatres staff, including:
         1. swearing and inappropriate language
         2. inappropriate physical contact, making staff uncomfortable
         3. any behaviour making it impossible or unsafe for our presenters to deliver a performance.
            
            
            
8. Complaints Procedure
   
   
   1. We pride ourselves in exceptionally positive customer feedback, however there is always a possibility things may go wrong. Our primary concern is customer satisfaction. Please follow this procedure in the event of a serious issue / complaint:
      1. Please email the director Mario Di Maggio immediately at mario(at)immersive-theatres.com
      2. Your complaint will be assessed and acted upon within 24 hours
      3. We will contact you directly to discuss the content of your email
      4. If we are at fault, appropriate compensation will be issued
      5. If we are not at fault, we will attempt to reach a compromise and find a mutually acceptable arrangement
      6. Very occasionally unexpected ill-health may prevent us from delivering a booking. We will do our best to find an alternative mobile dome operator to take our place, although naturally this cannot be guaranteed at short notice. Additionally, very few mobile dome operators offer the same digital dome services we do.

Declaration

• If you agree with the above terms and conditions, please feel free to proceed with your booking.
• By checking the I agree with the Booking Terms and Conditions box in the online booking form, you and your institution will be legally bound to comply with the above.