Church Hire
The church's beauty, acoustics, capacity and adaptability have made it a popular choice for concerts, weddings, fashion events, filmings and meetings. See below for information on our facilities and marketing, then contact Events Coordinator Jake Kirner for further details:
Telephone preferable: 07766 202 731
Church availability
Clich here (Excel) or here (PDF) to download a spreadsheet with our availability.
The church is normally available every day except Sunday mornings. We have various small services in the chapel by the door (see below) during which hirers are normally happy to schedule their breaks (no need to pack away, just to be quiet). Fees are not charged during these breaks. Very occasionally we are willing to move a service to the Rectory so that the booking is uninterrupted, but we only do so with great reluctance.
The church can be accessed from 7am to 11pm but no outside noise can be made before 8.00am or after 10pm.
2024 Standard Hire Fees
Our fees are based on the below rates but any final fee will be agreed with Jake (tel. 07766 202 731).
The final fee may differ according to circumstance. Discounts are sometimes applied and one can save money by scheduling breaks to coincide with the services in the chapel (see below).
Jake is able to reserve some unconfirmed bookings for a short time.
Concerts (incl. rehearsal on the day of the concert)
Peak winter: £150 per hour for first six hours / £120 every subsequent hour (so £1,140 for eight hours)
Peak Summer: £140 p.h. for first six hours / £110 every subsequent hour
Off-peak winter: £125/£100
Off-peak Summer: £120/£95
Rehearsals (not on the day of the concert)
Peak winter: £75 p.h. first six hours / £70 every subsequent hour
Peak summer: £65/£60
Off-peak winter: £65/£60
Off-peak Summer: £60/£55
Recordings (audio only)
Peak winter: £170 p.h. first six hours/£150 every subsequent
Peak summer: £160/£140
Off-peak winter: £155/£135
Off-peak summer: £150/£130
Filming with one or two cameras
Peak winter: £175/£155 p.h. first six hours/£150 every subsequent
Peak summer: £165/£145
Off-peak winter: £160/£140
Off-peak summer: £155/£135
Filming with three or more cameras
Peak winter: £230/£210 p.h. first six hours/£150 every subsequent
Peak summer: £220/£200
Off-peak winter: £220/£195
Off-peak summer: £215/£190
Seasons
Peak winter: March, 28 Nov – 17 Dec
Peak Summer: 22 May – 14 July
Off-peak winter: Jan, Feb, April, 16 Oct – 27 Nov, 18-22 Dec
Off-peak summer: 1 – 21 May, 15 July – 15 October
Note that:
- Fees normally include time spent setting up/down
- Fees include staff support and verger supervision
- Normally a minimum of three hours is charged, with some exceptions
- Additional fees are applicable for use of the piano, organs and staging, although these are sometimes thrown in for free in the case of large bookings
- The piano and organs are generally kept in reasonably good tune but the hirer must pay for any bespoke tuning, with piano tuning £100 and organ tuning from £300
Discounts may be given for things like:
* Multiple bookings within 12 months
* Last minute concert bookings (pencilled in advance but not confirmed until closer to the time)
* Concerts on Mondays, Tuesdays or Wednesdays
* Bookings that could feature in one of our religious or community festivals
* Concerts where the church capacity is limited by the book fair or building works
* GHSMD students
* Local community events
Feel free to call Jake on 07766 202 731 to discuss whether you may qualify for a discount.
Services in the chapel
Quiet is required in church during the below times. This may mean allowing more time in the case of large ensembles. No need to pack up, just be silent.
Mondays: 8.25-8.55am, 5.25-5.55pm
Tuesdays: 8.25-8.55am, 5.25-5.55pm
Wednesdays: 8.25-8.55am, 9.55-10.25am, 5.25-5.55pm
Thursdays: normally no services
Fridays: 8.25-8.55am, 12.25-1.05pm, 5.25-5.55pm
Saturdays: normally no services
Sundays: 8am-12noon (throughout the church), 3.55-4.35pm (in the chapel only)
Payment and contracts
Once most of the details are agreed, Jake will issue a contract agreeing to our key terms and an invoice for BACS payment. Organisations with complicated invoicing requirements may be charged a small additional fee for the extra admin this causes.
Heating
We aim to maintain 18 degrees Celsius for concert days and 17 degrees for rehearsals. However, being a draughty medieval church without insulation, we may not be able to achieve these temperatures when it is close to freezing outside. In any case we advise hirers to wear warm clothes or (when in concert dress) to invest in some warm underclothes.
Although modern venues are generally warmer, they tend to be much more expensive despite generally being less expensive to maintain.
We are also trying to achieve net-zero by 2030. Heating the church requires about five-times more energy than a medium-sized house but we are are exploring how to make our heating more directional, focussing on the people rather than the stone. We request your understanding and partnership in working towards net zero.
The main body of the church
Looking east with one step to black and white tiled area.
Click here to see a film of the London Mozart Players concert, spring 2020 with social distancing in place.
Click here for a 2D view of the church.
Filming
We welcome filming but extra time and detailed information is needed before approval can be given.
See further information including guidelines for filming in St Giles' and the Churchyard..
Other areas available inside the church
The Tower area on ground level
Steinway Grand B piano Regularly serviced. Click here for full details
Chancel organ
Click here for full details
Grand organ
Click here for full details
Weddings
Who can marry in St Giles'? View document below
For those planning their Wedding at St Giles' view our wedding plan.
Disability Access
There is a long stone ramp beside the North door for wheelchair access from the churchyard into the church.
Access to a disabled toilet is in the vestry area.
Other Facilities
Four staging bocks, each 1-foot-high x 4 feet wide x 8 feet long which can be aligned to make a platform for up to 30 people
Two toilets (including a disabled toilet) in the vestry plus free access to the Wood Street Wine Bar’s toilets (30 meters away) on weekday afternoons and evenings (no requirement to buy a drink)
Free parking in the churchyard for up to six cars
Clothes rails
Additional benefits
Access to the church is via the churchyard so is off-road with no passing traffic
All furniture movable, including the altar, which allows great flexibility for performer and audience position
Marketing
All public events are listed on www.CultureInCityChurches.com and a leaflet is posted to 3,000 Barbican residents in each season promoting these events. We also include details in an email bulletins to 3,000 Barbican residents and can display some flyers and a poster in church.