Hiring equipment from the Resource Centre

Answers to the most frequently asked questions about our equipment hire service.

Go to our Equipment section to browse our equipment or make a booking.

Frequently Asked Questions

How has the service changed since 2021?
Who can use the equipment hire service?
How do we book equipment?
How much is the deposit and when do you need it?
When can we pick up the equipment?
When can we return it?
Is your equipment insured?
Do you provide risk assessments for your equipment?
Can we pay with a credit card?
Can I hire your equipment for a private party?

How has the service changed since 2021?

Your group will be allocated a specific time to arrive at the Centre to collect/return equipment. If you need to change your time slot, please contact us and we will rearrange it if we can.

Collections and returns are now available Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. We are closed on Wednesdays.

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Who can use the equipment hire service?

The service is for any community or voluntary group based in Brighton & Hove and surrounding areas (BN1 to BN7, BN9 to BN15, BN41 to BN45). Private individuals and businesses can’t hire our equipment.

It’s a way for community groups to share resources, rather than each group having to buy and store large or expensive items. We aim to provide useful, practical resources that are well-maintained. If you have any problems with our equipment, or suggestions for how we could improve the service, please let us know.

Our hire charges are very low, because we are a not-for-profit charity and our work is supported by grant funding. We provide instructions and training on how to use the equipment, but you need to make your own arrangements for transporting, setting up, safely using and storing the equipment while you have it on hire. Please help us to keep the service running smoothly by making sure you bring equipment back on time.

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How do we book equipment?

Groups can book equipment up to 6 months in advance. Please let us know as soon as possible if you want to change anything about your booking after you have made it.

Advance booking is essential for Christmas and summer events.

  1. Check our leaflet or browse our full range of equipment online – you can go through an A to Z listing or look through the list of categories.
  2. Decide which items you’d like to hire. Please note there are some limits on number of items from each category.
  3. Think about when you can arrange transport to collect equipment from us and return it to us after your event. We will allocate specific collection and return times to you when we confirm your booking.
  4. Contact us to check if the items you want are available on the dates you want. You can request items by adding them to your basket on our itemised equipment pages and submitting a booking request form, or you can phone or email the Centre.
  5. We’ll check the availability and make the booking. If you submit a booking request form or email us, we will always get back to you to confirm the booking.  Don’t assume you have booked the equipment until you hear from us.
  6. If you want to cancel or change anything about your booking, please let us know.

We may ask you for proof of address when you make the booking.

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How much is the deposit and when do you need it?

When you collect your equipment, you need to leave a security deposit of £50. This can be paid by cash, cheque or credit/debit card. Cheques should be made out to T/a Resource Centre.

We will return your deposit once you have returned the equipment and we have checked it.

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When can we pick up the equipment?

Please pick up your equipment at your allocated time and day.

If you need to change the collection or return time, please contact us in advance – we will always do our best to find a time that suits you if we can.

Please allow time to fill in our hire form, and for the person on the front desk to show you how to use the equipment. Bring your £50 deposit with you.

There are two loading bays in Tilbury Place which you can park in to collect and return equipment. There are also 2 disabled bays available.

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When can we return it?

Please return your equipment at your allocated time and in good condition. The equipment you are returning might be booked out for another group to collect on the same day.

If you need to change the time slot, please contact us in advance – we will always do our best to find a time that suits you if we can.

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Is your equipment insured?

No. Our insurance does not cover the transport or use of our equipment when it is outside the building. You will be asked to sign a hire agreement when you collect the equipment, accepting full responsibility for the equipment on behalf of your group.

If the equipment is lost, stolen or damaged when it is in your care, we will charge your group for the cost of replacement or repair.

The hire of our equipment does not include public liability insurance. Your group is responsible for arranging that where necessary. We keep a list of several insurers which will provide Public Liability insurance to community groups.

For more information about safety, liability and our equipment, see Resource Centre Equipment Hire Policy and Procedures.

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Do you provide risk assessments for your equipment?

We provide sample risk assessments for our Popcorn Machine, Tug of War, Smoothie Bike and Candy Floss Machines. We suggest that you use these to give you ideas when carrying out your own risk assessment. Your risk assessment should be specific to your event and organisation.

Candy Floss Machine sample risk Assessment (Word)
Candy Floss Machine sample risk assessment (PDF)
Popcorn Machine sample risk assessment (Word)
Popcorn Machine sample risk assessment (PDF)
Smoothie Bike sample risk assessment (Word)
Smoothie Bike sample risk assessment (PDF)
Tug of War sample risk assessment (Word)
Tug of War sample risk assessment (PDF)

Several other organisations also provide useful advice on carrying out risk assessments.

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Can we pay with a credit card?

Yes, we can take card and contactless payments in the Centre for any amount over £1. We can’t take card payments over the phone or online. We prefer payment by cash, cheque or bank transfer, as we have to pay a fee for each transaction by debit/credit card.

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Can I hire your equipment for a private party?

No, our equipment is only available for hire to community and voluntary groups based in the local area. We do not hire equipment out to individuals or businesses that are run for profit.

Would you like to make a donation?

We hope you find this page useful. Would you like to make a donation?

All Resource Centre information is available for free because we know small community groups have small budgets. However, we are a small charity, so if you are in a position to make a donation, it will help us to keep running this service into the future.