How To Book And Use Rooms For Your Society

Space on campus is limited. Book early, have alternative dates or venues in mind and be prepared to consider off-campus options if no suitable space is available.

A booking request is not a confirmed booking. Wait for the confirmation email before treating your room, dates and times as agreed.

1. Choose your space and plan ahead

Agree your preferred date, start and finish times, expected attendance and the type of space your activity needs. Consider whether you need a flat floor, food and drink, technical equipment or help setting up.

Seminar rooms and lecture theatres

The room-booking guidance lists society activity hours as 6pm–10pm on weekdays and all day at weekends. Great Hall Complex and Faraday spaces have an earlier finish time of 9:30pm. Check the permitted hours for your specific room when booking.

Give at least seven days’ notice for a standard room request. A booking cannot be guaranteed with less notice, and giving notice does not guarantee availability.

Food and drink are not permitted in these teaching spaces. If your event includes food or drink, ask about a suitable college or event space instead.

Large or specialist spaces

Contact societyhelp@lancastersu.co.uk for spaces that societies cannot book directly, including the Great Hall, Jack Hylton, Brandrigg Room, Minor Hall, LICA spaces and Nuffield Theatre.

Allow at least four weeks for large or specialist space requests. For a ball, large competition or other major event, begin planning two or more months ahead.

The Great Hall is prioritised for teaching, exams and Applicant Visit Days, so availability is extremely limited. If you want to use it, submit your request before the start of the academic year in which your event takes place wherever possible. Check the timetable before developing plans around the venue.

College spaces

Contact the relevant college administrator or JCR directly for college spaces, such as college bars. Brandrigg Room is an exception: speak to the Societies Team about booking it.

Events and lecture theatre bookings in LUMS

Events and some lecture theatre bookings in LUMS need approval from LUMS reception before booking. Contact or visit reception to discuss your plans first.

External speakers

If your event involves an external guest speaker, contact the Societies Team about speaker approval before booking a room or promoting the event. A room booking does not replace speaker approval or your event risk assessment.

2. Check room availability

Open the University room-booking system and check the Room Usage Timetable.

1. Choose the building and room or rooms.
2. Select the relevant week or term, days and times.
3. Review the timetable. Grey blocks show bookings; white spaces show unbooked periods.
4. Check the week numbers attached to bookings. A grey block may apply only to some weeks.

Great Hall Complex and LICA availability can be checked on the timetable. Brandrigg availability is not shown there; ask the Societies Team.

3. Request and confirm your booking

For standard society room bookings:

1. On the room-booking system, select Society under Room Booking.
2. Sign in using your personal University email account.
3. Select Society Room Bookings and choose your group from the drop-down list.
4. Follow the booking options to choose your building, room, dates and times. Use the multiple-days option where appropriate.
5. Enter the expected attendance and event title, including your society’s name.
6. Submit the request and wait for the confirmation email.

If your society does not appear, or you cannot access society bookings, contact societyhelp@lancastersu.co.uk so the team can check your eligibility and current access requirements.

Read the confirmation carefully: your request may be accepted, changed or cancelled. Do not assume that your first-choice room or time has been allocated.

4. Arrange regular flat-floor sessions

Flat-floor spaces are allocated to the Students’ Union by the University for society activity during term time. They are suitable for activities such as performing arts and martial arts practice.

Emails are sent to execs at the end of each term to request space for the following term. Respond through the current request process and contact the Societies Team if you have not received the information.

Spaces usually considered include:

• County South LT.
• George Fox Foyer.
• Brandrigg Room, Barker House.
• Lower Ground Floor Library Flexible Space.
• Jack Hylton Room.
• Dalton Room.

LICA A27–29, LICA A23 and Minor Hall may be requested for one-off sessions and events, subject to availability.

How allocations change

The team usually aims to allocate a similar volume of space in Terms 1 and 2, but days, times and locations may change because of other University bookings.

In Term 3, exams significantly reduce the availability of large and flat-floor spaces. Your society may not receive the same amount of space as earlier in the year. Check bookings before the term starts and consider suitable off-campus alternatives early.

These spaces belong to the University and may be withdrawn at short notice for University events. Treat them with care and follow instructions from the duty porter.

5. Book a gazebo or stall in Alexandra Square

Submit a request using the Lancaster SU Gazebo Booking Form.

When planning your request:

• Tell the team whether your group has been trained to put up the gazebo or marquee.
• If your group is untrained, Tuesday is the usual day for Events Crew setup. Other days depend on staff availability and may cost more.
• Thursday stalls are not available because of the Farmers Market.
• Confirm the application deadline, setup arrangements, hire charge and any late fee before committing to the booking.
• Do not assume a request has been accepted until arrangements are confirmed.

For training, a different day or questions about availability and charges, contact help@lancastersu.co.uk.

All gazebo hires are subject to the Gazebo Hire Terms & Conditions.

Music and noise

Music in Alexandra Square is permitted only between 1pm and 2pm and is prohibited during the Term 3 quiet period. Keep noise to a minimum: the square is surrounded by teaching and study spaces and student accommodation.

6. Book Sports Centre facilities

Sport groups receive their allocated training times at the start of the academic year, with details communicated to executive committees in September. The cost of allocated training is covered by Sport Passes.

Additional training slots, pitches and other facilities must be arranged in advance with Sport Lancaster. Contact lususport@lancaster.ac.uk for the current booking contact and copy that address into communications about additional bookings.

Do not assume an extra session is included in your existing allocation or Sport Pass arrangements; confirm availability and any charges before proceeding.

7. Consider alternative venues

If your preferred campus space is unavailable, consider these options and check suitability, availability and costs directly:

• College bars: Contact the relevant college administrator or JCR about booking arrangements.
• The Sugarhouse: Ask about private functions, logistics, availability and hire costs at sugarhouse@lancastersu.co.uk.
• The Storey, Lancaster: Review its spaces for hire.
• Lancaster House Hotel: Ask about private dining and event costs at lancasterhouse@englishlakes.co.uk or 01524 844 822.
• Lancaster University Conferences: Enquire through the Conference Centre contact page.

Do not commit to expenditure until you understand the venue’s terms and your society’s financial arrangements.

8. Arrange event staff and technical equipment

Discuss your requirements with event staff early so they understand the production, equipment and setup support you need.

Submit requests at least a month before your proposed event date using the appropriate form:

• Request PA and other technical equipment only.
• Request event support and technical equipment.

State whether you need rehearsals, help moving equipment or a particular setup. A supervisor will contact you with an estimated cost.

Your budget may also need to cover portering, cleaning, decorations and table hire. Requesting event support does not automatically reserve your venue.

For help planning your event, email societyhelp@lancastersu.co.uk or ask about current Societies Team drop-in times.

9. Check and use the room responsibly

When you arrive

If the room is already messy or has not been reset:

1. Take photographs.
2. Report the problem through Contact Room Bookings → Other request.
3. Email the porters and societyhelp@lancastersu.co.uk promptly so there is a record.

Before moving furniture, check the layout plan on the wall or take a photograph of the original arrangement.

Before you leave

• Return furniture and equipment to their original positions, following the room plan unless a porter has instructed otherwise.
• Clear rubbish and clean spills.
• Take your society’s belongings with you.
• If yours is the last scheduled session, reset the room for teaching the next day.

Do not assume the next group wants your layout. Agree any immediate handover with them first.

If a porter gives verbal instructions, ask for their name and email address. After resetting the room, email them to confirm you have followed the instructions. If you cannot complete the setup, do as much as you safely can, explain what remains and why, and include a photograph if useful. Copy in the Societies Team so they can help resolve the issue.

Ask the Societies Team and porter before leaving an event setup overnight. Do not assume it is permitted.

10. Cancel bookings you no longer need

Cancel unused bookings so other groups can use the space.

1. Open Contact Room Bookings → Change or Cancel existing room booking.
2. Provide the booking details and request the change or cancellation.

For a same-day cancellation, also explain why, tell the porter and email societyhelp@lancastersu.co.uk to keep a record.

Avoid room-booking penalties

Resetting rooms, cancelling unused bookings and reporting problems promptly protects your society’s access.

A society that receives three penalties loses room-booking access, including bookings made on its behalf by the Societies Team.

11. Ask about equipment storage

Limited storage may be available for the academic year. To enquire, email help@lancastersu.co.uk with:

• What equipment you need to store.
• How much space it needs.
• Its estimated value.

Allocation depends on availability. Do not assume storage is available over the summer holidays or for an indefinite period; agree the permitted dates and arrangements with the team.

Final booking checklist

Before your activity, make sure you have:

• A confirmed venue, date and time.
• Any required LUMS, external-speaker or other event approvals.
• An event risk assessment where required.
• Agreed equipment, staff support and costs.
• Checked food, drink and noise restrictions.
• A plan to reset the room and remove belongings.
• Cancelled sessions you no longer need.

For society room-booking and event-planning support, contact societyhelp@lancastersu.co.uk.