What does it cost?
As a participant of SCA activities in Politarchopolis it is recommended that you pay for SCA Australia membership (please find more info here.)
This is optional, however as you will incur additional insurance fees per session if you have not signed up as a member.
All users of the Politarchopolis hall in Ainslie are expected to pay their share of hall fees (more info below and link to the 2023 payment form here) and it is far cheaper to become an SCA member to reduce that cost dramatically.
Other activities may incur their own costs, but these vary from activity to activity. For more information about activities, please sign up to our email and/or Facebook groups. Or contact our Hospitaller (Recruitment Officer) at hospitaller@politarchopolis.lochac.sca.org.
Hall Fee payment structure
The following table is a breakdown of various available ways to help us pay the hall hire fees:
| SCA Members | Non-members (includes insurance for adults & minors) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adults | Minors | Adults | Minors | |
| Single Session Tap and pay only | $5.00 | $0.00 | $5.00 + $10 insurance | $0.00 + $5 insurance |
| Monthly (payment plans) By invoice only | $13.50 | $0.00 | $13.50 + $10 insurance per session | $0.00 + $5 insurance per session |
| Quarterly By invoice only | $40.00 | $0.00 | $40.00 + $10 insurance per session | $0.00 + $5 insurance per session |
| Annual By invoice only | $160.00 | $0.00 | $160.00 + $10 insurance per session | $0.00 + $5 insurance per session |
Please note this is just our fee to help cover our cost of using the hall, SCA Australia membership is handled separately. For more information on SCA Australia membership please find more info here.
Why are these fees necessary?
The Barony of Politarchopolis loses thousands of dollars every year on hiring the hall in Ainslie. This is normally recouped by the group’s annual signature event ‘Fields of Gold’. However, this makes the group extremely dependent on the financial success of this one event each year. This isn’t great practise, because it limits what we can do with the event, and leaves us financially vulnerable to cancellations. In these uncertain times, we would like to address this financial vulnerability before it leads to trouble. The hall houses our weekly meetups and serves as one of our main storage points for group gear that is used at events and loaned out to those who need it.
When will payments be due?
Quarterly fees will be due from the first day of the following date ranges:
- Quarter 1 – 1 Jan to 31 Mar
- Quarter 2 – 1 Apr to 30 Jun
- Quarter 3 – 1 Jul to 30 Sep
- Quarter 4 – 1 Oct to 31 Dec
The Reeve or Seneschal will arrange to have these dates added to the group calendar and will send reminders before each new quarter.
Those who choose to may pay for all four quarters upfront – this is how the annual fee will be charged.
Those who opt for a monthly payment can start from any day of the month.
Single Session fees are due on attendance.
What if someone starts paying in the middle of a quarter?
Monthly increments of $13.50 can be used to fill the remaining time until the next quarter begins without entering into a payment plan.
What about insurance?
Insurance is covered by SCA membership. However, if you are not a member you are required to pay an extra $10 per session or $5 per session for minors.
Will minors have to pay?
People under 18 are not required to pay the hall fees component. However, event insurance must still be paid each session by non-members though. This is $5 for minors.
How will compliance be monitored?
The reeve will be responsible for recording each person’s payment status for the quarter. This file with the seneschal and constable. It is up to participants to take responsbility for making sure they are up-to-date with payments due. The hall activities are on a no-pay, no play basis, and there is no obligation to allow access to activities without payment.
No sensitive financial information will be shared in this document, only:
- the person’s name, and
- which quarters they have paid for, or
- whether they are currently on a payment plan.
How do I pay?
If you would like to sign up for reoccurring payments, please sign up via our online form. The accepted payment methods are:
- via Tap and Pay onsite using a card (more info on the tech here)
- or by invoice which you will receive by email after completing the online form.
- cash is discouraged but please advise the Reeve or Baron and Baroness using the mailing addresses below.
Please do not make random transfer payments without having first received an invoice.
Please also be aware that the Baroness has received a number of offers from members to discreetly assist those who might struggle with the hall fees during these tough times. If you think you may have any trouble please contact the Reeve and Baron and Baroness privately.