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author	ht
date	Sat, 06 Jun 2009 04:40:28 -0400
parents	a713940dc0d8
children	34171276efb3

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 <head>
 <title>Report to Area Meeting from the Future of Victoria Terrace Working Group</title>
-<title><emph color="red">DRAFT: Nearing completion, some appendices still
+<title><emph color="red">DRAFT: Very nearly done, some appendices still
 missing, as well as remaining red bits to be addressed</emph></title>
 <author>Alison Burnley, Madeleine Harding, Phil Lucas, Brian Mayes,
 Laurie Naumann, Rufus Reade,
 Eileen Schott, Henry S. Thompson</author>
-<date>5 June 2009</date>
+<date>6 June 2009</date>
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+@top-right {content: "2009-06-06"}
+@top-left {content: "Victoria Terrace Working Group Report"}}
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 <body>
 <div id="intro">
 <title>Background and introduction: The remit of the working group</title>
 <p>In August and October of 2008, South East Scotland Area Meeting
 might play in that future, and the costs and benefits of alternative ways
 forward in this regard.</p>
 <p>This report has three main sections, organised chronologically, covering
 the history of the Quaker ownership of 7 Victoria Terrace, its current
 situation, and a range of possibilities for the future.  These are preceded by
-a brief 'executive summary' of our work and its conclusions, and followed by a
+a brief &lsquo;executive summary&rsquo; of our work and its conclusions, and followed by a
 collection of background material.</p>
 <p>Although in the end it is our judgement that some options make more sense
 going forward than others, we have <emph>not</emph> felt that it was our place
 to make any overall recommendations.  We feel strongly that it is for Area
 Meeting, gathered in Meeting for Worship for Business, to discern the right way
 <title>Executive summary of work and conclusions</title>
 <p>The working group met a total of twelve times throughout the first five
 months of 2009.  Over th course of thos meetings we invited a number of people to join us to share their particular
 perspectives on the matter:</p>
 <list>
-<item>Alastair Cameron and Don Stubbings, who briefed us on Area Meeting's perspective;</item>
+<item>Alastair Cameron and Don Stubbings, who briefed us on Area Meeting&rsquo;s perspective;</item>
 <item>John Phillips, Area Meeting Treasurer;</item>
 <item>Anthony and Sue Buxton, Meeting House Managers;</item>
 <item>Mark Hutcheson, Clerk of Area Meeting Trustees;</item>
 <item>Ken Jobling, Convenor of Area Meeting Fabric and Maintenance Committee.</item>
 </list>
 choices align with our vision for Quaker presence and witness in Edinburgh?</p>
 <p><emph color="red">[more, or leave it at that?]</emph></p>
 </div>
 <div id="history">
 <title>The past</title>
-<div>
+<div id="origins">
 <title>Origins</title>
 <p>We moved to 7 Victoria Terrace from
 premises at 28 Stafford Street
 some 20 years ago. At that time the Meeting was growing and we needed more space.</p>
 Meeting House was not open to all during the week.</item>
 </list>
 <p>A property developer had approached the Meeting several times offering to purchase
 the building on very attractive terms, and after a series of Meetings for Business and
 threshing sessions the Preparative and Monthly Meetings agreed to the move, even though
-we didn't know at the time we left where our new home would be.  In the end we spent
+we didn&rsquo;t know at the time we left where our new home would be.  In the end we spent
 nearly two years at Gilles College in Marchmont, first while we found a new home, and
 then while it was refurbished for us.</p>
 <p><emph>What have we gained from the move?</emph></p>
 <p>We have considerably more space at 7 Victoria Terrace.</p>
 <p>There are also quiet areas for sitting and
 talking.</p>
 <p>There is space for a good-sized library.</p>
-<p>The children's space is improved although
+<p>The children&rsquo;s space is improved although
 the cr&egrave;che is rather dark and small and out of the way but other spaces are
 quite flexible.</p>
 <p>In the past the young people have used the
 youth caf&eacute; at 6 Victoria
 speaking to young Quakers now in their twenties and thirties they say how important
 these events have been for their own spiritual development. If we are going to keep
 our young people involved with Friends we need to care for and nurture them. 7 Victoria Terrace is an ideal place to do this.
 </p>
 </div>
-<div>
+<div id="structure">
 <title>Building structure</title>
 <p>
 The building was in quite a poor state when it was purchased by the Monthly Meeting.
 Apart from the internal work which gave us the basic rooms layout, substantial repair work had to be undertaken to repair badly weathered sandstone on the exterior and some roof repairs were also necessary.  Urgent repair to stonework was necessary in 2007&ndash;8 to make the building safe and opportunity was taken, while the scaffolding was in place, to do general stonework improvement with a view to preventing the need for further such work for the next 20 years or so.
 </p>
 <figure>
-<image source="MR_floorplan.jpg">Plan of 7 Victoria Terrace Meeting Room</image>
+<image source="MR_floorplan.jpg" width="220pt">Plan of 7 Victoria Terrace Meeting Room</image>
-<image source="Hall_floorplan.jpg">Plan of 7 Victoria Terrace Hall</image>
+<image source="Hall_floorplan.jpg" width="220pt">Plan of 7 Victoria Terrace Hall</image>
-<image source="Library_Crech_floorplan.jpg">Plan of 7 Victoria Terrace Library and points north</image>
+<image source="Library_Crech_floorplan.jpg" width="220pt">Plan of 7 Victoria Terrace Library and points north</image>
 <caption>Meeting Room, Hall, Library and Kitchen and Cr&egrave;che</caption>
 </figure>
 <figure>
 <image source="Foyer.jpg">Plan of 7 Victoria Terrace Foyer</image>
-<image source="Bow_Floorplan.jpg">Plan of 7 Victoria Terrace Bow Room</image>
+<image source="Bow_Floorplan.jpg" width="150pt">Plan of 7 Victoria Terrace Bow Room</image>
 <caption>Foyer and Bow Room</caption>
 </figure>
 <p>There follows a description of each room, working down from the top.</p>
 <list>
 <item>
 International Voluntary Service, who rented the room at considerably less than its commercial value, moved out in 2008, at which point the room became available for meeting use throughout the week.
 </p>
 </item>
 <item>
 <p>
-Little has been done to the double <name>Cr&#232;che</name> room on the first floor, except for redecoration.  This is awkward of access, through a narrow corridor which leads off the kitchen and can only otherwise be accessed from the tenement common stair. There is a lavatory off the corridor between the kitchen and this room.
+Little has been done to the double <name>Cr&egrave;che</name> room on the first floor, except for redecoration.  This is awkward of access, through a narrow corridor which leads off the kitchen and can only otherwise be accessed from the tenement common stair. There is a lavatory off the corridor between the kitchen and this room.
 </p>
 </item>
 <item>
 <p>
-There are <name>two mezzanine floors</name> (not shown in the plans) in a flat-roofed extension behind the main building.  The upper of these, above first floor level, houses <name>toilets</name>.  The women's toilets, which house two lavatory cubicles and two wash hand-basins, were upgraded in 1996.  There is one small lavatory room for men.  The lower floor has one toilet room with a single lavatory and hand-basin (and for much of the 20 years housed the washing machine).  Adjacent to this is a <name>small room</name>, known as the teenagers' room during early Quaker occupation, when there were a number of teenagers in the Meeting.  This is now known as Room 5 and is used mostly for one-to-one meetings; it can accommodate only four or five at most.
+There are <name>two mezzanine floors</name> (not shown in the plans) in a flat-roofed extension behind the main building.  The upper of these, above first floor level, houses <name>toilets</name>.  The women&rsquo;s toilets, which house two lavatory cubicles and two wash hand-basins, were upgraded in 1996.  There is one small lavatory room for men.  The lower floor has one toilet room with a single lavatory and hand-basin (and for much of the 20 years housed the washing machine).  Adjacent to this is a <name>small room</name>, known as the teenagers&rsquo; room during early Quaker occupation, when there were a number of teenagers in the Meeting.  This is now known as Room 5 and is used mostly for one-to-one meetings; it can accommodate only four or five at most.
 </p>
 </item>
 <item>
 <p>
 The <name>Foyer</name> (also not shown in the plans) is fairly spacious, but its
 <p>
 During the past ten years, spacious storage cupboards have been built into an alcove in the eastern end of the foyer and in the passage linking the foyer to the Bow Room.
 </p>
 <p>
 A tiled passage leads from the foyer past doors to under-stair storage and a small
-cleaner's cupboard and on to a utility area with
+cleaner&rsquo;s cupboard and on to a utility area with
 Belfast
 sink, in which the washing machine is now fitted.  Off this is an <name>accessible toilet</name> and a small shower room, which has in the past been used by residential groups but which is more commonly used for further storage.
 </p>
 </item>
 <item>
 <p>
-The <name>managers' office</name>, situated between the foyer and the Bow Room, is
+The <name>managers&rsquo; office</name>, situated between the foyer and the Bow Room, is
 quite small, with room for a single person to work.  It has a timber-barrelled ceiling installed in the 1950s, when this style was in vogue.
 </p>
 </item>
 <item>
 <p>
 The Meeting House interleaves with the <name>adjacent tenement building</name>, which was built about 30 years after the
 Original
 Secession
-Church.  The Boys' Brigade purchased both buildings in the 1950s and made the link
+Church.  The Boys&rsquo; Brigade purchased both buildings in the 1950s and made the link
 through at first floor level, where the levels were very similar (the
 difference evidenced by the slight dip as one enters the Library from
 the lobby).  The two tenement flats at this level were incorporated in
 the main building and provide the present Library, Kitchen and Creche
-Rooms, while one ground floor flat provided the present Managers'
+Rooms, while one ground floor flat provided the present Managers&rsquo;
 Office and Bow Room. The other ground floor flat was retained by the
-Boys' Brigade for income and let as an office, first to a taxi company
+Boys&rsquo; Brigade for income and let as an office, first to a taxi company
-and in recent years to the 6 Victoria Terrace Youth Cafe project.  One second floor flat was sold to the Boys' Brigade caretaker, who lived there until 2004, when she sold it to a member of the Meeting.  The other four flats were offered to the Meeting, which bought the fourth floor two-bedroomed flat in 1987.  The Meeting also rented a single-bedroomed flat on the third floor (Flat 3F2), which was eventually also purchased in 1995. The remaining two flats were bought by a member of the Meeting, who subsequently sold them to other local Quakers.</p>
+and in recent years to the 6 Victoria Terrace Youth Cafe project.  One second floor flat was sold to the Boys&rsquo; Brigade caretaker, who lived there until 2004, when she sold it to a member of the Meeting.  The other four flats were offered to the Meeting, which bought the fourth floor two-bedroomed flat in 1987.  The Meeting also rented a single-bedroomed flat on the third floor (Flat 3F2), which was eventually also purchased in 1995. The remaining two flats were bought by a member of the Meeting, who subsequently sold them to other local Quakers.</p>
 <p>The net result of all this is that of the six flats on the stair, one is owned
-by the Boys' Brigade, three are in private (Quaker) hands, and two are owned by the
+by the Boys&rsquo; Brigade, three are in private (Quaker) hands, and two are owned by the
 Area Meeting:</p>
 <list type="1defn">
 <item term="The spacious top floor two-bedroomed flat">Occupied by the Managers.  Some basic improvement work was done to this when it was purchased and secondary glazing has subsequently been installed in both bedrooms.  It is in reasonable order and has gas-fired central heating, but the roof is poorly insulated.</item>
 <item term="The third floor flat">Currently occupied by the assistant manager, has, for most of the past 20 years been occupied by Meeting House staff.  There was a period in the late 1990s when it was not required for this purpose.  It was then refurbished, refurnished and let for income until it was again required for staff.  Gas-fired central heating was installed in 2004.</item>
 </list>
 </item>
 </list>
 </div>
-<div>
+<div id="use">
 <title>Outline history of building use</title>
 <p>
 The principal reasons which led to the decision to purchase the Victoria Terrace building were:
 </p>
 <list type="enum">
-<item> The Meeting had grown in size and included a significant number of families with children.  A more suitable Meeting Room was needed, with separate spaces for children's and teenagers' groups, for the serving of refreshments and for social activity.</item>
+<item> The Meeting had grown in size and included a significant number of families with children.  A more suitable Meeting Room was needed, with separate spaces for children&rsquo;s and teenagers&rsquo; groups, for the serving of refreshments and for social activity.</item>
 <item>A suitable building in a central location would enable the Meeting to serve the community by providing meeting rooms, primarily for charities and grass roots organisations.</item>
 <item>A central location would enable both Quakers and others to access the building easily, whether by public or private transport, and would give Quakers a higher profile in the city.</item>
 </list>
 <p>
 To service this building it was decided to appoint wardening staff who would be
 these lines.  The first wardens appointed were Lise Bech and her partner, Ian Ramsey.
 </p>
 <div>
 <title>Early developments in Meeting House use</title>
 <p>Quaker use of the building developed well in the early years while Ian and
-Lise were wardens, as did community use.  A group, which included Lise and Ian, saw from the beginning the opportunity offered by the August Festival Fringe to develop the use and profile of the building.  Lise was an able vegetarian/vegan cook.  She and Ian had `green' concerns and it was decided to run the Library as the `Rainforest Cafe' for two weeks during the Fringe, raising money for rainforest charities.  The Hall and Meeting Room were offered for exhibition and concert use concurrent with this.
+Lise were wardens, as did community use.  A group, which included Lise and Ian, saw from the beginning the opportunity offered by the August Festival Fringe to develop the use and profile of the building.  Lise was an able vegetarian/vegan cook.  She and Ian had &lsquo;green&rsquo; concerns and it was decided to run the Library as the &lsquo;Rainforest Cafe&rsquo; for two weeks during the Fringe, raising money for rainforest charities.  The Hall and Meeting Room were offered for exhibition and concert use concurrent with this.
 </p>
 <p>After Ian and then Lise left, Mark and Anna Twinam-Cauchi, a student couple, were wardens for a short while.  When they left, a rota of volunteer keyholders was set up to open up, service organisations renting rooms and welcome callers. A support group of Friends, which included Archie Campbell and Jennie Nielson was put in place, with the specific purpose of ensuring a Quaker profile for the building.  By 1994, they were running a rota to staff the building on Wednesdays to greet visitors, advise any who had problems and explain Quakerism.
 </p>
 <p>Phil and Pat Lucas were appointed as wardens in late 1994, sharing a
 full-time post.  They were asked to continue the development of community use,
 </div>
 <div>
 <title>Use of the Meeting House and income from lettings develop</title>
 <p>Income from lettings in 1994 was about &#163;14,000.  Given stable management and the resulting improved standards of service offered to users, this grew quite rapidly with increasing use of the building.  As lettings increased, there were some small tensions regarding Quaker use during the week.  Quaker committees had been accustomed to turning up, sometimes without booking, and finding there was a room available.  They now found they had to book and then had to book longer and longer in advance to ensure a room was free.  An attempt was made to solve this problem by setting the Library apart one evening each week for Quaker use, but this (unsurprisingly) failed&mdash;the evening so reserved seldom suited the committee that wanted it&mdash;so committees and groups which were unable to plan sufficiently in advance became accustomed to meeting in homes.
 </p>
-<p>A two tier letting charge system has been developed over the years, with a lower charge for charitable and grass-roots groups and higher charges for local and national government and commercial groups and classes.  There has been some measure of negotiation on charges at the discretion of the wardens/managers, with, for example, new grass-roots groups being given use below the charitable rate until they became established.  An eye has been kept on rates charged by comparable buildings in the neighbourhood and there has been co-operation on this, especially with Augustine United and St Columba's-by-the-Castle.  The busyness of the building increased steadily until, for several years, it was about as full as it reasonably could be, from
+<p>A two tier letting charge system has been developed over the years, with a lower charge for charitable and grass-roots groups and higher charges for local and national government and commercial groups and classes.  There has been some measure of negotiation on charges at the discretion of the wardens/managers, with, for example, new grass-roots groups being given use below the charitable rate until they became established.  An eye has been kept on rates charged by comparable buildings in the neighbourhood and there has been co-operation on this, especially with Augustine United and St Columba&rsquo;s-by-the-Castle.  The busyness of the building increased steadily until, for several years, it was about as full as it reasonably could be, from
 9 am
 until
 10 pm
 six days per week and often with Sunday afternoon and evening use as well.
 </p>
 <p>Facilities and equipment have been steadily developed over the years, with digital projector, laptop computer and wireless internet availability now added to the familiar flipcharts, TV and DVD player and overhead projectors.
 </p>
-<p>Increase in the use of the building necessitated an increase in staff and it was particularly important to ensure continuity of standards of service during the managers' absence on holidays and days off.  There has been a deputy warden/manager appointed for the past 12 years or so and this has usually been a residential post, with the appointee occupying the smaller flat.  Deputy managers have included Andy May, Doug Kline, Finn Pollard, Philip Davies, Mary Woodward and Tom Nisbet.  Additional staffing, all paid, has been provided by members of the Meeting and by students, also usually attenders or members.  The role title of the wardens was changed to managers some 7 or 8 years ago, this job title more accurately reflecting the managerial responsibility the post now carries.
+<p>Increase in the use of the building necessitated an increase in staff and it was particularly important to ensure continuity of standards of service during the managers&rsquo; absence on holidays and days off.  There has been a deputy warden/manager appointed for the past 12 years or so and this has usually been a residential post, with the appointee occupying the smaller flat.  Deputy managers have included Andy May, Doug Kline, Finn Pollard, Philip Davies, Mary Woodward and Tom Nisbet.  Additional staffing, all paid, has been provided by members of the Meeting and by students, also usually attenders or members.  The role title of the wardens was changed to managers some 7 or 8 years ago, this job title more accurately reflecting the managerial responsibility the post now carries.
 </p>
 </div>
 <div>
 <title>Quaker Link Scotland</title>
 <p>At the time that Phil and Pat Lucas were appointed, Marion Morton was clerk of General Meeting for
 Scotland.  She was also part of the group providing a Quaker presence
 in 7 Victoria Terrace and she combined these two roles by doing her
-General Meeting work in the Meeting House Office one day a week, providing cover for a wardens' day off.
+General Meeting work in the Meeting House Office one day a week, providing cover for a wardens&rsquo; day off.
 </p>
 <p>A General Meeting group was then looking at developing the Quaker base and presence in
 Scotland, including the appointment of an administrative assistant to
 support the General Meeting Clerk.  It was thought by some that this should be
 Edinburgh-based, working from 7
 Scotland
 office.
 </p>
 <p>There was concern in some other Scottish Area Meetings about
 Scottish Quaker affairs becoming too Edinburgh-based, which may have
-contributed to the end of Quaker Link Scotland's short life, but the
+contributed to the end of Quaker Link Scotland&rsquo;s short life, but the
 fatal blow was that, when the paid administrative assistant post was
 advertised, the successful candidate lived on the Moray coast and
 preferred to work from home.  The General Meeting clerkship at the
-same time moved away from the South East.  When Pat and Phil Lucas's
+same time moved away from the South East.  When Pat and Phil Lucas&rsquo;s
 outreach appointments came to their end, it was no longer appropriate
-to send enquirers' packs to Scottish enquirers from the 7 Victoria Terrace office, (although they continued to do so for a year or two on a voluntary basis).  The last vestiges of Quaker Link
+to send enquirers&rsquo; packs to Scottish enquirers from the 7 Victoria Terrace office, (although they continued to do so for a year or two on a voluntary basis).  The last vestiges of Quaker Link
 Scotland
 thus disappeared.
 </p>
 </div>
 <div>
 <p>The Festival Fringe involvement started in the very early days and owed much to the enthusiasm and skill of Lise Bech (in the kitchen/cafe) and Ian Ramsey (developing the use of performance and exhibition space).  When they left, a Festival Committee clerked by Andrew Farrar and Bronwyn Harwood took up the development (amid some difficulties as they did not have the support of the new wardens) and the cooking skills of members of the local Meeting were co-opted.  It was at this time that voluntary staff from without the area were first brought in.</p>
 <p>The Festival Committee introduced a tiered seating rake to the hall, turning
 it into a 65 seat black-box theatre, for the first time in August 1995.  Use of
 the theatre that year was dominated by one theatre group, which was reluctant to share facilities with others.  Setting up the theatre in this way involved considerable hire costs, so the Committee decided for 1996 to take firmer control and, in order to recoup hire costs, to run for three weeks.  Use of the space developed over subsequent years until there were up to six shows per day, six days each week, with the caf&eacute; now open also for three weeks. The increased staffing this required was provided almost entirely from volunteers, many of them Quakers from other parts of
 Britain
-or the world, who are accommodated in Friends' homes.  Exhibitions continued to be organised in the Meeting Room, but the Local Meeting became uncomfortable with the annual transformation of this room.  Continuation of the Fringe involvement was endorsed but use of the Meeting Room for exhibitions ceased.  The Festival Committee works through the year, but a considerable proportion of the organisational work falls on the Meeting House managers.
+or the world, who are accommodated in Friends&rsquo; homes.  Exhibitions continued to be organised in the Meeting Room, but the Local Meeting became uncomfortable with the annual transformation of this room.  Continuation of the Fringe involvement was endorsed but use of the Meeting Room for exhibitions ceased.  The Festival Committee works through the year, but a considerable proportion of the organisational work falls on the Meeting House managers.
 </p>
 </div>
 <div>
 <title>Recent developments</title>
 due in part to the difficulty of access during the building work on the terrace, in
 part to the current recession and in part to the impact of the more stringent
 enforcement of Health and Safety regulations.</p>
 </div>
 </div>
-<div>
+<div id="fin_hist">
 <title>Outline financial history</title>
 <p>The Monthly Meeting sold the previous Meeting House premises in Stafford
 Street in 1987 and bought Victoria Terrace, a listed building, and one adjacent
 flat in West Bow, for &#163;138,000 with the sale proceeds.  (An further flat
 in West Bow was purchased in 1995 for &#163;25,000).  A fund raising appeal and
 and the cost of redecoration including new carpets, improvements to the lift, roof
 repairs and insulation to the property having been undertaken. There has also been
 an increase in staffing costs over the same period with them assuming greater
 responsibility for internal financial matters and providing more intensive cover
 from 0900 to 2200 each weekday. The difference, ranging from &#163;12,000 to
-&#163;30,000 <emph>per annum</emph>, has reduced Area Meeting's contribution to Britain Yearly Meeting. Throughout the two decades it has not been possible to set aside any funds as a provision against future requirements, whether major repairs or improvements.
+&#163;30,000 <emph>per annum</emph>, has reduced Area Meeting&rsquo;s contribution to Britain Yearly Meeting. Throughout the two decades it has not been possible to set aside any funds as a provision against future requirements, whether major repairs or improvements.
 </p>
 <p>
 Given the limited number of rooms that are available to let, the management
 costs per letting have proved relatively high. This has been exacerbated as
 higher health and safety standards are imposed by law and the expectations of
 workshops organised by Local and Area Meeting are held there, as well as weddings,
 memorial meetings and the occasional party.  Following a principle established
 at the time of purchase, Central Edinburgh Local Meeting
 pays Area Meeting for its use of the building on Sundays, at a rate originally
 set at half the charitable letting rate.  This decision has been reviewed on
-several occasions, and the rate is now more than half, being &#163;65/hour for
+several occasions, and the rate is now more than half the charitable rate,
-five hours each Sunday, or &#163;3,300 per annum (see Figure 6).</p>
+being approximately &#163;65 for each Sunday, or &#163;3,300 per annum (see Figure 6).</p>
-<p>Appendix D shows an estimate of the cost of Friends' use of 7 Victoria
+<p>Appendix D shows an estimate of the cost of Friends&rsquo; use of 7 Victoria
 Terrace during 2008, based on the full charity rate.  If we subtract from the
-total of approximately &#163;17,000 the contributions of Central Edinburgh
+total shown there of approximately &#163;17,000 the amounts which Area Meeting
+reclaim from Central Edinburgh
 Local Meeting (&#163;3,300) and the Festival Fringe (&#163;4,000), the
 remaining &#163;10,000 represents 35&ndash;40% of the gap between income and
 expenditure in 2007 and 2008.</p>
 <p>Referring to Figure 3, what this means is that up until 2005, Area Meeting was getting a very
 substantial amount of worship, meeting, outreach and function space for free, that in
 Terrace must consider this perspective very seriously.</p>
 </div>
 </div>
 <div id="present">
 <title>The present</title>
-<div>
+<div id="pres_use">
 <title>Building use</title>
 <div>
 <title>Meeting for Worship</title>
 <p>
 At present there is a meeting for worship on Sunday mornings at 1100 which sixty
 </div>
 <div>
 <title>Lettings</title>
 <p>Since 2000 income from lettings has increased gradually until 2008 when
 there was a small decline.  A major contribution to this was the loss of two
-major 'clients': The Traverse Theatre, who moved to their own (new?) premises,
+major &lsquo;clients&rsquo;: The Traverse Theatre, who moved to their own (new?) premises,
 and the City of Edinburgh, who cut back on external training.</p>
 <p>The main use of the Meeting House as a venue is for voluntary and community groups who want a relatively cheap but central location for one-off meetings, or a series of meetings, or one day conferences with a good ambiance. (People frequently say they do not like the formal service they get from hotels). We are not in the market for corporate events.</p>
 <p>This means our clients cannot afford commercial rates that would bring us a clear profit. However the small number of rooms available limits the number of staff required for cleaning and catering.</p>
 <p>7 Victoria Terrace is not in the same league as other large Meeting Houses such as Friends House or Manchester Mount Street, to be a large Quaker centre.</p>
 <p>The Meeting House is open every day from 0900 to 2200 and five hours on Sunday.
 </tbody>
 </table>
 <caption>Number and duration of lets, by week,
 spring 2009</caption>
 </figure>
-<p>In all there were approximately <emph color="red">136</emph> lets over this 6-week period.
+<p>In all there were approximately 136 lets over this 6-week period.
 Costs will depend on size of group, length of time they needed space and which
 room(s) they rent, and what rate they were charged: following Area Meeting policy,
-charges vary depending on size and charitable status. There is also a cost for refreshments, including tea, coffee
+there are two basic rates, depending on for-profit versus not-for-profit
+status.  (The Managers have discretion to charge a reduced rate in a few
+cases&mdash;this amounts to only a few hundred pounds per annum at most.) There is also a cost for refreshments, including tea, coffee
 and/or lunch.  The above figures can give only a rough picture of current lettings,
 and are not complete, but are included to give a sense of the breadth and volume of
 letting.</p>
 <p>We do not have quantitative information from the non-Quaker users of 7 Victoria
 Terrace regarding how they rate the premises. However there were over thirty groups
 Meeting House as the face of Quakerism in Edinburgh.  The evidence we had available
 to us suggests they are responding admirably to this challenge.</p>
 </div>
 <div>
 <title>Festival Fringe</title>
-<p>The use of the building for the Festival is a major undertaking (see 3.3.4). The main hall is made into a small theatre with raked seating. Several small theatre groups rent this space during the Festival.</p>
+<p>The use of the building for the Festival is a major undertaking (see in section 3.3). The main hall is made into a small theatre with raked seating. Several small theatre groups rent this space during the Festival.</p>
-<p>There is also the Rainforest Café that runs at the same time-from around 1000&ndash;1800. The income form this has increased over the years but again last year there was a drop. The main income is from the theatre lettings but the café does not make much of a profit but adds to the feel and ethos of the venue.</p>
+<p>There is also the Rainforest Café that runs at the same time-from around 1000&ndash;1800. The income from this has increased over the years but again last year there was a drop. The main income is from the theatre lettings. Although the caf&eacute; does not make much of a profit it adds to the feel and ethos of the venue.</p>
+<p>The Festival Fringe activity is an Area Meeting activity, organised by
+an Area Meeting committee.  Area
+Meeting both bears the cost of lost lettings during August, and the increased
+wear-and-tear that being a venue entails.  Area Meeting also determines the
+division of any profit between itself and designated charities.</p>
 </div>
 <div>
 <title>Summary of input from Quaker Groups which use the Meeting
 House</title>
 	  <p><emph color="red">See Questionnaire ?? in Appendix ??</emph></p>
 stillness and worship.</p>
 <p>It is necessary to meet at Victoria Terrace
 to do practical tasks and allows access to resources.</p>
-<p>The building is ideal for young people's
+<p>The building is ideal for young people&rsquo;s
 link weekend---there is no other Quaker building in Scotland
 that is big enough. We do need to nurture and care for our young
 people if we are going to keep them involved with Friends.</p>
 <p>People did feel they could meet elsewhere
 is very good.</p>
 <p>Ideally placed for outreach</p>
 </div>
 </div>
-<div>
+<div id="pres_fin">
-<title>Building staff and management</title>
-<p><emph color="red">AM, Trustees, Fabric &amp; Maintenance, [Managers' support group?]</emph></p>
-<p><emph color="red">Managers, Ass't Mgr, as-required staff</emph></p>
-</div>
-<div>
 <title>Building finances</title>
 <p>
-The table below summarises the 2008 income and expenditure and demonstrates the dependency on lettings and members and attenders' contributions for income. As far as expenditure was concerned, 2008 was what could be considered a fairly unusual year with elements of one-off capital expenditure on the stonework and the fees for the architect's quinquennial technical review of the property that we have to have to plan for its future maintenance.</p><figure>
+The table below summarises the 2008 income and expenditure and demonstrates the dependency on lettings and members and attenders&rsquo; contributions for income. As far as expenditure was concerned, 2008 was what could be considered a fairly unusual year with elements of one-off capital expenditure on the stonework and the fees for the architect&rsquo;s quinquennial technical review of the property that we have to have to plan for its future maintenance.</p><figure>
 <table>
 <thead>
 <tr>
 <th></th>
 <th>&#160;Notes&#160;</th>
-<th>&#160;&#163;'000&#160;</th>
+<th>&#160;&#163;,000&#160;</th>
 </tr>
 </thead>
 <tbody>
 <tr class="ti">
 <td><name>Expenditure</name></td>
 <td class="t d">-36.0</td>
 </tr>
 </tbody>
 </table>
 <list type="enum">
-<item>Includes services, cleaning, equipment and furniture purchases and architect's fees</item>
+<item>Includes services, cleaning, equipment and furniture purchases and architect&rsquo;s fees</item>
 <item>Building work&mdash;external stonework</item>
 <item>For the meeting house and specifically building work</item>
 <item>External £47,400 and Central Edinburgh meeting £3,300</item>
 <item>From the capital account (legacies) £30,000 and the Festival Fringe account £4,000</item>
 <item>Made up by Area Meeting</item>
 expenditure, including capital project</caption>
 </figure>
 <p>Of the total 2008 shortfall, roughly £9,000 is owed to one-off expenditures,
 leaving only £27,000 owed to ongoing operations, that is, roughly the same as
 that for 2007.</p>
-<p>
+<p>A number of modifications and improvements have been suggested, or are
-<emph color="red">[Need for a 2009 budget summary to be added and commented upon.]</emph>
+indeed required in some cases, about which decisions need to be taken in the
-</p>
+near future:</p>
-<p>
+<list type="1defn">
-In order to meet the requirements of the 21st century, in terms of
+<item term="Windows">Some of the windows on the south-west side of the
-premises that can be let out, a number of further improvements would
+building urgently require repair or replacement and insulation needs to be improved.</item>
-have to be undertaken. Health and safety requirements have stipulated
+<item term="Roof access">Access to the roof above the flat, for example
+for gutter repairs, is very difficult and should be improved at some point.</item>
+<item term="Kitchen">Health and safety requirements have stipulated
 improvements to the kitchen likely to cost in the region of
 &#163;30,000 if cooking is to be undertaken and offered for sale, for
-example in conjunction with the <emph>Rainforest Caf&#233;</emph> at
+example in conjunction with the <emph>Rainforest Caf&eacute;</emph> at
-the time of the Festival Fringe. Extending and improving the toilets
+the time of the Festival Fringe.  Lower-cost options with reduced facilities
-is estimated would come to about &#163;50,000 and opening the
+are also possible.</item>
-cr&#232;che to the library about another &#163;5,000. No figures are
+<item term="Toilets">These are not up to the standard of the rest of the
-available [<emph color="red">as far as I can remember</emph>] for the re-hanging and further insulation of the windows to the south west of the building or for improving the heating.
+building.  Plans for extending and improving them have been costed at around &#163;50,000.</item>
-</p>
+<item term="Cre&egrave;che">Plans for re-structuring the cre&egrave;che rooms and
+their access to come directly from the library have been costed at around &#163;5,000.</item>
+<item term="Heating">It has been suggested that the heating for the
+building should be upgraded or replaced, possibly involving a shift to
+renewable sources.</item>
+</list>
 </div>
 </div>
 <div id="future">
 <title>The future</title>
-<div>
+<p>Against the background of the information presented so far, we now turn
+to considering the future.  On the one hand there are the practicalities:
+Do we stay in Victoria Terrace, or do we leave?  In either case, further
+choices will have to be made.  We briefly summarise these in the following
+subsection.  But equally important are our goals: what do we <emph>want</emph> for
+Friends' presence and witness in Edinburgh in the future?  In the second
+subsection below we attempt to pull together what we've learned from Friends
+and attenders on this question over the last six months.</p>
+<div id="options">
 <title>Practicalities</title>
 <div>
 <title>Stay in Victoria Terrace</title>
+<p>If we stay in Victoria Terrace, the financial issues must be addressed,
+at the very least by an explicit acknowledgement by Area Meeting of the
+financial situation.  Broadly speaking there are three options: cut back on
+what we do, continue pretty much as at present, or try to do more.  These
+options are explored below.</p>
 <div>
 <title>Do Less</title>
 <p>
 One option would be to do less than at present. That could mean reducing the hours that the building is open
 </p>
 <list>
-<item>
-The Meeting House office is open 0900 to 1700 daily
-</item>
 <item>
 The building is currently open to the public from
 0900
 to 2130/2200 Monday to Friday depending on bookings and
 0930
 to
 1700
-on Saturday depending on bookings
+on Saturday depending on bookings.  The Meeting House office is open 0900 to 1700 weekdays.
 </item>
 <item>
 Sundays&mdash;1000&ndash;1500 for Quaker use. Bookings may be taken for
 1500
 to
 Other alternatives&mdash;all of which would reduce costs, reduce income and contact with the general public, visitors, newcomers and passers-by therefore reducing outreach opportunities:</p>
 <list>
 <item>
 Reduce activities to Quaker activities only&mdash;this would reduce opening hours and lettings and increase costs per capita.</item>
 <item>
-The Rain Forest Caf&#233;&mdash;the caf&#233; could go and/or drinks and snacks alone could be provided for visitors.
+The Rain Forest Caf&eacute;&mdash;the caf&eacute; could go and/or drinks and snacks alone could be provided for visitors.
 </item>
 <item>
 The Meeting House as a Festival Venue&mdash;events/opening hours could be reduced and income would be reduced.
 </item>
 <item>
 </p>
 </div>
 </div>
 <div>
 <title>Leave Victoria Terrace</title>
+<p>Leaving Victoria Terrace would in turn require further choices to be made:</p>
 <list>
-<item>Own premises (build/refit/share)</item>
+<item>Would we look to own our own premises (build/refit/share)?</item>
-<item>Hire premises (Sole tenant/share)</item>
+<item>Or hire (Sole tenant/share)?</item>
+<item>One venue (central, or not?) or several?</item>
 </list>
 	  <p>One of the prime motivations for leaving Stafford Street was that though
-central it was not 'visible' to the public; it had no lettings of rooms, no
+central it was not &lsquo;visible&rsquo; to the public; it had no lettings of rooms, no
 display windows and no involvement in the Festival. Whether these are wanted in
 any replacement should therefore be looked for in any candidate alternative premises.</p>
 <p>If we decide to sell Victoria Terrace in order to buy, lease or
 even share somewhere else it would probably be necessary to sell also the
 two flats.  7 Victoria Terrace was valued at only &#163;160,000 <emph>before</emph> the current slump
 <emph>rental</emph> value) for 7 Victoria Terrace is &#163;14,600, which is
 broadly in line with, or a little below, the &#163;160,000 valuation.</p>
 <p>We explored the cost of moving elsewhere.  Minimum accommodation for our own use only would be:</p>
 <list>
 <item>1 Meeting Room</item>
-<item>1 Children's Room</item>
+<item>1 Children&rsquo;s Room</item>
 <item>Library</item>
 <item>Kitchen (for heating up only)</item>
 <item>Lavatories</item>
 <item>Office (?)</item></list>
 <p>Preferably, for our own needs and possible lettings or sharing,
 we would be looking for:</p>
 <list>
 <item>2 Meeting Rooms</item>
-<item>2 Children's Rooms</item>
+<item>2 Children&rsquo;s Rooms</item>
 <item>Kitchen (for cooking)</item>
 <item>Library</item>
 <item>Lavatories</item>
 <item>2 Committee rooms</item>
 <item> Office</item>
 Portobello, Trinity/Granton, Leith Walk/London Road or around Cameron Toll and the
 Commonwealth Pool.</p>
 <p>If we could find no suitable venue for our exclusive use we might share with, say,
 7th Day Adventists, a play group, an Open Door or community hall that was not required
 on a Sunday.</p>
-<p>However, it would be necessary for us to be the 'chief' occupants in order that we can
+<p>However, it would be necessary for us to be the &lsquo;chief&rsquo; occupants in order that we can
 arrange mid-week or evening meetings, and have some say over publicity displays and
 lettings. We would wish to be in charge of lettings, including festival events
 such as poetry readings, plays, small musical events, and so on. We would not have a
 caf&eacute;, but might offer light refreshments and have an exhibition on walls other
 those of the Meeting Room.</p>
 <p>We carried out a survey of commercial property of a reasonable scale in
 and around the centre, and there was nothing available for under &#163;250,000
 that was any where near large enough.  Finding <emph>any</emph> premises including one room of approximately 800
 square feet (the size of the current meeting room and of the hall) was itself
-difficult, and we found no premises with <emph>two</emph> such rooms.</p>
+difficult, and we found no premises at all with <emph>two</emph> such rooms.</p>
 <p>One possibility we are aware of but did not explore in detail is taking
 over, or sharing, other church premises.  There was some suggestion that for
 example the Methodist property off Nicholson Square might be, or be about to
 be, available.  It seemed at best unlikely that a move to such premises would
 result in a situation materially different from our current one.</p>
 </div>
 </div>
-<div>
+<div id="vision">
 <title>The Vision</title>
-<p>What do we want: summary of options, from our discussions and open meetings</p>
 <p>From the returned questionnaires and the discussions we have had it would seem that the
 majority of users of the premises would prefer to remain in Victoria Terrace if this is
 financially possible. </p>
 <p>It is felt that we should be in the centre of Edinburgh for a number of reasons, such as the
 presence of the Scottish Parliament and the Scottish offices of financial, church and
 corporate bodies, such as Christian Aid. This would enable us to present our Quaker
 witness to these bodies and to the general public, including the large numbers of tourists
 and visitors to the city. However, it cannot be assumed that Friends in Scotland outwith
 Edinburgh would be happy to recognise us as a Scottish Quaker Centre. Indeed, there
-are Friends in the Area Meeting who  do not have any feeling of 'ownership' of 7
+are Friends in the Area Meeting who  do not have any feeling of &lsquo;ownership&rsquo; of 7
 Victoria Terrace nor any sense of involvement in its activities. It is also the case that not
 all members of Edinburgh Central welcome the disruption and disturbance arising from
 our Festival activities.</p>
 <p>Overall, we feel that most people have been positive about staying in Victoria Terrace
 because it is central and visible, available and open. The doubts are about finance and
 the Festival.</p>
-<p><emph color="red">Is this enough?</emph></p>
 </div>
-<div>
+<div id="concl">
 <title>Conclusions</title>
 <p><emph color="red">How the practicalities and the vision fit (or
-don't).  What does Area Meeting do
+don&rsquo;t).  What does Area Meeting do
 next. . .</emph></p>
 </div>
 </div>
 <div id="appendices">
 <title>Appendices</title>
-<p>Material we've gathered (what do we keep back?)</p>
 <div id="remit">
 <title>Appendix A: Remit from Area Meeting</title>
 <p>[include doc here]</p>
 </div>
 <div id="quests">
 <item>A home not only for the Quaker community but also for those with whose principles and activities Quakers are in harmony.
 </item>
 <item>Our building&rsquo;s shop windows make us unusually visible&mdash;they encourage people to come in and make it clear what you are getting into.  This and our openness to the community are unusual for a religious building and have helped change the attitude of others to Friends.  We need to value and develop this.
 </item>
 <item>Building could be more of a focus for Quakers in
-Scotland
+Scotland, perhaps having an office from which Quakers can speak to the Scottish Parliament.
-, perhaps having an office from which Quakers can speak to the Scottish Parliament.
 </item>
 <item>An expression of our responsibility and values&mdash;care for the environment, peace etc&mdash;a focus for us speaking out from a spiritual base.  We have responsibility to use our facilities for the community.
 </item>
 <item>
 <list type="ndivs">
 Edinburgh
 but would not be happy if we had to increase commercial use of the building to keep it open.
 </item>
 <item>I am a member of another organisation given a building which it can no longer afford to run.  This has brought the organisation close to collapse.  Our expenditure on the building must not be allowed to outrun our income.
 </item>
-<item>I&rsquo;m grateful that the question we are addressing today does not mention the building.  I hope we can think away from the building.  Remember that George Fox referred pejoratively to churches as &#8216;steeple houses&rsquo;.
+<item>I&rsquo;m grateful that the question we are addressing today does not mention the building.  I hope we can think away from the building.  Remember that George Fox referred pejoratively to churches as &lsquo;steeple houses&rsquo;.
 </item>
 <item>Responsibility for a property takes time and energy as well as money.  Not having this responsibility frees up this time and energy.  Ownership of a building is OK only if this is kept in balance.  Losing the balance will have a negative impact on the core purpose of the community.
 </item>
 <item>Remember this building&rsquo;s enormous capacity for outreach, especially during the Fringe but also throughout the year.  This is not reason enough for keeping it, but it is must not be forgotten.
 </item>
 </item>
 <item>Temporary closure of terrace has made access very difficult for some.  I hope account is taken of this in judging pattern of use.  This meeting house is a precious home and a beautiful place&mdash;would deplore it if we moved from city centre to a tucked-away corner somewhere.  Decision taken while at
 Stafford St
 to move to a building which would be well used by the community&mdash;this is a real pleasure.
 </item>
-<item>Struggle with &#8216;the vision thing&rsquo;.  But my vision is that I want to keep coming to &#8216;church&rsquo;&mdash;it&rsquo;s fundamental to my life.  We have reconstructed the work of the &#8216;hireling priest&rsquo; in our own distinctive way and the &#8216;steeple house&rsquo; by a functional building that meets our needs.  No need to be apologetic about being like other churches in this regard.  It tells people that we are here&mdash;part of this city&rsquo;s spiritual space.  My vision therefore is of a place as well as a spiritual community.
+<item>Struggle with &lsquo;the vision thing&rsquo;.  But my vision is that I want to keep coming to &lsquo;church&rsquo;&mdash;it&rsquo;s fundamental to my life.  We have reconstructed the work of the &lsquo;hireling priest&rsquo; in our own distinctive way and the &lsquo;steeple house&rsquo; by a functional building that meets our needs.  No need to be apologetic about being like other churches in this regard.  It tells people that we are here&mdash;part of this city&rsquo;s spiritual space.  My vision therefore is of a place as well as a spiritual community.
 </item>
 <item>Meeting doesn&rsquo;t need to be tied to a building.  Quality of Dunblane Meeting didn&rsquo;t change as it moved from place to place.
 </item>
 <item>Maybe here in
 Edinburgh
 is available for droppers in (and out).  Would be sad if all Meetings were dispersed and small&mdash;would make building an inclusive community to bring on the new generation difficult.
 </item>
 <item>(After invitation to hear from South Ed Friends, who use a space not their own):
 Good to have a place where displays can stay up all the time&mdash;we miss this.
 </item>
-<item>Emphasis on wider vision important.  Strong base to enable Friends to cope with all the rapid changes in society and to promote &#8216;good lives&rsquo; within and around the community.  Rental decline may not last (cf what has happened at Friends House).
+<item>Emphasis on wider vision important.  Strong base to enable Friends to cope with all the rapid changes in society and to promote &lsquo;good lives&rsquo; within and around the community.  Rental decline may not last (cf what has happened at Friends House).
 </item>
 <item>Could worship happily in a very small Meeting but this building has built up a powerful significance for people all over
-Scotland
+Scotland,
-,
 Britain
 and even the world.  This space is very precious and we have a responsibility for it.
 </item>
 <item>I belong to a small Meeting in a rented building&mdash;difficult to make one&rsquo;s presence known.  The presence of the Meeting House&mdash;there for all of us in
-SE Scotland
+SE Scotland&mdash;helps to take us out of our insularity and remind us we belong to a wider Quaker community.  Very important for raising our profile and it is a home to come to.
-&mdash;helps to take us out of our insularity and remind us we belong to a wider Quaker community.  Very important for raising our profile and it is a home to come to.
 </item>
 <item>This Meeting and the meeting house have enriched my life spiritually and helped me strengthen my witness in the world.  Vision is to keep strengthening the spiritual life of the community and from here to continue to take it out in witness.  This needs to be even more focussed than it is.
 </item>
 </list>
 </div>
 <item>It is not just the adults who are concerned about the future of the property.  When one of the Friend’s children heard about the possibilty a move from 7VT there was an expression of ‘disbelief and sadness’.</item>
 </list>
 </div>
 </div>
 <div id="friends_use">
-<title>Appendix D: Friends' use of 7 Victoria Terrace in 2008</title>
+<title>Appendix D: Friends&rsquo; use of 7 Victoria Terrace in 2008</title>
 <list type="defn">
 <item term="January 2008">
 <list type="naked">
 <item>AM £224.50</item>
 <item>LM £91.50</item>
 <item term="General Meeting">£420.00</item>
 <item term="Mid-week Meeting">52 x £27.50 = £1430.00</item>
 </list>
 <p><name>Grand total for the year</name>:£16,873</p>
 </div>
-<div id="other">
-<title><emph color="red">Appendix ?: What else?</emph></title>
-</div>
 <div id="refs">
 <title>Other sources</title>
 <p>The following documents, while not part of this report, have been
 submitted to Area Meeting as they provided input to our work:</p>
 <list>
 <item>Summary budget figures from John Phillips</item>
 <item>Report to Trustees by Kath Russell of Woodbrooke</item>
-<item>Meeting House Managers' input(s) ???</item>
+<item>Results of questionnaire (both tabulation and comments) to Central Edinburgh members and attenders</item>
-<item>Results of questionnaire (both tabulation and comments) to Central Edinburgh members and attenders
-<emph color="red">or maybe not ???</emph></item>
-<item><emph color="red">What else?</emph></item>
 </list>
 </div>
 </div>
 </body>
 </doc>

Mercurial > hg > rsof

comparison 7vt/report.xml @ 49:39bd4c88cc75