Location & FAQs
How to get there
County Hall, Belvedere Road, London SE1 7GP
The entrance to the festival is at the rear of County Hall (not on the river side), half way down Belvedere Road, opposite Forum Magnum Square.
The nearest stations are Waterloo and Westminster, both a pleasant 5-minute walk away.
The nearest parking is at Waterloo Car Park, 39 York Road, London SE1 7NQ (there is no parking at the venue).
FAQs
As part of our commitment to provide a safe event environment for all Waitrose & Partners’ Guests & Suppliers, we will remain compliant with any Government guidelines / regulations and endeavour to adapt and update you on the measures we are taking to ensure we provide a safer event for everyone at the festival.
SAFETY AT THE FESTIVAL
As part of our commitment to providing a safer event environment for all Waitrose customers and suppliers, we will be using a Covid certification system for everyone attending the festival.
Please bring with you one of the following Covid certifications:
- Proof of full vaccination with any vaccine approved by the World Health Organization, You will need to have completed a full course of vaccination at least 14 days ago.
- Proof of a negative PCR or lateral flow test result within 48 hours of your session time.
- Proof of natural immunity based on a positive PCR test result within 10-180 days before the date of the festival.
You will be asked to present this certification with an NHS Covid Pass. This can be accessed digitally through the NHS app or through the NHS website, nhs.uk, where you can also download or print it as a PDF document. You can also request an NHS Covid Pass letter to be posted to you, via the NHS website or by calling 119, but please allow plenty of time to organise this. Stamped vaccination cards, and equivalent internationally recognised vaccination certification, will also be accepted.
You can create and present your NHS COVID Pass via the NHS App including a downloadable pdf, on the NHS.UK website or as a paper letter, which can be requested through the NHS.UK website or by ringing 119. We will accept all of these forms of COVID certification at the event. Limited evidence exemptions will be permitted.
Please don’t travel to the venue if you or a close contact receives a positive lateral flow or PCR test. Should you become ill with COVID within two weeks before the festival, you are eligible to either transfer your ticket to someone who is not a close contact, or to receive a full refund. We ask that you contact the team at info@waitrosedrinksfestival.com as soon as possible so that your ticket can be released to another customer.
Additionally to the COVID Certification system, here are the other measures we have in place to ensure all customer and suppliers have a safer and more comfortable visit:
FACE MASKS / COVERINGS
While face coverings are not mandatory at the festival, we politely ask that you respect other people’s personal precautions and preferences. You might prefer not to wear a mask but the person standing close to you might feel more comfortable doing so, and vice versa.
CASHLESS PAYMENT
Contactless payment will be available when purchasing additional masterclasses, workshops or items from the Gift Shop. We will not be accepting cash at this time.
SANITISER STATIONS
Hand sanitising units will be available upon arrival and throughout the festival.
CLEANING
The venue will have more regular cleaning throughout the duration of the event with enhanced touch point cleaning still in place during the live days.
AIR CIRCULATION
We will maximise the amount of fresh air circulating around the festival during every session. Please be aware that as a result the temperature at the festival will be more affected by the external temperatures than usual, and may create draughts that would normally be avoided.
ROOM CAPACITIES
To ensure everyone can enjoy their experience at the festival we are not currently implementing a one way system. However, capacity limits have been created for each room to allow for more space around the supplier stands. If a room has reached its capacity limit you may be asked to wait or visit another area of the festival.
Whilst we know that the majority of our customers will be double-vaccinated by November, we also want to give reassurance that the event will be delivered with COVID-19 Safety as a top priority. Should our Event Risk Assessment or Government guidelines and regulations require, we will implement further safety measures which may include a NHS COVID Pass check, limiting guest numbers in the event spaces, one way systems or staggered arrival times.
We all want the Waitrose Drinks Festival 2021 to return as a safe and successful in-person event, but in order to do so we believe that we all need to take care and responsibility whilst attending events.
If you have any worries and concerns then please feel free to contact us here at info@waitrosedrinksfestival.com.
Tickets are £40. This gives you access to the Drinks Festival and allows you to explore areas on offer. Suppliers will offer samples throughout the festival and there will be the option to buy some of the selected products on site as well as making a note of items to buy at a later date on waitrosecellar.com. Sessions last for four hours. Additional items such as masterclasses and workshops and access to the lounge are available for an additional price and can be found on the website.
We will be aiming to open the doors to registration about 20 minutes ahead of the session start times. This will only permit entry to the registration area and coffee lounge – the event won’t open fully until the listed start time.
Please be aware that the event takes place on the third and fourth floors of the building, with lift access or use of the stairs being the best way to access the festival.
We are running a traditional wine tasting and so the glass you collect at the beginning of your experience should be reused (swilled out with the water and spittoons provided) for your whole time in that area. Designated pick-up and drop-off points will show you where to swap your glass over.
Water will be available free of charge at various points throughout the event.
We have a host of speciality food suppliers situated in the Beer, Cider and Food Room on the fourth floor, where you can sample a variety of products. Other Waitrose food will be showcased and roaming around the event, so make sure you pick up something delicious when it passes you!
We may ask to see photo ID for you to gain access to the event. We will be operating a Challenge 25 policy, and as such will be asking any visitor lucky enough to look younger than this to provide photo ID on the door.
It’s also useful to bring a note of any suppliers you would particularly like to visit, along with your confirmation email showing which additional experiences you have booked via our website.
Please don’t bring any large bags or luggage as cloakroom space at the venue is reasonably limited.
For circumstances not involving COVID, it is possible to transfer your ticket up to two weeks before the festival. You can do this by contacting the events team at info@waitrosedrinksfestival.com with your full name and email address of the new lead guest, making sure they are cc’d into this email thread, therefore ensuring that they are able to give their permission to be contacted.
Once we have received their permission, we will be able to send an updated order confirmation.
Yes, if you no longer need your ticket you can request a refund by contacting the events team at info@waitrosedrinksfestival.com. We will aim to come back to you within two working days. Alternatively, call the customer services team on 0800 188 881 and they will forward your request to the events team. We regret that except for limited circumstances, we are unable to process refunds within two weeks before the event.
Yes. Please contact the event team at info@waitrosedrinksfestival.com and we will aim to come back to you within two working days. Alternatively, call the customer services team on 0800 188 881 and they will forward your request to the events team. We regret that we are unable to add extras 48 hours before the event, however these can be bought on the day if we have availability.
The extras have limited availability so if they don’t appear on your screen when buying tickets, it means they have sold out. Please do take a look at some of our other masterclasses or workshops.
Yes, both event floors are fully accessible.
Please don’t travel to the venue if you or a close contact receives a positive lateral flow or PCR test. Should you become ill with COVID within two weeks of the festival, you are eligible to either transfer your ticket to someone who is not a close contact, or to receive a full refund. We ask that you contact the team at info@waitrosedrinksfestival.com as soon as possible so that your ticket can be used by another customer.
Please email the events team at info@waitrosedrinksfestival.com and we’ll aim to come back to you within two working days. Alternatively, call the customer services team on 0800 188 881 and they will forward your question to the events team.
Terms & Conditions
- a, You are confirming that you have read and understood these terms and conditions and that you will be bound by them accordingly;
- b. If you are booking on behalf of someone else, you are representing that:
- you will ensure that any people that you are booking on behalf of have been made aware of these terms and conditions and that they have read and understand them;
- you have their authority to accept these terms and conditions on their behalf; and
- that they shall be bound by these terms and conditions accordingly.
Please direct any questions, or any subsequent issues, to: customerservices@waitrose.co.uk or send to Waitrose Limited, Doncastle Road, Southern Industrial Area, Bracknell, RG12 8YA.
In these terms and conditions, "Waitrose" "we", "us" and "our" refer to Waitrose Limited, a company registered in England and Wales with company number 99405, VAT number 232457280 and registered address 171 Victoria Street, London, SW1E 5NN.
Guest details
- Guests are responsible for ensuring that all details submitted are accurate and correct.
Payment
Payment must be made in full at the time of booking. All amounts quoted are inclusive of VAT.
The booking and payment process for the classes is facilitated by (i) Story Events Limited a company registered in England and Wales with company number 08344007 with registered office at 103 Charing Cross Road, London, WC2H 0DT; and (ii) Kick Digital Limited a company registered in England and Wales with company number 08967728 with registered office at Unit 2 Endeavour House Parkway Court, Longbridge Road, Marsh Mills, Plymouth, Devon, PL6 8LR. Your personal information will be processed by Story Events Limited, Kick Digital Limited and any subsequent data processor supplying booking and payment services in accordance with our instructions and in compliance with any applicable data protection legislation.
Personal Data
- Please refer to our Privacy Policy to see details on how we and our suppliers may use data to administer and provide the event and to request feedback. If there are any questions regarding this privacy policy you may contact us via info@waitrosedrinksfestival.com
Cancellation, refunds and changes
Refunds will be possible up to two weeks prior to the event opening. Please contact info@waitrosedrinksfestival.com if you would like to discuss this with the team. Please note that no refunds will be offered in the event that a guest is unable to attend within two weeks of the event or on the day.
We reserve the right to cancel the event, with reasonable notice and will notify the ticket purchaser in writing, should this happen. Guests will be given a full refund of ticket prices should the event be cancelled by Waitrose, however no associated costs (such as travel, accommodation etc.) will be paid.
We reserve the right to change the date of any event for any reason. If we do so, we will endeavour to give participants reasonable notice, and, where Participants cannot attend the event on the new date, Participants will receive a full refund of the amount paid for that event. We will not be responsible for travelling or associated expenses.
We will endeavour to run the event as advertised. However, we reserve the right to make changes, including to the running order and timings for the event may change prior to the event. Where reasonably possible, we will provide prior notice of such changes.
Should Government rules or restrictions prohibit the event going ahead, Guests will be entitled to receive a full refund of the event ticket.
If a Guest can no longer attend the event due to having to isolate, the Guest will be required to provide evidence of the reason for isolation in order to receive a full refund of the event ticket.
COVID-19
- Guests may be required to show evidence of a negative lateral flow result within 48 hours of the event or their NHS Covid pass to access the event. However, this will be communicated to the Guest prior to the event.
Guest obligations
The resale of tickets is prohibited. We reserve the right to cancel any tickets that have been resold.
The marks of Waitrose and the Waitrose logo are registered United Kingdom and European community trademarks and may not be used without our express written permission
Guests must be over 18. No guests under the age of 18 will be permitted entry to the venue.
A 'Challenge 25' policy will be in operation, and as such, all guests are required to bring and present photographic ID on arrival at the venue.
A maximum of four tickets can be purchased in each transaction, and we reserve the right to refuse entry to large groups on arrival.
While alcohol will be available throughout the event, it is each individual's duty to drink responsibly during their time at the event. In the event that a guest is intoxicated or their conduct is disorderly, we reserve the right to ask them to leave the premises and no refunds will be given.
We will not provide lockers or secure storage for personal property of guests. Guests are expected to look after their personal property during an event.
Guests must: (i) comply with all health and safety, security and other requirements notified to them (including any requirements on the registration form); (ii) obey all instructions given by the host; and (iii) act responsibly and maintain a reasonable standard of safe behaviour.
You may be asked to show a Covid pass or negative lateral flow result to access the event, depending on government guidelines. This will be communicated to you no later than 72 hours before the event.
Our rights
- Guests may be refused admission to, or be asked to leave, an experience at any time if: (i) they fail to comply with any of these terms and conditions; (ii) they are rude, offensive or disruptive; and / or (iii) the host (acting reasonably) considers it appropriate. If a guest is refused admission to, or asked to leave, an event, they must do promptly and without disturbing others.
Liability
Should a guest cause damage to property owned by the venue, a contractor for the event, or Waitrose, any compensation or repair costs will be sought from the individual after the event.
We will only be responsible for loss or damage to guests' personal property if the loss or damage results from our breach of these terms and conditions or negligence.
We will not have any liability to Participants for: (i) accidental damage or injury resulting from the actions or omissions of other Participants attending an experience; (ii) any loss of income, loss of revenue, loss of profits, loss of business or loss of contracts; or (iii) any indirect or consequential loss or damage that Participants may suffer as a result of our breach of these terms and conditions or negligence or otherwise.
However, we do not (and nothing in these terms and conditions shall) exclude or limit in any way our liability where it would be unlawful to do so, including our liability for death or personal injury caused by our negligence or for fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation.
How we may use photography and videos
- The event may be recorded by us and we may take videos, photographs and other recordings, where you are recorded at the event. You agree to the publication of such photographs, videos, recordings, and/or likenesses of you (whether edited, adapted, modified or copied) and their use by us and those authorised by us, without prior notice or compensation, in any way which we may see fit now or in the future including but not limited to film, broadcast, radio, TV, publications, future events and publicity. You acknowledge that we have the full right to sell and/or profit from the commercial use of such photographs, motion pictures, recordings, and/or likenesses of you.
Governing Law
These terms and conditions and their subject matter (and any non-contractual obligations arising in connection with them) are governed by English law and subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of England and Wales, except that if you are a resident of Northern Ireland you may also bring proceedings in Northern Ireland, and if you are resident of Scotland, you may also bring proceedings in Scotland.
If we cannot resolve any complaints relating to the event between us, if you are a customer within the EU you have the right to submit your complaint through the Online Dispute Resolution platform at for resolution.
myWaitrose 10% Off Ticket Prices Terms & Conditions
Offer only applicable to customers with a discount code obtained through myWaitrose marketing.
Offer excludes additional masterclass or workshop.
Subject to availability.
We reserve the right to change the offer at any time.
This offer cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer.
Offer valid until midnight on 11 November 2021.
