[02:26.31]ANDREW:Good morning, Clare House Hotel. Andrew speaking. I'm the Events Manager.
[02:32.31]SAM:Good morning, Andrew. My name's Samantha.
[02:36.03]I'm arranging a party for my parents' fiftieth wedding anniversary, and I'm ringing to ask about hiring a room some time next September.
[02:45.89]Also my parents and several of the guests will need accommodation.
[02:51.21]ANDREW:OK, I'm sure we can help you with that.
[02:54.45]Will you be having a sit-down meal or a buffet?
[02:58.30]SAM:Probably a sit-down.
[03:00.65]ANDREW:And do you know how many people there'll be?
[03:03.52]SAM:Around eighty, I think.
[03:05.95]ANDREW:Well we have two rooms that can hold that number.
[03:09.55]One is the Adelphi Room. That can seat eighty-five, or hold over a hundred if people are standing for a buffet.
[03:19.04]SAM:Right.
[03:20.14]ANDREW:If you have live music, there's room for four or five musicians in the gallery overlooking the room.
[03:27.94]Our guests usually appreciate the fact that the music can be loud enough for dancing, but not too loud for conversation.
[03:36.25]SAM:Yes, I really don't like it when you can't talk.
[03:40.10]ANDREW:Exactly. Now the Adelphi Room is at the back of the hotel, and there are French windows leading out onto the terrace.
[03:50.11]This has a beautiful display of pots of roses at that time of the year.
[03:56.14]SAM:Which direction does it face?
[03:58.69]ANDREW:Southwest, so that side of the hotel gets the sun in the afternoon and early evening.
[04:05.61]SAM:Very nice.
[04:06.87]ANDREW:From the terrace you can see the area of trees within the grounds of the hotel, or you can stroll through there to the river -that's on the far side, so it isn't visible from the hotel.
[04:20.57]SAM:OK.
[04:21.82]ANDREW:Then another option is the Carlton Room.
[04:25.39]This is a bit bigger -it can hold up to a hundred and ten people - and it has the advantage of a stage, which is useful if you have any entertainment, or indeed a small band can fit onto it.
[04:39.66]SAM:And can you go outside from the room?
[04:43.42]ANDREW:No, the Carlton Room is on the first floor, but on one side the windows look out onto the lake.
[04:51.43]SAM:Lovely. I think either of those rooms would be suitable.
[04:56.01]ANDREW:Can I tell you about some of the options we offer in addition?
[04:59.75]SAM:Please do.
[05:01.00]ANDREW:As well as a meal, you can have an MC, a Master of Ceremonies, who'll be with you throughout the party.
[05:08.48]SAM:What exactly is the MC's function?
[05:12.13]I suppose they make a speech during the meal if we need one, do they?
[05:16.79]ANDREW:That's right. All our MCs are trained as public speakers, so they can easily get people's attention - many guests are glad to have someone who can make themselves heard above the chatter!
[05:29.39]And they're also your support 一 if anything goes wrong, the MC will deal with it, so you can relax.
[05:37.86]SAM:Great! I'll need to ask you about food, but something else that's important is accommodation.
[05:45.56]You obviously have rooms in the hotel, but do you also have any other accommodation, like cabins, for example?
[05:53.94]ANDREW:Yes, there are five in the grounds, all self-contained.
[05:59.03]They each sleep two to four people and have their own living room, bathroom and small kitchen.
[06:05.91]SAM:That sounds perfect for what we'll need.
[06:39.86]SAM:Now you have various facilities, don't you?
[06:43.61]Are they all included in the price of hiring the room?
[06:47.32]The pool, for instance.
[06:49.02]ANDREW:Normally you'd be able to use it, but it'll be closed throughout September for refurbishment. I'm afraid.
[06:56.12]The gym will be available, though, at no extra charge.
[07:00.18]That's open all day, from six in the morning until midnight.
[07:04.27]SAM:Right.
[07:04.99]ANDREW:And the tennis courts, but there is a small additional payment for those.
[07:09.93]We have four courts, and it's worth booking in advance if you possibly can, as there can be quite a long waiting list for them!
[07:18.49]SAM:Right. Now could we discuss the food? This would be dinner, around seven o'clock...
