Terms & Conditions

1. Definitions

In these Terms:

• “The Sidedoor”, “we”, “us”, and “our” means the operator of The Sidedoor and its website, app, and related services.
• “Platform” means the The Sidedoor website, app, booking system, and all associated digital services.
• “Venue” means any third-party club, bar, lounge, restaurant, event space, promoter venue, or hospitality operator listed on or connected to the Platform.
• “Booking” means a reservation, guest-list place, access request, queue-skip reservation, or other attendance-related reservation made through the Platform.
• “Paid Booking” means a booking that includes any paid element, including paid queue-skip, premium reservation, deposit, or similar paid upgrade.
• “Guest”, “you”, and “your” means the individual using the Platform or making a Booking, including any person included in your party where the context allows.
• “QR Code” means the booking confirmation code or access token issued by The Sidedoor for check-in, scanning, validation, or anti-fraud purposes.

2. Who We Are

The Sidedoor provides a digital platform that helps users discover venues, request entry, join guest lists, reserve attendance, and, where available, purchase optional queue-skip or similar access-related services.

Unless expressly stated otherwise, The Sidedoor does not own, manage, control, license, or operate the Venues listed on the Platform. Venues are independent third parties and remain solely responsible for admission decisions, house rules, licensing compliance, age checks, service standards, on-site health and safety, security decisions, and operating policies.

3. Nature of the Service

The Sidedoor is a booking and venue-access facilitation platform. We provide the digital infrastructure that allows you to:

• create a user account;
• browse participating Venues and available dates;
• select a Venue, date, and party size;
• make free or paid Bookings;
• receive confirmation and a QR Code;
• present your Booking at the Venue for scanning and verification.

The Sidedoor does not sell alcohol, provide venue security, or grant a legal right of admission to any Venue. A Booking confirms that your name or party details have been submitted through the Platform for the relevant service level only. Final entry remains subject to verification and Venue discretion.

4. Eligibility & Account Registration

4.1 Minimum age

You may only use the Platform if you are legally capable of entering into a binding contract. Where alcohol-led or age-restricted Venues are involved, you must meet the Venue’s minimum age requirement and the legal age requirements applicable at the Venue.

4.2 Accurate information

You must provide accurate, current, and complete information when registering and booking, including your name, email address, mobile number, and any other information requested.

4.3 Account security

You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your login credentials, securing your device, and preventing unauthorised access to your account. You are responsible for all activity carried out using your account unless caused by our failure.

4.4 One person, one identity

Accounts must be registered in the real identity of the user. You must not create fake accounts, impersonate another person, register using false details, or create multiple accounts for abuse, duplicate bookings, or circumvention of limits or bans.

5. Booking Flow

5.1 Browsing and availability

Venue listings, times, capacities, guest-list opportunities, and paid queue-skip options are subject to change and may be added, amended, restricted, or withdrawn at any time. Display of availability on the Platform does not guarantee that spaces will remain available until your Booking is completed.

5.2 Party size and plus-ones

Where the Platform allows you to book for more than one person, you are responsible for ensuring all members of your party comply with these Terms and all applicable Venue rules. The lead booker accepts responsibility for the conduct, eligibility, and readiness of all guests included in the Booking.

5.3 Confirmation

A Booking is only confirmed when The Sidedoor issues a confirmation through the Platform and, where relevant, a valid QR Code. A pending request, incomplete payment, checkout screen, or unconfirmed selection does not create a Booking.

5.4 Arrival windows

Some Venues may impose time windows for guest-list, queue-skip, or priority-entry use. If you arrive late, outside the permitted check-in window, after final entry, or after a Venue has reached capacity, your Booking may be invalidated without refund unless we state otherwise in writing.

5.5 Changes by Venues

Venues may amend opening times, admission criteria, line management, event format, security measures, music policy, private-area access, and availability. Where practical, we may update Platform information, but we do not guarantee that all changes will be reflected in real time.

6. Paid Bookings & Queue-Skip

6.1 Paid element explained

A Paid Booking may include a queue-skip, priority-entry, premium-access, or similar convenience service. Unless expressly stated otherwise, payment is for the booking and facilitation service level offered through The Sidedoor. It is not a guarantee of admission under all circumstances.

6.2 What queue-skip means

“Queue-skip”, “priority entry”, “fast-track”, or similar language means a faster or priority access process compared with standard entry lines, subject always to security checks, venue operations, incidents, searches, crowd control, capacity constraints, emergency measures, and staff instructions.

6.3 Not a bypass of legal or security checks

No paid service entitles you to bypass ID verification, bag checks, searches, licensing restrictions, intoxication checks, dress code enforcement, behavioural standards, safety procedures, capacity controls, or any other legal or operational condition imposed by the Venue.

7. Venue Admission & Venue Discretion

7.1 Final decision remains with the Venue

All admission decisions are made by the Venue, its management, hosts, promoters, and door or security staff in their sole discretion. The Sidedoor cannot compel a Venue to admit any person and cannot overrule a refusal.

7.2 Common reasons entry may be refused

Entry may be refused or delayed for reasons including, without limitation:

• failure to produce valid ID on request;
• being underage or appearing underage without acceptable proof of age;
• intoxication or suspected intoxication;
• suspected drug use, possession, or impairment;
• aggressive, abusive, disruptive, or unsafe behaviour;
• dress code non-compliance;
• offensive clothing, gang-related items, sportswear, prohibited footwear, or themed attire not accepted by the Venue;
• party imbalance or party composition issues as determined by the Venue;
• capacity limits, line closures, lockdowns, or crowd-management restrictions;
• private hire, guest-list closure, promoter restrictions, or management holdbacks;
• health, safety, or licensing concerns;
• attempted use of another person’s Booking or QR Code;
• late arrival or missed check-in window;
• previous bans, blacklisting, or prior incidents at the Venue;
• any other reason the Venue reasonably considers relevant to its policies, licensing obligations, brand standards, or security requirements.

7.3 No representation as to admission

You acknowledge that a Booking, confirmation message, or QR Code does not amount to an unconditional promise or legal guarantee of entry to a Venue.

8. Your Responsibilities When Attending

8.1 Valid identification

You must bring valid, original, physical identification where required by the Venue or by law. Screenshots, photocopies, expired documents, damaged documents, or documents deemed unacceptable by the Venue may be rejected.

8.2 Sobriety and behaviour

You and your party must arrive in a fit state for admission. If you or any member of your party are drunk, disorderly, aggressive, threatening, abusive, visibly intoxicated, suspected to be under the influence of drugs, or otherwise unsuitable for admission, entry may be refused and no refund will be due.

8.3 Dress code and presentation

You are responsible for checking any stated or unstated Venue dress expectations. Even if a dress code is not displayed in advance, the Venue may apply style, presentation, or suitability standards at the door. Incorrect or unsuitable attire may result in refusal without refund.

8.4 Compliance with staff instructions

You must comply promptly with the lawful instructions of Venue staff, door staff, management, security personnel, and emergency responders. Failure to do so may result in refusal, removal, reporting, or account suspension.

8.5 Responsibility for your party

If you book for other people, you are responsible for ensuring they understand and comply with these Terms. A refusal affecting one or more members of your party may affect the entire Booking depending on the Venue’s policy and operational decision.

9. Refunds, Cancellations & No-Show Policy

9.1 Free bookings

Where a Booking is expressly described by us as free and cancellable, you may cancel it through the Platform up to the point permitted in the booking flow. Cancellation of a free Booking does not create any entitlement to compensation.

9.2 Paid bookings

Unless expressly stated otherwise at checkout, Paid Bookings are non-refundable once confirmed. This includes paid queue-skip, priority entry, premium access, deposits, or similar paid access features.

9.3 Refusal at the door

No refund, credit, reversal, or compensation will be due where entry is refused by the Venue due to any circumstance attributable to you or your party, including but not limited to:

• failure to bring acceptable ID;
• being below the required age or failing age checks;
• intoxication or suspected intoxication;
• suspected drug use or possession;
• aggressive, disruptive, threatening, or inappropriate behaviour;
• dress code failure or unsuitable presentation;
• late arrival or failure to attend within a check-in window;
• attempted use of another person’s Booking or QR Code;
• party members being refused and the Venue declining partial admission;
• any discretionary refusal made by the Venue in accordance with its policies or operating judgment.

9.4 No-shows

If you do not attend, arrive too late, fail to complete check-in, abandon the queue, or leave before your Booking is validated, you will be treated as a no-show and no refund will be due.

9.5 Capacity, operational issues, and security holds

If a Venue pauses admission, slows entry, temporarily holds the line, or introduces enhanced checks due to crowd control, safety incidents, staffing shortages, licensing issues, police presence, or other operational factors, this does not automatically entitle you to a refund.

9.6 When we may refund

We may, at our sole discretion or where required by law, issue a full or partial refund, rebooking option, account credit, or goodwill adjustment where:

• a Paid Booking is accepted by us in error;
• we fail to deliver the paid booking service due to our own technical or operational fault;
• the relevant Venue cancels the event or service and no reasonable replacement is offered;
• applicable consumer law requires a remedy.

9.7 Consumer cancellation rights

Where your Booking relates to leisure, hospitality, or event-related services supplied on or for a specific date or period, statutory cooling-off cancellation rights may not apply to the extent permitted by law. Where mandatory rights do apply, nothing in these Terms excludes them.

9.8 Refund method and timing

Any approved refund will normally be issued using the original payment method. Processing times may vary depending on the payment provider, issuer, and banking system.

10. QR Codes, Identity & Security

10.1 Personal and non-transferable

QR Codes and Bookings are personal to the named booker and, where applicable, the named party attached to that Booking. They may not be sold, transferred, assigned, copied, traded, or shared unless the Platform expressly provides a transfer feature.

10.2 Anti-fraud protection

We may invalidate any QR Code or Booking that appears duplicated, altered, forged, tampered with, resold, misused, or associated with suspicious activity.

10.3 Identity checks

The Sidedoor and/or the Venue may request information necessary to confirm that the person presenting a Booking is the genuine account holder or authorised guest. Failure to satisfy identity checks may result in refusal without refund.

11. Payments, Card Handling & Chargebacks

11.1 Payment providers

Payments may be processed by regulated third-party payment processors. By submitting payment details, you confirm that you are authorised to use the chosen payment method and that the information provided is complete and accurate.

11.2 Card handling

The Sidedoor does not intentionally display, store, or retain full card numbers, full CVV data, or equivalent sensitive card authentication data on its own systems except to the extent technically unavoidable through a compliant payment processor workflow. Card payments should be handled through secure third-party infrastructure designed for payment processing.

11.3 Security

While no online system can be guaranteed 100% secure, we use reasonable technical and organisational measures appropriate to the nature of the service, including the use of reputable payment service providers and access controls appropriate to our Platform.

11.4 Pricing and taxes

Prices displayed on the Platform are those shown at checkout. We may change prices, charges, service fees, or availability at any time before a Booking is confirmed.

11.5 Chargebacks and payment disputes

If you initiate a chargeback or payment dispute without valid grounds, we reserve the right to submit evidence to the issuer or payment processor, suspend your account, refuse future Bookings, recover administrative costs where legally permitted, and pursue any other remedy available to us.

11.6 Fraud prevention

We reserve the right to carry out checks, refuse suspicious transactions, cancel Bookings, require additional verification, or report suspected fraud or criminal activity to payment processors, banks, Venues, law enforcement, or relevant authorities.

12. Privacy, Data Protection & Marketing

12.1 Privacy compliance

We process personal data in accordance with applicable data protection law, including the UK GDPR, the Data Protection Act 2018, and, where applicable, privacy and electronic communications rules.

12.2 Data we may collect

Depending on how you use the Platform, we may collect and process:

• identity and contact details such as name, email address, and mobile number;
• account and login information;
• booking details including venue, date, party size, and booking history;
• device, app, and technical usage information;
• customer support and complaint records;
• verification and anti-fraud information where required.

12.3 Why we use your data

We may use personal data to:

• create and manage your account;
• process and administer Bookings;
• generate and validate QR Codes;
• communicate booking confirmations, reminders, and support messages;
• share attendance details with participating Venues where needed to fulfil your Booking;
• prevent fraud, misuse, duplicate access, and unauthorised account use;
• improve our Platform, user experience, and service quality;
• send marketing only where permitted by law and your preferences.

12.4 Sharing with Venues

By making a Booking, you authorise us to share relevant booking and identification details with the relevant Venue to enable list management, check-in, eligibility checks, admission review, fraud prevention, and operational support.

12.5 Marketing communications

Transactional messages relating to your account or Booking may be sent where necessary to provide the service. Promotional emails, SMS, or similar electronic marketing will only be sent where permitted by applicable law and your recorded preferences.

12.6 Cookies and tracking

The Platform may use cookies or similar technologies for security, login continuity, analytics, performance, and user-experience purposes. Where consent is legally required for non-essential technologies, these should only be activated in line with applicable consent rules and your choices.

12.7 Retention

We retain personal data only for as long as reasonably necessary for the purposes for which it was collected, including contractual performance, support, fraud prevention, security, legal compliance, and dispute handling.

12.8 Your rights

Where applicable, you may have rights to access, correct, delete, restrict, object to, or request portability of your personal data, subject to legal limitations and exemptions.

12.9 Separate privacy notice

Our Privacy Policy may provide further detail on how your information is used. If there is any conflict between these Terms and our Privacy Policy on pure data-handling detail, the Privacy Policy should govern that point.

13. Platform Rules & Misuse

You must not:

• use the Platform for any unlawful, fraudulent, abusive, or misleading purpose;
• resell or commercially exploit Bookings, QR Codes, or access rights unless expressly authorised by us;
• attempt to bypass security, validation, anti-fraud, or access controls;
• scrape, harvest, mirror, or bulk-copy venue data, user data, or platform content;
• upload malware, harmful code, or content that interferes with the Platform;
• make false complaints, false chargebacks, or false refund requests;
• use another person’s identity, Booking, or QR Code;
• act in a way likely to damage the reputation of The Sidedoor or any Venue.

14. Liability & Disclaimers

14.1 Platform provided on an “as available” basis

To the fullest extent permitted by law, the Platform is provided on an “as is” and “as available” basis. We do not guarantee uninterrupted access, error-free operation, continual venue availability, or compatibility with every device or network.

14.2 Venue responsibility

We are not responsible for the acts, omissions, conduct, policies, staffing, pricing, security decisions, admission criteria, service quality, or on-site incidents of any Venue or third party.

14.3 Excluded losses

To the fullest extent permitted by law, we will not be liable for indirect or consequential losses, loss of enjoyment, loss of opportunity, travel costs, accommodation costs, wasted expenditure, disappointment, reputational harm, or losses arising from a refusal of entry, delayed entry, or removal from a Venue.

14.4 Liability cap

Subject to clause 14.5, our total aggregate liability arising out of or in connection with any Booking or use of the Platform shall not exceed the amount actually paid by you to The Sidedoor for the specific Paid Booking giving rise to the claim, or £100 where no paid amount was made to us, whichever is lower unless mandatory law requires otherwise.

14.5 Nothing excluded where unlawful

Nothing in these Terms excludes or limits liability for fraud, fraudulent misrepresentation, death or personal injury caused by negligence, or any other liability that cannot lawfully be excluded or limited.

14.6 Force majeure

We are not liable for delay, failure, suspension, cancellation, or disruption caused by events outside our reasonable control, including power outages, internet failures, payment provider outages, strikes, extreme weather, public disorder, police action, licensing enforcement, venue closure, government action, emergency incidents, or acts of God.

15. Suspension, Cancellation & Termination

We may suspend, restrict, cancel, or terminate your account or any Booking immediately if we reasonably believe that:

• you have breached these Terms;
• you have used the Platform fraudulently or unlawfully;
• you present a risk to users, Venues, our systems, or our reputation;
• we are required to do so by a Venue, payment provider, regulator, or law enforcement authority;
• continued provision of the service is no longer commercially or technically feasible.

16. Complaints & Support

If you have a complaint about a Booking, you should contact us promptly with your full name, booking details, Venue, date, and the nature of the issue. We may ask for evidence, including screenshots, timestamps, payment references, and correspondence.

Complaints should be raised as soon as reasonably possible after the relevant event. Delays may affect our ability to investigate.

17. Partner Commissions & Referral Payouts

This section applies only to persons or entities operating a referral Partner account with Sidedoor (“Partners”).

17.1 Commission. Where a Venue registers with the Service as a result of a referral attributable to a Partner (via the Partner’s referral code, link, or other verifiable attribution mechanism as determined by Sidedoor), Sidedoor shall credit that Partner a commission calculated as a percentage of the net platform revenue actually received and retained by Sidedoor from the referred Venue during the Eligible Payout Period. The applicable commission rate from time to time is published in the Partner portal and may be varied by Sidedoor on reasonable notice.

17.2 Eligible Payout Period. Notwithstanding any continuing relationship between the referred Venue and Sidedoor, a Partner’s entitlement to commission in respect of any given referred Venue shall expire automatically on the earlier of:

• (a) the date on which the referred Venue ceases, for any reason, to be a paying customer of Sidedoor; or
• (b) the date falling twelve (12) months after the day on which the referred Venue is first invoiced by Sidedoor for the Service.

Upon the earlier of the above events, no further commission shall accrue to the Partner in respect of that Venue, irrespective of any subsequent re-engagement, renewal, upgrade or reinstatement of the Venue’s account. For the avoidance of doubt, any renewal of the Venue’s subscription or re-entry into the Service following a period of cancellation shall not re-open the Eligible Payout Period.

17.3 Payouts. Accrued commissions will be paid in accordance with the payout schedule and minimum-threshold rules published in the Partner portal. Sidedoor may deduct, set off, or withhold commissions where reasonably necessary to account for refunds, chargebacks, fraud, clawback obligations, tax withholding, or amounts otherwise owed by the Partner to Sidedoor.

17.4 Attribution & Forfeiture. A Partner’s right to receive any commission (whether accrued or prospective) may be forfeited where the Partner (a) breaches these Terms or any policy referenced herein; (b) engages in fraudulent, misleading, or abusive referral activity; (c) claims or attempts to claim commission on a Venue they did not materially and verifiably cause to register; or (d) ceases to be an active Partner in good standing. Sidedoor’s determination on questions of attribution shall, absent manifest error, be final.

17.5 Independent Contractor. Nothing in this section shall create a partnership, joint venture, employment, franchise, or agency relationship between Sidedoor and any Partner. Partners are solely responsible for their own tax affairs, including the declaration and payment of any income tax, value added tax, or other duty arising on commissions received.

17.6 Variation. Sidedoor may amend this section, including the commission rate, the Eligible Payout Period, and the payout threshold rules, on not less than thirty (30) days’ written notice delivered via the Partner portal or to the email address on file. Continued use of the Partner account after the effective date of any such amendment shall constitute the Partner’s acceptance of the amended terms.

18. Governing Law

These Terms and any non-contractual disputes or claims arising out of or in connection with them shall be governed by the laws of England and Wales, unless mandatory consumer law in your place of residence requires otherwise.

The courts of England and Wales shall have jurisdiction except where applicable consumer law provides otherwise.

19. Contact

For legal notices, complaints, or Terms-related enquiries, contact our legal team:

[email protected]

Important Notice

These Terms are intended to provide a robust contractual framework for the The Sidedoor booking flow, but they do not replace tailored legal advice on your exact corporate structure, refund implementation, cookie banner setup, privacy notice, or payment stack.