Terms and Conditions
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Cheshire Scouts activity centres
Forest camp and Tatton park
2026 Terms & Conditions
Access to the use of the Activity Centre is conditional on your acceptance of and compliance with these Terms and Conditions which are applicable to both sites and for the benefit of all users.
BOOKING AND ALLOCATION OF SITES
All bookings will be taken on a first come, first served basis and subject to the terms and conditions set out below.
Booking fees are based upon the following durations:
Camping or building accommodation – 24 hours
Day visit – 12 hours
Evening visit – 4 hours
Any extension beyond these durations will be charged as an add on as appropriate. For example, a booking with 9am arrival and 5pm departure the next day (32 hours) will be charged as a camping fee + day visitor fee.
We will endeavour to support your choice of campsite where possible and appropriate, subject to the following provisos:
We reserve the right to change the allocation of campsites up until time of arrival based on conditions (state of site/weather/safety) at the time.
You will be allocated a campsite or sites appropriate to the number of campers you are intending to bring to the site. Booking capacity of each site is available on the booking website or upon request.
If you wish to book an additional site this can be arranged at the time of booking. The fee of £100 per night will be charged.
If your event is a Sectional/District/County/Special event, then we may require an onsite meeting with at least one member of the team who will be on site during the event.
We reserve the right to cancel bookings in the event of adverse weather or any safety risk on the site.
PAYMENT
Once booking Information has been issued, the appropriate deposit must be paid within 14 days in order to confirm a reservation. Any reservations not confirmed within 14 days will be cancelled.
Cheques must be made payable to Cheshire County Scout Council and marked with your Booking Reference on the back.
If paying by bank transfer use the bank account details on the deposit invoice and include the booking reference on the transfer to enable receipt to be verified.
We will acknowledge receipt of your deposit and confirm your booking by email.
The balance of all fees must be paid once you arrive on site. Please note we accept payment on site by cheque, card or cash. Should you wish to pay by bank transfer, the funds must have been transferred to our account 24 hours before you arrive on site and you must notify the Bookings Manager that you have done so, quoting a date and reference of payment, giving us sufficient time to verify this before you arrive. All prices are published on our website.
Additions or alternations made during your stay must be paid within 14 days of departure. Failure to pay all outstanding balance within 14 days of departure will incur a £50 administration fee.
CANCELLATIONS
Cancellations must be in writing to the booking secretary.
All cancellations greater than 4 weeks prior of arrival will result in the loss of your deposit. Alternatively, the deposit can be moved at our discretion to another booking date subject to availability.
Cancellation of your booking less than 4 weeks prior or failure to arrive on site will result in the following charges:
100% of your building booking
100% of all camping and activity fees between 1st May and 30th
50% of all camping and activity fees between 1st October and 30th
PERMITS AND DBS CHECKS
By confirming your booking, the person booking the camp is confirming that the Leader in Charge on the day will hold the appropriate permit, qualifications or permission to be responsible for the members of their group.
Younger scout parties without a Leader are welcomed only on production of their Nights Away Passport.
By confirming your booking, the person booking the stay is confirming that every adult (over 18) staying overnight has an up to date DBS check and has completed all mandatory training required for their role.
Groups who are not members of the Scout Association or Girl Guilding will be asked to complete a booking approval form confirming their organisations safeguarding, safety and DBS procedures.
ACTIVITIES
Activities can be booked once deposit has been received and confirmed by the booking manager.
All activities on site are subject to the relevant sections of Policy Organisation and Rules of the Scout Association or Guide association, where applicable, and otherwise National Governing Body recommendations or operated in line with your governing bodies rules where applicable.
Group leaders using the site are responsible for ensuring that these requirements are met.
We will endeavour to accommodate your wishes but bookings will be taken on a strictly first come basis.
Groups may bring their own water activity equipment however they must book a slot for use so that we can oversee usage and safety and ensure we have staff available to move boats to the water.
High ropes activities must be run in accordance with our standard operating procedures which will be provided at the time of booking.
SAFETY
All activities should be conducted in accordance with UK Scout POR and any other associated guidance and legislation, including your responsibility for necessary risk assessments.
Groups from other organisations should conduct in accordance with your organisation procedures and national governing bodies rules.
Groups must ensure they have suitably qualified First aid cover for their Group.
All accidents and near misses must be reported to the Centre Manager or Duty Warden without exception. If the accident requires an ambulance the duty wardens must be informed as soon as possible to facilitate the access of the ambulance.
All adults must respect the child protection and safety policies of your organisation. All Child Protection issues, or incidents must be reported to the Duty Warden.
Ground fires are not allowed except in designated campfire areas and alter fires are available for use.
Groups should ensure they have appropriate fire extinguishing equipment for any open fires or cooking facilities being used on site,
In instances where weather warnings are issued for high wind speeds we reserve the right to amend, cancel bookings or close the site if there is a risk to safety. This decision will be made in conjunction with Met Office forecasts and advice from our tree surgeons and advisers. Any cancellations will be offered to move to an alternative date as required and available. We cannot accept responsibility for any costs or expenses beyond our control resulting from the cancellation or closure of the site,
ARRIVAL
Sites and buildings will not be available to campers until after 5pm on the day of arrival unless you have specifically booked otherwise – see points below.
Early arrivals should be requested as soon as possible to allow us to arrange suitable cover with duty wardens.
If you wish to arrive before 5pm on the booked day of arrival and your arrival requires the presence of staff, you will be charged the day rate for your total number of people arriving early or £50 (whichever is greater). This includes the delivery of food and other equipment.
On arrival on site, the Group Leader must check-in at Reception in the main car park area before accessing site or buildings. An adult member of your group must remain in area of the carpark to meet young people arriving.
Building users must undergo a fire safety briefing by the warden on site when arriving – please allow time in your itinerary for this.
DEPARTURE
Camp sites must be vacated by 4pm on the day of departure, and groups departed from site by 4.30pm.
Buildings must be vacated by 3.00pm on the day of departure to give our staff time to service them before new arrivals. Groups must depart from Forest Camp Activity Centre by 4.30pm.
All campsites and buildings should be left in a clean & tidy condition on departure with all rubbish and ash disposed of at the central disposal point and all equipment such as altar fires returned to their central storage point.
Prior to leaving the site or building the Group Leader must request a member of the site team to inspect to ensure the site/building has been left in the condition in which it was found at the start of the stay.
Please ensure that you check out with the wardens before leaving the site.
GENERAL
Car parking - Vehicles and their contents are left at the owner’s own risk. We do not accept any loss or damage to vehicles or their contents. All vehicles must be parked in the designated parking areas or as directed by Wardens. All vehicles must stay on gravel areas and not be driven onto grass.
Damage to property - Parties who damage any property belonging to Cheshire scouts, or to our other guests, should inform the Centre Manager or Duty Warden at the earliest opportunity. Minor accidents may be waived at the discretion of the Centre Manager but wilful damage, vandalism, broken windows etc will be charged out to the party concerned at cost. Any unreported damage discovered may be charged at a premium to the actual cost.
Dogs - except for guide dogs and assistance dogs, are not normally allowed on the activity centres. We may make exceptions to this rule during quieter periods on a case by case basis but permission to have dogs on site must be made by the Centre Manager in writing before arrival. Any dogs permitted to be at the centre must be always kept on a lead and cleaned up after. If the behaviour of any dog is unacceptable, or the owner does not have proper control of the dog or follow the rules outlined here, we reserve the right to request the owner and their dog leave the centre. If this means that a group has to depart before the booking would normally have concluded, the group will be liable for the full cost of their stay.
Quiet time - As a centre we try to be considerate to all campers and our neighbours. All groups must keep noise to a minimum between the hours of 11pm and 7am.
Smoking & Vaping Under the age of 18, may not smoke on site (this is UK Law). Smoking and Vaping is only permitted in designated areas at the Centre and should not be done in front of young people.
Alcohol & Drugs – Adults must not consume alcohol when they are directly responsible for young people on a Scouting activity and must not permit young people (aged under 18 years) to consume alcohol on Scouting activities. Where this does not apply; alcohol may only be consumed on your own campsite or in the building you have booked. Alcohol must not be consumed in front of young people. Forest and Tatton Park are “illegal drug free” zones anybody found using drugs will be removed from site and in the case of campers under the age of 18, parents will be called to collect offenders.
Generators – Generators are generally not allowed on site, unless with prior approval. Generators must not be used during the quiet times of 2300 to 0700.
VEHICULAR ACCESS TO FOREST CAMP
Access to the site is along Overdale Lane; there is no access via Kennel Lane. Access along Overdale Lane is constrained and we ask that you keep the number of vehicles visiting the site to a minimum and drive with consideration to our neighbours. This will also enable us to manage the parking on site.
Coaches are unable to access Forest Camp. If you wish to use a coach, you must pre-arrange this with us so that suitable arrangements can be made to allow drop off and transfer to and from the site.
Only official site vehicles are allowed onto the camping fields/sites or the woodland. Equipment brought by trailer can be transferred to site by campsite tractor. Equipment brought by van can be loaded onto campsite tractor & trailer or trek carts and transferred to site.
VEHICULAR ACCESS TO TATTON PARK
The campsite is within the grounds of Tatton park and therefore accessible during the parks normal opening hours. The main gates are locked between the hours of 1900 and 0700 during the summer months of April to October and 1700 to 0700 in the winter months.
Access to the campsite outside of normal public hours is by means of a key to the main gate. The campsite duty warden will supply the key to you on arrival. One key is issued to each campsite it is the camp leader’s responsibility to take care of it and return it at the end of your stay.
If members of your group are arriving outside normal opening hours, you must therefore have a ‘gate monitor’to open or close the gate after 19.00 hrs until all your party are in or alternatively have ‘a key’ to let yourself in and out.
Although the main entrance to Tatton Park has a lodge keeper living in the gatehouse they are not on duty out of hours. They are not to be disturbed (there is a £50 penalty for each time the gatekeeper is disturbed payable to Tatton Park).
Please note the Park speed limit is 20mph and inside the campsite it is 5mph.
Please do not contact Tatton Park directly regarding any queries relating to your Camp, all queries should be directed through the Bookings Secretary.
Only official site vehicles are allowed onto the camping fields/sites or the woodland. Equipment brought by trailer can be transferred to site by campsite tractor. Equipment brought by van can be loaded onto campsite tractor & trailer or trek carts and transferred to site.
Parking is very limited - On busy weekends people dropping off and collecting will be asked to park outside the site. Cars must not be parked outside the site otherwise unless instructed by Duty Warden
COMPLAINTS
If you have any complaints during your stay please inform the duty warden who will endeavour to find a satisfactory resolution. In the event you are not satisfied please write to the centre manager within 14 days of the end of your booking.
CHANGES
We reserve the right to modify these Terms at any time. We will provide at least 30 days' notice prior to any new terms taking effect.