After our Forum “Women’s Rights in the Modern World” was cancelled by the Devonport Library, we tried to hire another venue called The Hive in Ulverstone.
We made a preliminary booking over the phone and we started sharing an update on social media regarding the location change.
We received an email, the Hive did not confirm our booking, when we asked the reason, they initially mentioned that they didn’t believe it was big enough to hold our Forum, but we’ll get back to that later.
Hi Emma,
I tried to call you about this, so please call me back when you get a chance.
The team at Hive informs me that you sent through information enquiring about a booking for Studio 1 at Hive for Monday 7 April between 10:00am-12:00pm for the purpose of hosting a public forum. While you confirmed the event details to the team at Hive, the booking has not been confirmed as Women Speak Tasmania has not completed the necessary booking documentation.
I note that despite this, Women Speak Tasmania has begun promoting the public forum to be held at Studio 1.
I am writing to advise that Studio 1 is unavailable for the event on the basis that it is a small space designed for hosting workshops, community gatherings and meetings as indicated on Hive’s website. The Council has several other venues more suitable for hosting a public forum, and I ask you to consider using these.
Women Speak Tasmania can contact our bookings desk at [email protected] to enquire about availability to host the forum at these other venues. In doing so, until the booking is confirmed, I request that no promotion occur until the booking is confirmed by the Council.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Chris
Studio 1 was perfect for our needs and on our price range, so we reply to Chris
Hello Chris,
Thank you for your email. Thank you for calling as well but we prefer to complete bookings via email.
I note that you have a concern that Studio 1 will not be big enough for our needs. Please rest assured that we will not need a bigger room. We have been advised by a member of your staff that the capacity of the room is 36 which will be totally adequate. We have described our event as a public forum but it could also be described as a community gathering. We are requiring attendees to rsvp so we can guarantee to you that our gathering will not exceed the numbers allowed for Studio 1 and therefore will meet your booking limitations in terms of numbers.
We are impressed with the facilities at the Hive and keen to go ahead with the booking as the size of the room and price point available are suitable for our needs.
Our major concern was to secure a booking form and speedily return it to you.
Kind regards,
Emma Shaw
For Women Speak Tasmania
Chris reply to our email, he mentioned:
“While I appreciate you desire to continue to use the venue, due to events that have occurred today I hold concerns that you will not be able to manage the size of the event”
We did not understand what he meant by “due to events that have occurred today”, so we asked him to clarify
Hi Chris,
Thank you for your email.
I am confused as to what you are referring to when you say you have concerns ‘due to events that have occurred today.’
Studio will be fine. Our event will most definitely not exceed your booking limitations for the room therefore capacity is not a concern so why is there suddenly an issue with our booking? Our event will be a small number of people sitting in the room listening to a speaker. It will not involve any noisy music or other noise so there will be no impact on other patrons of the Hive.
We wish to have Studio 1 as agreed.
He wrote: “My concerns are around those seeking to disrupt your event and the impact on others in the venue if it was to occur. I have reasonable grounds to believe that the hosting of the forum at Hive will place my staff and venue patrons/tenants at risk. I have responsibilities under the WHS Act 2012 to keep my team safe at all times, and I am exercising those responsibilities”.
So after all, the cancellation had nothing to do with size of venue or size of the attending crowd, but the possibility of angry counter protestors. Women Speak Tasmania would have held the same peaceful quiet gatherings we have had before. It’s not our group who cause a fuss, but those trying to silence us.