Terms & Conditions

We do everything we can to make sure your experience with us is positive and straightforward. These terms and conditions explain our interactions with you and what happens if you can’t attend your booking.

Events, workshops, mentoring & live evening courses

If you cannot attend an event, workshop, live evening course or mentoring session:

  • Up to 48 hours before the event we will issue a credit to use against a future booking (valid for 18 months). We are not able to issue refunds.
  • Within 48 hours of the performance, if we are sold out, we will offer to resell your tickets. If we are able to resell your tickets, we will issue a credit to use against a future booking (valid for 18 months).
  • If an equivalent workshop or course of the same price exists at a more convenient time we may be able to transfer you, but this is entirely at the discretion of the specific tutors and is dependent on overall student numbers.

 

Where a concessionary ticket is purchased, proof of identity and concession entitlement (for example of age or student status) may be required.

Occasionally, we may need to move an in-person workshop or course to an online format. If this happens, you will have the option to:

  • Request a full refund for the workshop/course (if not yet started), or a partial refund for the remainder of the workshop/course if it has begun
  • Request a credit note, valid for any workshop, course or event with NCW in the next 18 months.

Essential Companion

If you require a Essential Companion in order to attend an event, course or workshop with us, your PA is entitled to a ticket free of charge. Please purchase an ‘Essential Companion’ ticket during checkout, or get in touch with us to arrange.

More details about accessibility can be found here.

 

Conditions of admission

Doors open 30 minutes before the scheduled event time. Every effort shall be made to admit latecomers to events at a suitable break in the event, which may be the interval, but late admission cannot be guaranteed.

 

Recording

The use of recording equipment of any description is strictly prohibited without specific permission.

National Centre for Writing regularly captures video, audio and photos at events. These may be used for promotional purposes and on social media. If you do not wish to be recorded in this manner please let a member of staff know as soon as possible.

 

Conduct

Please set mobile phones to silent during all events, workshops and courses.

We encourage debate and support freedom of expression. We expect tutors, panellists, speakers and audiences to conduct themselves with mutual respect for each other and to provide constructive, supportive criticism.

The management of the Venue also reserves the right to request that Ticket holders leave the Venue at any point on reasonable grounds and may take any appropriate action to enforce this right.

Online tutored courses

When booking an online tutored course with National Centre for Writing you agree to the following terms and conditions.

 

Cancellations & refunds

You may cancel your booking and have all fees paid returned to you for the first 14 days after payment (except where the course begins within this period, in which case we do not offer refunds).

Following this initial 14-day period, cancellations of bookings will not be accepted unless we are able to fill your place from a waiting list.

Please note that if you leave the course after it has begun or if you fail to attend all or any part of the course, no refund will be made and we will retain 100% of your fee.

 

Bookings

You should not consider your booking as definite until you receive an automated notification that your payment has been processed.

 

Transfers

At our discretion, you may be able to transfer your booking to another online tutored course subject to availability and payment of any difference in the fees due. Where we agree to the transfer and the fee for the new booking is less than the fee for the original booking, we will refund you the difference less an administration charge. Our standard cancellation terms (see above) will apply to the new booking. Please note that we can only transfer a booking to a course or retreat within the same calendar year, and that once a booking is transferred we are unable to offer further transfers.

 

Changes to the programme

NCW reserves the right to make changes to the advertised programme and tutors. We always endeavour to replace tutors with someone of similar experience, and to give you as much notice as possible. On very rare occasions we may need to cancel a course; in this case we will offer you an alternative course or return all of the fee paid. Please note that where we have to change tutors, you do not have additional rights of cancellation and our standard terms still apply.

 

Conduct and safety

NCW courses rely on a supportive environment that depends on tolerance and understanding of all participants and tutors and their creative work. We therefore ask that you are thoughtful and respectful of the other writers and help foster an atmosphere conducive to creativity. NCW reserves the right to refuse a place and / or to exclude from a course any writer who, in the judgement of the Chief Executive behaves in an abusive or disruptive manner or engages in any discriminatory conduct. No refund will be given if exclusion is made for these reasons.

Self-paced online courses

When booking a self-paced online course with National Centre for Writing you agree to the following terms and conditions.

 

Refunds

Full refunds can only be issued for self-paced online courses if:

  • You have requested the refund within 14 days of purchasing and;
  • You have not accessed more than five chapters of the course.

After the 14 day period you may be provided with credit on your account which can be used to enrol on a different course.

Provision of credit is at the discretion of the National Centre for Writing and requires you to have not accessed more than five chapters of the course.

General

Comments and complaints

While NCW make every effort to maintain high standards and provide high-quality experiences for all writers and visitors, you may want to offer comments or make a complaint.

At the end of every course and event you will be given the opportunity to provide feedback through our evaluation form, but if you feel this is not sufficient, you may wish to make a formal complaint.

Note that all complaints should be made in writing, and we ask that you notify us within ten working days of the end of your course. Read more here

 

English law

The contract between you and NCW is governed by English law.

 

Changes to terms

The information contained within the website and on printed media is correct at time of going to publication. National Centre for Writing reserves the right to change or modify these Terms including for legal, regulatory or security reasons at any time.

Whilst we will flag changes on the Website and/or send emails in relation to major changes, it is your responsibility to check the Terms for changes. If you have any questions, concerns, or comments about our Terms please contact us.