ACCOMMODATION BOOKING TERMS & CONDITIONS

It is strongly recommended that you are protected by holiday/travel insurance prior to making a booking.

MAKING A BOOKING

You must be 18 years of age or over to book accommodation and stay at Old Pound Smithy

The maximum number of guests in each of our accommodations is two adults. No children for safety reasons, and we are not covered by our insurance due to the presence of the unfenced lake. We don’t allow anyone on site who is not staying with us, or attending our courses, unless this has been specifically requested prior to your stay and we have agreed to it under the specific circumstances.

All bookings via our online reservation system should be treated as provisional until you receive confirmation from us via email. To secure your booking a non-refundable deposit of 30% (or full payment) of the cost of your stay is required. Bookings must be paid in full 8 weeks before your arrival date. If your booking is less than 8 weeks from the date of your stay the full cost of your stay is required.

When you submit a booking and payment via our online reservation system you will be requested to read and accept these terms and conditions of booking. You will receive an automatically generated booking confirmation and payment summary by email to the email address you provided at the time of booking. This booking confirmation email forms a contract between you and Old Pound Smithy.

If the balance is not paid by the due date Old Pound Smithy reserves the right to re-let your accommodation and retain the deposit.

The prices featured on the website are not binding. We reserve the right to modify these prices at any time. The price stated on your booking confirmation email is binding.

Old Pound Smithy reserves the right, at all times, without statement of reasons, to refuse or cancel a booking.

CORONAVIRUS & HEALTH PROCEDURES

If you or anyone in your household (even if they are not travelling with you e.g. children, relatives) are showing signs of Coronavirus, you must not travel to stay at Old Pound Smithy. You must remain at home and self-isolate for 14 days.

We operate self check-in most of the time.

If you choose to travel and self check-in you are certifying that you and your travel companion are fit and well and are not showing any signs of Coronavirus.

If during your stay you develop any Coronavirus symptoms, you must immediately notify Old Pound Smithy management and return to your home address to self-isolate. No refunds will be due in these circumstances.

If you are not well enough to drive home, you must notify Old Pound Smithy management and contact a health professional immediately for advice.

ARRIVAL & DEPARTURE TIMES

Your accommodation will be ready by 4pm on the day of arrival, and must be vacated by 10am on the day of departure.

CANCELLATIONS & REFUNDS

If you cancel within 8 weeks of your arrival date, we will endeavour to re-let your accommodation. If we are unable to do so, then regretfully we will be unable to refund any monies paid.

Should you cancel prior to this date, we will refund any monies paid, less your non-refundable deposit, or reschedule your stay for another date. An administration fee of £50 will be charged in this instance.

If you are unable to travel due to personal illness (e.g. Coronavirus or other sickness), our cancellation policy will apply.

We strongly recommend that you have appropriate holiday insurance cover in place.

In the unlikely event that we need to cancel your holiday, we shall inform you as soon as possible and refund all monies paid to us, by you within 14 days.

If Government policies restrict travel and you are unable to travel to stay with us, you will have the option to postpone your stay to a later date (subject to any differences in price applicable for the new dates) or receive a full refund.

GUEST BEHAVIOUR & NOISE

It’s important to us that all our guests enjoy a peaceful and relaxing stay with us. Old Pound Smithy is in a quiet location in the countryside and guests choose to stay with us because they are seeking to retreat, relax and unwind, as well as having fun and learning new skills. To help ensure everyone has the best possible experience, we do not allow any music or radios outside of the properties.  Please use headphones if you are listening to music outside.  On occasions, functions may be put on by the management, and we will inform everyone on site. The cut off time for these events will be 11pm.

After 11pm, the only sounds you should be able to hear are the owls hooting in the night, as you gaze at the stars.

In exceptional circumstances, we reserve the right to ask your party to leave if there is repeated noise after having received two warnings. As you will have breached the terms of your contract with us, no refunds will be forthcoming.

Drugs or prohibited substances are not permitted on site, at any time.

If you use any of the hammocks, reclining sun loungers, rope swings etc. provided for guests to enjoy during their stay.

Please note:

• You use these entirely at your own risk and must use them in an appropriate and safe manner;
• We accept no liability for injury as a result of using this equipment inappropriately or whilst under the influence of alcohol or drugs;
• The hammock and swing are for use by one adult only at a time;
• You must not use any of these under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

COMMERCIAL USE OF THE PROPERTY

The accommodation is rented to you for purely non-commercial leisure purposes. Filming, photography or other commercial uses including influencers/blogger content creation must be done with prior authorisation from Old Pound Smithy management. Additional charges may apply for commercial use.

CLEANING, DAMAGE & BREAKAGES

Please leave your accommodation tidy and let us know if anything gets broken so we can replace it for our next guest. Accidents happen and we will only charge for replacements in exceptional circumstances, as we expect a fair degree of wear and tear. If the damage is directly attributable to the guest, then we reserve the right to request payment to cover all damages incurred directly during your stay.

All cleaning, under normal circumstances is included as part of your stay. If additional cleaning is required, including washing up, additional cleaning of the interior or fixtures and fittings then Old Pound Smithy reserves the right to charge for this work at a rate of £15 per hour. Old Pound Smithy reserves the right to invoice guests following their stay.

If you cause any damage to your tent or elsewhere on the site during your stay please inform us immediately so that we can inspect the damage and let you know as soon as possible what the result will be. We understand that accidents happen but often damage is made a lot worse by being left without any clearing up until our staff find it.

A refundable damage deposit of £120 is charged to cover any damage, breakages or cost of additional time spent cleaning where the property is not left in a reasonable state or if, in our opinion, you have behaved in an unreasonable manner. The damage deposit will be refunded in full at the end of your stay unless any of the above have occurred. Should any member of staff have to intervene because of your unreasonable behaviour, £50 of the damage deposit will be retained for each call out.

If the damage deposit is not paid prior to your stay or if the damage caused is more than the amount of the damage deposit then we reserve the right to charge your card directly for the amount of damage caused. Guests will be charged for any item(s) that are removed or lost from the accommodation.

DOGS & PETS

We operate as a dog-friendly site and charge a supplement £20 per dog (with a maximum of two dogs) in the bell tents and £35 per dog (with a maximum if two dogs) in all other accommodation, to cover additional cleaning responsibilities by the Old Pound Team. Dog owners are requested to follow the following rules:

• Keep your dog on a lead at all times on site. Your dog may be friendly, but we do receive guests who are afraid of dogs and may find them approaching them scary.
• We also have sheep in our fields, and they are free to roam very closed to the accommodation, with just a sheep fence to keep them out.  Many dogs will easily jump the fences if let loose.  We do not tolerate dogs that worry the sheep.  If you feel this will be a problem, we respectfully ask you not to bring your dog.
• Clean up all dog foul onsite and put in our outdoor bins.
• Do not take your dog in the shower and toilet unit for any reason. If you need to wash your dog, please let a member of staff know and we’ll provide you with a dog bath or show you the nearest outdoor tap.
• Please do not allow your dog to sleep on any of the beds or fold out beds inside the tent to avoid fleas or prevent allergic reactions. Please provide your own dog bedding.
• Please keep dogs off all furniture.

If a dog causes a nuisance, or is found unaccompanied at any time, we reserve the right to ask you to leave the site without a refund.

SMOKING

Smoking is not permitted in any of the accommodation or buildings. Smoking is permitted outside but please extinguish cigarette butts fully in the sand buckets provided and dispose of them responsibly.

CANDLES

Due to the high fire risk with wooden and canvas structures, the use of candles and tea lights, are not permitted at any time.

FIREWORKS & CHINESE LANTERNS

Due to the high fire risk with wooden and canvas structures, the use of fireworks, sparklers and Chinese lanterns are not permitted across the entire site, at any time.

FIRE PIT & BBQ AREA

There are purpose-built fire pit and seating areas for outdoor cooking and camp fires. Please keep camp fires to the designated fire pit area and do not light fires anywhere else on the site. Only use the fire wood provided. Please do not collect branches and twigs from the surrounding land as much is set aside as wildlife habitat. Use of the fire pits can be dangerous and is at the user’s own risk.

If you require charcoal this can usually be purchased on site.

Additional fire pit wood is also available for purchase for guests staying in Drifter’s Village (Bell tents and The Journeyman), and is free of charge and available on request for guests staying in our other accommodation.

FLYING KITES

High voltage power lines run across the site at a fairly low level.  For safety reasons, we do not allow kite flying on site.

SERVICE UTILITIES

Should there be a failure in a utility service (e.g. water, heating, electricity, sewerage) please notify Old Pound Smithy management immediately and we will aim to restore the service as quickly as possible. However, should any utility service failure extend beyond a 12 hour period from notification, for your health and safety reasons you will be asked to leave the accommodation and your accommodation fee for the duration lost will be fully refunded or you will be offered to re-book for another time, subject to availability.

EXTERNAL LIGHTING

Old Pound Smithy is situated in a quiet countryside location and it has been carefully designed to provide maximum guest comfort and convenience whilst respecting the surrounding natural environment and its native inhabitants.

Please note many pathways are not lit and present a risk of tripping.  Please ensure to carry a torch around site after dark. We encourage guests to arrive before dark for this reason.

RECYCLING & THE ENVIRONMENT

Recycling bins are provided for recyclable waste and ask that you recycle as much as possible. Welcome information will advise what is recyclable locally for your convenience and to reduce your stay’s impact on the environment.

SAFETY

Old Pound Smithy provides a unique glamping holiday experience in a quiet country location. This environment presents inherent risks, and these form part of the glamping experience you are entering into when you stay at Old Pound Smithy.

We are continuing the process of rewilding what was once farmland by planting new woodlands and leaving other areas for nature to take its course.  Take extra care when crossing wooden bridges as these can become slippery.

You are reminded of the higher degree of risk this environment presents and you should take appropriate and reasonable care for your safety and the safety of others at all times. This includes wearing suitable clothing and footwear for the terrain and weather conditions during your stay. You are fully responsible for your own safety at all times.

LAKE

There is a private lake in the lower field, which guests may explore at their own risk. Guests must be respectful of the peace and quiet enjoyed by others here. The lake is generally quite shallow apart from a deep section to the East of the island.  The water is not tested and swimming is therefore not recommended.

PERSONAL PROPERTY

Old Pound Smithy will not be held responsible for any loss or damage to any property on the premises. Vehicles, accessories and contents are left at the owner’s risk. It is recommended that your holiday insurance covers loss or damage to personal effects.

ACCESS, CARS & PARKING

Old Pound Smithy has a narrow access track from the main road to the car parking area. Please drive slowly and carefully on the track (maximum speed 5mph) and be considerate of other guests on your arrival and departure from the site.

There is parking for one guest vehicle only. In the event that you wish to bring more than one vehicle you must notify Old Pound Smithy at least 7 days in advance who will advise if additional vehicle parking is available.

Please note that Drifter’s Village (Bell Tents and The Journeyman) is approximately a 3 minute walk (100m) from the parking area. There is no road access or parking next to Drifter’s Village.

EXTREME WEATHER

Old Pound Smithy holds no responsibility for guests who are unable to attend due to extreme weather or traffic conditions (e.g. snow, flooding, high winds, road traffic accidents/congestion, train delays, etc.). If a guest is unable to reach Old Pound Smithy due to adverse weather conditions or travel issues, you will lose your full payment and an alternative date will not be offered. Please ensure you have full holiday / travel insurance to cover such eventualities.

If we make the decision to cancel your stay for safety reasons due to extreme weather (snow or high winds), we will offer you an alternative date, subject to availability.

FORCE MAJEURE

Old Pound Smithy accept no liability for events prior to or during your stay totally beyond our control, e.g. destruction of property due to flood, fire, earthquakes or acts of nature; or if the property becomes uninhabitable due to irreparable damage or on Health & Safety grounds that could not reasonably have been foreseen. In such instances, refunds will be at the discretion of Old Pound Smithy management.

OLD POUND SMITHY RESERVES THE RIGHT TO CHANGE OR AMEND THESE TERMS AND CONDITIONS AT ANY TIME.

First issued 19.01.22. Last updated …