Paul Spicer's English Choral Experience

Booking Terms and Conditions

These terms and conditions have been drawn up for the purpose of clarity and fairness, to avoid misunderstandings and to ensure that the courses offered by Experience Arts Limited (trading as The English Choral Experience, ECE) are not only musically enjoyable for all participants but also to ensure the financial viability of organising them. They form the terms of a formal contract that each participant enters into when their application to join one of our courses (whether advertised as ECE days, weekends or weeks, Camerata weekends or week-long courses in the UK or abroad) is accepted.

In these terms and conditions, “we”, “our” and “us” refers to Experience Arts Limited trading as The English Choral Experience, and “participants”, “you” and “your” means those people who have had bookings for courses accepted, whether or not they actually attend.

Please note that these terms and conditions may be subject to future change without prior notice, save by publication on our website.

1: Payment and Booking

A participant’s booking is confirmed upon our receipt of your completed online application form and the appropriate course fee/deposit. If you cannot make a booking online (the preferred method of booking) postal bookings are accepted together with a cheque made payable to Experience Arts Ltd. This will be confirmed by email (if the participant has an address) or by post if not. It must be stressed that online booking is administratively much the preferred option. Please note: Our acceptance of your booking brings into existence a legally binding contract between us, on these terms and conditions only.

The balance of all course fees is due in full by the date given on the website prior to the course commencing.

In the event of late payment or non-payment we reserve the right to cancel your booking and not to accept future course bookings.

2: Course Attendance

Participants will receive preparatory information and instructions via email or post to the addresses provided on the application form. You may also receive printed materials prior to the course starting, so please ensure that any postal address given is correct.

3: Course Cancellations

All requests for cancellations must be received in writing by letter, addressed to Paul Spicer, ECE, Parkside, Burnthill Lane, Rugeley, Staffordshire WS15 2HX, or by email, addressed to ece@paulspicer.com and must not be assumed to be accepted until you have received notification by email or post of this.

Participants should be aware that cancellation arrangements for courses involving accommodation are different from those which do not. Where ECE offers accommodation provided by a third party, such as ECE Abroad and some Camerata weekends, different cancellation terms and charges will apply to the ‘fee’ for the course itself, namely the musical activity and any refreshments included therewith, and the ‘accommodation charges’. The respective cancellation terms and charges are specified below but it should be understood that some accommodation- and catering-related cancellation charges are applied by the third party, and cannot be modified or waived by ECE. Applicants should therefore take particular note of the circumstances of their course so that they are aware of the financial implications of cancelling a booking, in order to avoid misunderstandings in this regard.

It is advised that participants take out adequate insurance to cover unexpected cancellations, illness, repatriation, personal injury or death during any of the courses booked with ECE.

  1. All deposits paid are non-refundable.
  2. If the minimum participation level for a particular course has not been reached, Experience Arts Limited reserves the right to alter, change or cancel the course. In the unlikely event that we have to cancel, we will refund all monies paid or offer you an alternative course.
  3. Experience Arts Limited also reserves the right to cancel the course as a result of hostilities, political unrest, pandemic or other unforeseeable circumstances amounting to a force majeure. As above, in this unlikely event, we will refund all monies paid or offer you an alternative course.
  4. If you wish to cancel your attendance at a course after confirmation of the booking has already been sent, the following terms shall apply:
  5. Abbey Dore Week – Up to one month before the start of the course a full refund of the balance of the fee is applicable. Up to two weeks before the start of the course a 50% refund on the balance of the fee is applicable. Thereafter, the fee is non-refundable.

    ECE Abroad – Up to two weeks before the start of the course a 50% refund on the balance of the fee is applicable. Refund of accommodation costs will depend on whether it is possible to find someone to replace you in the same accommodation at this notice. It should be noted that by the nature of the course with regard to travel, costs, etc there is almost never a waiting list.

    Camerata Weekends – For residential weekends the course fee (not including accommodation) is refundable up to two weeks before the start of the course. Refunds relating to accommodation costs will, however, depend on someone taking your allocated room or if the venue has a cancellations policy which charges Experience Arts Ltd for your non-attendance. Participants will understand that where we are to be charged by accommodation providers for their booking, those costs cannot be refunded as we will still be responsible for them, even if your request to cancel is received more than 2 weeks prior to the cancellation. It is impossible to be prescriptive about this, because we enter into a separate contract with the accommodation providers, each of whom has different terms as to cancellation or changes in numbers.

    For non-residential Camerata courses the fee is refundable up to two weeks before the start of the course.

    NB No refunds will be made if you leave any course after its commencement.

    Music Costs We regret that music costs cannot be refunded unless the music can be resold.

4: Data Protection

  1. Personal Data Experience Arts Limited needs to process personal data of participants (including, but not limited to, name, email, phone, address, details of any declared medical conditions and dietary requirements) for the execution of this contract. Experience Arts Limited will keep this personal data for no longer than is necessary. These details are never shared with third parties.
  2. Photography During our courses we take photographs of participants, guests, audience and staff which may be used for future publicity purposes. Please see the relevant section of the application form to consent or otherwise to this.

Please see our Data Protection and Retention Policy and our Privacy notice for further details.

5: Course Provisions

Organising and financing travel to the course venue is the responsibility of the participant, as are any necessary accommodation requirements, save where the course is stated to be inclusive of accommodation. Where food and refreshments are to be provided, this will be stated on the course details and the cost included in the price quoted. Any special dietary requirements need to be entered on the course application form. Passports, visas and travel/health insurance are the responsibility of participants to organise themselves, as required.

6: Complaints

In the unlikely event of a complaint during your course you should inform a member of the ECE staff at the earliest opportunity, who will do their utmost to resolve the problem immediately. If the matter cannot be resolved during the course, please notify us in writing within 28 days of your return detailing your complaint to Experience Arts Ltd, Parkside, Burnthill Lane, Rugeley, Staffordshire WS15 2HX, quoting your name, the title of the course booked and its dates.

7: Conduct of Participants

We want everyone who attends our courses to have a happy, enjoyable and musically-satisfying experience; we take great pride in our courses and in our reputation for organising successful events for all who attend. Naturally, where any group of singers comes together, there are standards of decorum, etiquette and musicianship which need to apply to ensure the safety and comfort of the course, and which must be observed by all participants as directed by us. We reserve the unconditional right to refuse a booking or terminate a participant’s attendance at a course in the event of unreasonable conduct which in our opinion is likely to cause damage, distress, danger or annoyance to other participants, our employees, property or to any third party. Full cancellation charges will apply and we will be under no obligation for any refund, compensation or loss you may incur.