Terms and Conditions
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The content of the pages on this website are for your general information and use only and are subject to change. Please take a few minutes to read through the terms and conditions. Further information can be provided on request.
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COVID-19
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In light of the Coronavirus Pandemic situation, The Cake Consortium are following Government Guidelines and currently our business is operating as usual.
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However we have revised our terms and conditions in order to support our clients the best we can through these uncertain times.
In the event that your celebration is unable to go ahead due to Government restrictions surrounding COVID-19 and you wish to postpone your order, both parties must agree to a new date and any postponements will incur an administration fee of £65. We are unable to offer any refunds for cancellations under these circumstances.
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If the client chooses to cancel their booking with us but the venue is still operating as usual then, unfortunately, we are unable to change your booking date or refund your deposit.
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The Cake Consortium is committed to doing our utmost to fulfill as many orders as we can during this difficult time. We will like to thank all our clients in advance for your co-operation and support.
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DEPOSIT & PAYMENT POLICY
When placing an order for wedding cakes a £200 booking fee is required to secure the date you require and to cover the necessary costs. Booking fee is non-refundable or transferable. Final payment for wedding cakes is due no later than ONE MONTH before the wedding date. If final payment is not received a reminder may be sent, if no further payment is made we will consider the order cancelled and the deposit lost.
For celebration other cakes ( i.e. celebration cakes)payment is required in full for cakes. For more elaborate celebrations cakes 50% deposit is required. All deposits are non-refundable and final payment will be due ONE WEEK before the delivery / collection date.
Deposits and full payment can be made via bank transfer, Paypal or cash.
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FOOD ALLERGY
The Cake Consortium is NOT an allergy-free kitchen. We cannot guarantee that our products are free from ingredients that may affect those with food allergies. At The Cake Consortium we recognise the seriousness of food allergies and we recommend that you get in touch with us before you place your order. We reserve the right to decline any orders for clients with serious food allergies. The Cake Consortium will not take any liability for an reactions to our products.
At The Cake Consortium our products may contain and are made in an environment that may contain the following:
• Milk and other dairy products
• Eggs
• Nuts
• Wheat and gluten
Please note: it is possible that some food colourings may have an effect on behaviour in children.
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ONLINE ORDERS
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Cake slices and treats are purchased and delivered subject to the terms listed. Please do not proceed with your order if these terms are unacceptable.
All shipped items are tracked and the tracking information will be sent to you. We will do our best to assist you with locating your item should there be an issue with delivery. Once shipped the Order is in the control of the delivery company. Larger cakes our delivered by our own delivery drivers.
With the delivery service you should receive your order within 1-2 working days. If you have not received your order after 2 working days please track it and contact us immediately. Cakes are perishable and as we do not use preservatives, any delay in notification will mean that we cannot send a replacement where one may otherwise be offered. For larger cakes (celebration cakes, cream cakes etc.) you will be notified when your order in out for delivery. The date of delivery will be the date you submitted whilst placing your order.
Should there be a failure in attempt to deliver while you are out and the order has been taken to a delivery station, please ensure it is collected within 1-2 days due to the perishable nature of the boxed items. The Cake Consortium accepts no liability where product quality has reduced due to delayed collection. For larger orders, please ensure someone is in to receive your order. We will do our best to leave it in a safe place (e.g. with the neighbour, receptionist, security etc). Failing this, your order will be taken back to our studio and you will have to contact us to arrange collection.
If you have any issues or concerns with your order including packaging, quality or delivery condition, you must contact us within 24 hours of receipt with evidence of your complaint (i.e. picture images). Some complaints may call for further investigation and an immediate refund may not always be possible. We cannot consider complaints made after 48 hours following receipt as we cannot be assured the condition in which the cakes have been kept since received by the client. If the complaint is for a refund you must return at least 75% of the uneaten product within 24 hours of delivery.
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DELIVERY POLICY
Wedding cake delivery charges will be explained at the time of ordering. Delivery charge do apply based on distance from our studio. For online orders, delivery charges are calculated at checkout. Click & Collect is free.
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TRANSPORTING CAKE
We advice that you DO NOT place the cake on a seat in the car, seats are slanted and can damage the cake. Cakes should be placed either in the boot or the foot well of the car on a non-slip mat (we maybe able to provide you with one). Extra care should be taken when driving as some elements may be delicate. The Cake Consortium cannot take any responsibility for damage to cakes when collected and transported by their customers.
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STORING CAKES
All cakes / cupcakes should be placed on a flat surface and stored at room temperature out of direct sunlight. Cakes can be refrigerated in an air-tight container. Please note cupcakes should be consumed within 2 days and cakes within 3 days.
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CHANGES TO YOUR ORDER
The Cake Consortium aims to meet your requirements and understands that sometimes circumstances can result in you wanting to change your order. Please contact us as early as possible to ensure any changes can be made, generally 3 weeks notice is required for wedding cakes and 2 weeks for celebration cakes for any changes. Depending on the complexity of your order more notice will be required.
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USING FRESH FLOWERS
If a client would like fresh flowers, rather than sugar flowers on their wedding cake, it is the customer’s responsibility to source the florist/flowers, unless specifically agreed with The Cake Consortium. Once the cake has been set-up at the venue The Cake Consortium does not take any responsibility for any damage to the cake from the fresh flowers, or the placement on the cake of the fresh flowers. Please acknowledge that fresh flowers are not a food product, and may contain pesticides, insects, dirt, or other contaminants.
It is the customer’s responsibility to ensure that any fresh flowers displayed on or next to the cake do not contain pesticides and are food-safe (non-toxic). The Cake Consortium can take no responsibility for the flowers being food-safe. There may be a charge for arranging flowers on the cake if you would prefer The Cake Consortium to do this as it requires additional items to arrange and secure the flowers. We will also charge an hourly rate.
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USING CHOCOLATE
We advice to take extreme caution if you are considering a cake decorated with chocolate for a summer wedding (between May-September). We cannot accept responsibility for any melting of the cake once it has left our possession, as we have no control over the and venue temperature. We can however advise on designs that are less pron to melting and do everything within our control to reduce the impact on the cake.
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NON-EDIBLE ITEMS
Most cakes contain small proportions of inedible items; it is the client’s responsibility to ensure these are removed by your caterer/guests before consumption. Support dowels in tiered cakes, ribbon, wires in sugar flowers, Swarovski crystals, flower picks & flower tape etc are often used to stabilise and decorate cakes.
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COLOURS SCHEME AND DESIGN
You may wish to supply us with sample colours (i.e. ribbon / material). Whilst an exact match cannot be guaranteed we will endeavour to meet your requirement as far as possible. This also applies to food colourings and icings. We can only create your finished order based on the information provide when order was placed, therefore it is vital you check everything is correct. Please note that It may not be possible to create exact specifications when modelling food, however we will work with you, often using sketches and images to ensure you are happy with the design.
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OUR PRODUCTS
Products made by The Cake Consortium are made by hand and naturally there will be minor variations in appearance. All photos and descriptions displayed on our page are for guidance purposes only.
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PHOTOGRAPHY
On occasion we will photograph our cakes and we reserve the right to use any photographs for display or promotion without compensation to you.
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CANCELLATION POLICY
If the order is cancelled, your deposit is non-refundable, payment is required for any and all expenses already incurred on behalf of the finished product. For weddings if you cancel within 6 weeks of the date 75% of the full payment will be invoiced. This is to cover any lost as The Cake Consortium will have turned away other business for your order, it is very unlikely we are able re-fill the date at such short notice. If you cancel your wedding cake within 7 days full payment will be invoiced. For celebration cakes if you cancel within 2 weeks of your event 50% of the full payment will be invoiced. If you cancel within 7 days full payment will be invoiced.
Should a Cancellation be made by The Cake Consortium we shall not be liable for any failure to perform. Where such failure or delay results from circumstances outside our reasonable control including but not limited to i.e. fire, flood, explosion, accident, adverse weather conditions, traffic congestion, mechanical breakdown, obstruction of any private or public highway, riot, government act, act of war, terrorism, act of God, or from any industrial dispute or strike whatsoever. In the event of exceptional circumstances, such as a serious illness, The Cake Consortium will give as much notice as possible if we are unable to make your order. We will endeavour to find someone else who can produce your order and refund you any payment already paid.
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COMPLAINTS
All cakes require a signature on delivery / collection, this stipulates you are happy with the product received. If you are unsatisfied please ensure you make this known when accepting your cake. This gives us the opportunity to correct any issues you may have. We are not responsible for mistakes made by the customer i.e. incorrect / misspelled names or incorrect choice of cake. PLEASE NOTE that any image produce by our client is used as a guideline and the product produced may not be identical. We do endeavour to match designs as closely as desired as possible. We always keep samples of our products for a reasonable time. In addition we always take photographs of the cakes prior to delivery / collection and after setting up at your venue.
Complaints are extremely rare and we have never had a complaint as yet. Some complaints may call for further investigation and an immediate refund may not always be possible. Cakes, or part of cakes and cupcakes, must be returned to us within 24 hours to ensure we are able to fairly assess the nature of the complaint. The cake must have been stored at the correct temperature and in the box we supplied, out of the sun and away from damp conditions or heat. If the complaint is for a refund you must return at least 75% of the uneaten product within 24 hours of delivery.
We do not do refunds for customers that have simply changed their mind or if the cake has been damaged out of our care.
Please note icing may crack as it dries out which is out of our control and why we recommend you consume your cake as soon as it is cut. We do not accept complaints for not liking the taste of our products mainly because individual's tastes are different. Should you wish to taste our cakes prior to ordering, we offer a sample pack of four of some of our popular flavours. This can be purchased on our online shop (subject to availability).