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Our Guest Policy

The Cambridge Union is a private organisation that exists to serve the interests of its members. This page summarises the Union’s official policy on admission of guests to our premises and events. We ask that you respect it and are polite to those who are responsible for enforcing it.

Members of the Union may bring a bona fide acquaintance, as a guest, for a charge of £20.00.

The guest must not be eligible for membership in the Union in their own right (i.e. members of the Cambridge or Anglia Ruskin University will not be admitted as guests). Guest tickets can only be purchased in the main office just 15 minutes before the start of the event.

No guest tickets will be admitted more than 15 minutes before the start of any event to allow us to gauge the popularity of the event with our members.

In some cases, especially for very popular events, the Standing Committee may decide that an event is to be completely closed to non-members, and no guests will be admitted to preserve space for our members. 

A penalty of £40 will be charged to any non-member found to be using a Union card that is not their own. This penalty applies to the card owner, and the card will be confiscated until the fine is paid. 

Membership records will now be checked on the door for all events. Anyone who has forgotten their card will have to queue at the main office to have their details checked on the system against a form of photographic ID.

The Orator is open to the public, with member and non-member pricing. 

Guests may be admitted to the Union’s Events on payment of an entry fee, which is determined by the Social Events Officer in consultation with the President or Vice President. 

From time to time, and especially at the beginning of Michaelmas, special events will be open to all for free and non-members are warmly encouraged to visit and see what we’re all about.

Entry will be available to both members and non-members until the Stewards determine that capacity has been reached. For such events, the Union will try and publish this as far in advance as possible.

From time to time, the Union might decide that a certain number of spaces will be reserved for the general public or for members of another specific organisation or business. Information both on the number of reserved non-member tickets being sold and how/where to purchase them will be publicised for such events.

The Union retains reciprocal membership policies with a variety of similar organisations around the world. Members of the Union can attend events at the Oxford and Durham Unions. They are also entitled to membership of the Hudson Union in New York. Reciprocal membership rights are intended for short term use only and apply only to those who have not matriculated at the University of Cambridge.  Anyone wishing to take advantage of reciprocal membership here at the Cambridge Union Society should apply to president@cus.org for permission, naming the event and date they wish to attend.

As with any event venue, the Union must adhere to strict fire safety regulations and it is the sole right of the Committee and Stewards to decide, without prior notice, when the building, specifically the Chamber, is full. At such a point, the Stewards will refuse entry to the Chamber and/or building as necessary, and advise those awaiting entry to leave the building.

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