Square Tower
Beautifully Historic Venue
Hiring Information
OPERATING HOURS
Events can only take place between 9.00 a.m. and 11.00pm.
Events should therefore finish at 11.00 and guests should leave by 11.30.
Singers DJs and the like should leave by 12.00.
When leaving please ask your guests to leave quietly.
The Roof Terrace (and upper floor) is only available daytime (until 6.00pm)
CAPACITIES
The upstairs can accommodate 80, the downstairs 100.
For a sit-down meal the main room downstairs can comfortably accommodate 70, and the absolute maximum is 80.
The maximum amount of guests allowed is 100 guests.
CATERING
We have a list of nominated caterers who work in partnership with us at the Square Tower. As part of our hiring arrangements you will be required to use one of these caterers.
Please contact enquiries@squaretower.co.uk for further information and help finding the right style for you.
Please find below a list of our current catering partners:
General Caterers:
Wright Choice Catering - https://wrightchoicecatering.co.uk/
Fat Hog Big Pan - https://www.thefathog.co.uk/
Hampshire Feast - http://www.hampshirefeast.co.uk/
Bezani Catering - www.bezanicatering.co.uk
kevin.bezanicatering@gmail.com
Wild Garlic Catering - Wild Garlic Catering - Private and Corporate Event Caterers
The Pastry Corner - https://thepastrycorner.co.uk/
Baffled - https://baffledcoffee.com/catering.html
Southsea Deli - https://thesouthseadeli.com/catering
Fish and Chips:
Frying High Fish and Chips - https://fryinghighfishandchips.com/
Frying High provide a mobile van service.
1st Quay Fish and Chips|BOOK OUR EVENT VAN
1st Quay provide a mobile van service.
Fishermans Kitchen - http://www.thefishermanskitchen.co.uk/
Fisherman kitchen provides a delivered service
Ice Cream / Wedding Cakes:
Delicious Dreams Ice Cream - Home - Delicious Dreams Ice Creams
Delicious Dreams offer a 2 hour ice cream service usually unlimited.
The Pastry Corner - https://thepastrycorner.co.uk/
Sweet Cakes by Barnsey - Sweet Cakes
Some catering options may require us to provide additional staffing, we will advise where this is required.
We do not offer catering at the Square Tower ourselves, but we hope the above choices provide you with a suitable option. If you need any additional help please do let us know.
ACCESSIBILITY
There is ramp access to the downstairs of the building through the double doors nearest to Broad St. If these doors are shut and you need access, please knock LOUDLY on these or any other doors.
Upstairs there is ramped access to the Tower by the ramp by Nelson’s statue by Grand Parade along the seawalls. The internal stairs are steep; anyone who finds stairs difficult is recommended to use the stairs on the outside of the building.
TOILETS
Toilets; Three separate WCs
Unfortunately there are two steps down to the Tower’s toilets; this renders the Tower’s toilets as inaccessible to wheelchair users. We have installed two hand rails here to help people who find stairs difficult. For those who need a fully accessible toilet, there is a public accessible toilet between the Square Tower and the Round Tower. This is operated with a key; if you do not have your own, please ask us as we have one you may borrow.
Roof Terrace
The stairs to the roof terrace are steep; please take special care when using them. Sadly the Roof Terrace is not accessible to people who need to use wheel chairs. The Terrace is only open until 6.00pm. No music is allowed to be played on the roof terrace.
SAFETY
The Square Tower has a number of hazards that we would like to bring to your attention:
Steep stairs; the stairs in the Tower are steep and potentially hazardous. Great care is needed on these stairs (please let your guests know this). If you have anyone in your party who is infirm, partially sighted or very young, please tell us beforehand and make special arrangements to look after them or ask for our help if it’s needed. There are external stairs that are much less steep, which you can use as an alternative. In the evening we encourage you not to make use of the upstairs and not to use the stairs at all. Young children should be accompanied on the stairs at all times
In extreme weather the certain sections of the Tower, particularly the area by the toilets can become wet and slippery; please take special care if this is the case.
Uneven flooring; certain areas of the Tower have uneven flooring and trip-hazards; please bear this in mind.
On the roof terrace please do not climb or sit on the parapets.
Some people bring in candles; please don’t put these in areas which could cause fires, or where guest's clothing/hair to catch fire, or where young children may be able to touch them…
We sadly can not have smoke machines or sparklers inside due to sensitive fire alarms.
ALCOHOL
The Square Tower holds a licence for the sale of alcohol until 11.00pm. Only alcohol/soft drinks provided by us can be consumed in the Square Tower.
If you want to bring in your own alcoholic drinks, we do offer what we hope is a reasonable corkage rate: 50% of the sale price behind the bar. If you need a bespoke quote please do let us know.
Other than this please do not bring in any alcohol to the Tower; if we find people with their own unauthorised alcohol, we will take it from them and return it to them as they leave. Please remember that this applies to wedding favours and similar gifts as well...
No drinks may be taken outside the Tower. You may take your drinks onto the Roof Terrace if you wish, but please only use plastic glasses on the roof.
We reserve the right to refuse to sell/serve alcohol to anyone. If you look under 25 we will ask you to provide ID.
SMOKING
The designated smoking area is downstairs immediately outside the building through the sea-gates (there are benches, it’s under cover and there’s a beautiful sea view!).
You may smoke on the Roof Terrace if you wish.
MUSIC
If you are bringing in your own music for a wedding, funeral or a private party we have two professional active speakers – you can bring your music in on a Spotify playlist as our speakers have Bluetooth connectivity.
For evening use there is a hire charge of £50 to use our speakers.
During your ceremony we are happy to play your music for you if you wish.
All music must stop by 11.00pm
No music may be played on the Roof Terrace
We reserve the right to require music volume to be turned down. When loud music is being played doors and windows must remain shut.
FACILITIES
The Square Tower has the following facilities for you to use:
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17 wooden trestle tables (6ft x 2ft 6ins). There is no charge for the hire/use of the tables, but there is a charge for providing table coverings.
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A large collection of flags to fly from our two flag-poles (weather permitting).
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80 chairs upstairs 100 downstairs
GUEST INFORMATION:
There is a section on our website with information for guests; we recommend you send this link to anyone who's attending (guests and suppliers): https://www.squaretower.co.uk/guestinfo
ACCESS:
If the main doors to the Tower are shut please knock very loudly for access (we often don’t hear people trying to get in…). You may also phone us (07519505785) but please be aware that the walls to the Tower are up to 17ft/5mtrs thick and as a consequence signal is at best intermittent in the Tower!).
WIFI: We have wifi in the building.
SETTING-UP AND GETTING OUT:
With each event booking you will have an hour for get-in and decorating and an hour to take down your decorations/get-out. There is no charge for this. If you need more time than this please contact us.
PARKING
There is no dedicated parking at the Square Tower, but at most times there is sufficient on-road parking nearby. There is pay and display immediately outside the Tower (which currently is free after 6.00pm) and one hour’s free parking on the resident’s parking areas nearby the Tower. You may bring your vehicles up on to the paved area outside the Tower for loading/unloading, but please do not park here, and once you have finished bringing things into or out from the Tower you must remove your vehicle (there is a dropped kerb 20 yards towards the Round Tower).
DECORATING THE TOWER:
The Tower is a Scheduled Ancient Monument and therefore no holes may be made in walls etc., nor alterations to the fabric of the building. But if you speak to us we can usually find ways to help you hang bunting, put up decorations etc.
LOST PROPERTY and STORAGE:
We only have minimal storage space; we will have to dispose of any items left at the Tower within two weeks, unless you’ve made specific arrangements with us.
LAYOUT:
If you would like floor plans to help you plan your event they are available on request.
CONFETTI:
Please only use biodegradable confetti and avoid using when the ground is wet (it sticks to the paved areas and is very difficult to remove) or when conditions are very windy (it ends up in our neighbours’ forecourts etc). In those conditions you are welcome to throw your confetti inside the Tower.
DECORATING - CHAIR COVERS:
Unless you have informed us and got our agreement, no other provider than our partner Sweet Creations may be used to provide these services.
PAYMENTS:
We can accept payments for the bar either in cash or by contactless. We can only accept payment for bookings by cash/cheque or by BACS electronic transfer.
In order to make a provisional booking, please fill out a booking form and get it back to us. Once we have accepted this you have a provisional booking. We will keep your provisional booking for 30 days from accepting it. If we do not hear from you within 30 days of receiving your booking form we will release your date.
For payment for hire charges etc. we can take cash/cheque/electronic transfer. To secure a booking there’s a 50% non-refundable deposit, the remainder is due one month before your event.
If you have to unfortunately cancel your event we will do our best to resell your date, but if this is unsuccessful we will retain your deposit. If we manage to resell your date, we will retain 20% for admin costs.
MINIMUM HIRE:
If you are hiring the Tower by the hour (as opposed to a ceremony/wedding booking), there is a minimum hire of four hours.
DATA POLICY:
We ask customers to fill out a paper booking form. We take a copy of this which we store on our computer at home. We keep both the paper form and the electronic copy for up to a year after your event and then we destroy them. We do not give any of your information to any other party unless you ask us to.