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  <title>Transcription of comments on 7VT Futures questionnaires</title>
  <author>Henry S. Thompson</author>
  <date>4 May 2009</date>
 </head>
 <body>
  <div>
   <title>Anon</title>
   <list type="defn">
    <item term="3">Improving with the reopening of the terrace.</item>
    <item term="4">An alternative access [to the creche?] avoiding the kitchen
would help.  Improve toilets.</item>
    <item term="12">An alternative access to the rooms/space beyond the kitchen
would be good.  This would improve kitchen safety and make the additional space
more usable for group use.  Perhaps improvements to the toilets are needed.</item>
    <item term="13">
     <list type="ndivs">
      <item>Improvements do have cost implications.  Could we ask
Festival Committee to identify Meeting House improvements as one of the fund
raising projects (as we did for Kelso Meeting House &amp; the Foyer upgrade)
over say 3 years.</item>
      <item>The Meeting House is a great space, with flexibility having some larger
and smaller areas.  The availability for outreach here is so important.  A
window in the city and affordable lettings for groups that might find
alternatives difficult.</item>
      <item>Thank you to the Friends who are reviewing these responses.  Your time
and consideration is really valuable and appreciated.</item>
     </list>
    </item>
   </list>
  </div>
  <div>
   <title>Anne Davies, Sarah J. Davies</title>
   <list type="defn">
    <item term="2">[ticked 'Not important'] I.e. Haymarket area reasonable.
Suburbs accessible (from train/bus station)</item>
    <item term="12"><list type="enum">
<item>Better access to building&mdash;almost impossible (steep hill/steps).</item>
                     <item>Improve bottle neck entrance to Foyer.</item>
                     <item>Improve access to loos&mdash;stairs v. tricky for elderly.</item>
                     <item>Cheerful, purpose built areas for children &amp;
young people&mdash;i.e. for latter, Squashy sofas &amp; their own 'den'.</item>
                     <item>Parking facilities for cars bringing elderly to
Meeting&mdash;imposs.</item>
                     <item>Bike shelter.</item>
</list></item>
    <item term="13"><list type="enum">
<item>Let's start with this premise that we want the Meeting House to be a
place for: Meeting for Worship; A quiet centre; A refuge for all looking to worship.</item>
                     <item>Do we want to be tied, for the foreseeable future,
to income generation?</item>
                     <item>Is the building [therefore] too expensive to
maintain?  Is this the bottom line?</item>
</list></item>
   </list>
  </div>
  <div>
   <title>Anon</title>
   <list type="defn">
    <item term="12">No suggestions/ideas</item>
    <item term="13">Apart from considerable difficulty coping as a disabled (?)
and weekly [sic] member (Member) particularly the Library&mdash;for coffee and
the Hall similarly if I stay for lunch.</item>
   </list>
  </div>
  <div>
   <title>Marianne Ferguson Rice</title>
   <list type="defn">
    <item term="2">Essential in my view</item>
    <item term="4">Mobility only considered here:  Good, [but] the exceptions
are Room 5 and the Bow Room</item>
    <item term="10">I think so</item>
    <item term="12">Upgrading of the toilet facilities (especially the
men's)&mdash;essential.  Might it be possible to provide a 2nd toilet
<emph>accessible</emph> on the ground floor, beside the existing one?  Possibly
doing away with the existing sink and cupboards under it and moving the low
sink nearer the doorway into the passage?  A toilet suitable for people with
mobility problems for general use on the 1st floor would be really helpful.</item>
    <item term="13"><list type="ndivs">
<item>Perhaps double glazing would improve the use of the loop systems, at
present they are of little benefit to those of us with a T setting on our
hearing aids.</item>
                     <item>For visually impaired people a lot needs to be done
to assist them in moving around the building&mdash;please consult someone with
real knowledge of the subject.</item>
                     <item>In view of the downturn in lettings to outside
bodies, we may have to rethink the free use of the building by all Quaker
groups&mdash;I'll need to reconsider my pleadings for special cases for AVP
Scotland and CAAT.</item>
                     <item>I'd be interested to see a breakdown of the lettings
to: a) charitable &amp; b) commercial organisations.  From an ethical point of
view I'd hope to see a balance in favour of a), particularly smaller local
charities, but I recognise the need for the income b) can bring.</item>
                     <item>I'm just wondering if the constraints of Health
&amp; Safety regulation are leading to a more formal, perhaps over-organised,
interior thus losing some of the informal, slightly more relaxed atmosphere?</item>
</list></item>
   </list>
  </div>
  <div>
   <title>Anon</title>
   <list type="defn">
    <item term="8">Not ideal to have food &amp; drink in a library.</item>
    <item term="12">I think it could be developed more explicitly as a community resource.</item>
   </list>
  </div>
  <div>
   <title>Anon</title>
   <list type="defn">
    <item term="7">Don't know</item>
    <item term="10">Not sure</item>
    <item term="12">If we keep the building, we need a longer term strategy for
its whole purpose.  It may be that we need to look at alternative models for
management.  E.g. one management committee for the building's supervision.
This would lead to a complete re-organisation of AM's committee structure.</item>
    <item term="13">Q. 10: If we don't know how much the building is costing
us, how can we answer this question.  Information should have been provided!</item>
   </list>
  </div>
  <div>
   <title>Alan Dickinson</title>
   <list type="defn">
    <item term="3">Progressively difficult, because of parking</item>
   </list>
  </div>
  <div>
   <title>John Phillips</title>
   <list type="defn">
    <item term="12">There are clearly minor improvements to be made, but the
building is not flexible nor can it be expanded (except by purchasing more
flats in 6 Upper Bow).  Improving toilets will remove Room 5 (a useful small
committee or even teenagers room) from use.  Improved access to creche area
would be good.  Upgrading kitchen will be to be done one day, whatever we
decide about Festival use.</item>
    <item term="13"><list type="ndivs">
<item>It is hard to make judgements based on present use since for the past ten
years our childrens' classes have been very much diminished.  I guess this is
the "fault" of all of us, but it may well reverse one day, when we might be
glad of as many rooms as possible.</item>
                     <item>The building is not very user-friendly for outside
groups&mdash;it would be good if we could be as flexible as possible about
where people can eat in the building and where hot drinks and refreshments can
be served.</item>
                     <item>I can't see any chance that we could purchase an
equally good building using money raised by selling 7VT.  Its wonderful
position in the city means we have to sacrifice some convenience&mdash;and lots
of money.  Sorry!</item>
</list></item>
   </list>
  </div>
  <div>
   <title>Anon</title>
   <list type="defn">
    <item term="2">No so important to <emph>me</emph> but <emph>very</emph>
important to giving Quakers a high profile.</item>
    <item term="10">[Don't know] I would need to have information to compare value
here with value somewhere comparable.</item>
    <item term="13">The soup lunch is very important</item>
   </list>
  </div>
  <div>
   <title>Ann Forsyth</title>
   <list type="defn">
    <item term="12">All improvements possible have been carried out.  However
its location and size are difficult for some.  Very well managed.</item>
    <item term="13">
     <list type="ndivs">
      <item>I am aware the its use as a festival &amp; general hire
venue has provided valuable revenue.  One may ask whether the needs for
adequate staffing &amp; caretaking have meant, in more recent times, that the
revenue produced by the hiring pays for staffing and other costs associated
with hiring; and whether this activity, and its many call on Quaker time, is
best spent.</item>
      <item>I am also questioning whether running a caf&eacute; over the
Festival period is best&mdash;or whether we should be allowing other
caf&eacute;s to provide food; and restrict what we offer to drinks, homebakes,
and maybe a daily meal for staff, participants &amp; others who would be
content with a restricted menu.  Again, it comes down to the question of
whether all this effort is best spent, or whether others could do better,
allowing us to focus our energy on more "Quakerly" activities.</item>
     </list>
    </item>
   </list>
  </div>
  <div>
   <title>Anon</title>
   <list type="defn">
    <item term="12">I feel the Meeting House is managed exceedingly well</item>
    <item term="13">I feel we would be totally unable to get another building
which would come anywhere near meeting our needs so well.</item>
   </list>
  </div>
  <div>
   <title>Anon</title>
   <list type="defn">
    <item term="12">I think it is just right as it is&mdash;the way I feel
about my own house!</item>
   </list>
  </div>
  <div>
   <title>Anon</title>
   <list type="defn">
    <item term="9">[Inadequate] Lay-out difficult</item>
    <item term="12">Option to switch off lift safety announcement during
meeting for worship.</item>
   </list>
  </div>
  <div>
   <title>Tony Peach</title>
   <list type="defn">
    <item term="12">Improvement of toilet facilities if funds allow.</item>
    <item term="13">
     <list type="ndivs">
      <item>The Meeting House, as you see from my answers above, ticks
all the boxes for me.  I see no reason to move and many to stay.  I think it
extremely unlikely we could find a better centre and would be best
concentrating on realising how lucky we are to have it.</item>
      <item>If finance is thought to be the main problem, maybe more efforts could
be concentrated on
       <list type="enum">
      <item>helping the Managers to maximise rentals;</item>
      <item>considering more fund-raising for future major financial outlay.</item>
     </list>
      </item>
     </list>
    </item>
   </list>
  </div>
  <div>
   <title>Anon</title>
   <list type="defn">
    <item term="12">Can't think of any.</item>
    <item term="13">Seems perfect in every way.</item>
   </list>
  </div>
  <div>
   <title>Alan Davies</title>
   <list type="defn">
    <item term="13">Because the Meeting House is large &amp; central, it is
costly to maintain &amp; to run.  This has two consequences: the
commercialisation of activities such as lettings &amp; the rise of the
managerial staff.  I do not think it important for the Mtg. House to be in the
centre of the city.  Furthermore, the Meeting is now so large in numbers that
MforW can be overburdened with ministry &amp; individuals can be lost.  I would
suggest we consider splitting the Meeting in two &amp; finding locations away
from the city centre.</item>
   </list>
  </div>
  <div>
   <title>Annie Miller</title>
   <list type="defn">
    <item term="3">Difficult at the moment, because the terrace is closed</item>
    <item term="12"><list type="ndivs">
<item>Upgrade toilets</item>
                     <item>More time available for Quaker committees &amp; other
Quaker groups</item>
</list></item>
    <item term="13">I would like us to consider 7VT as a contact point for all
Quakers &amp; attenders in Scotland, with an office for GM, maybe?</item>
   </list>
  </div>
  <div>
   <title>Penny (?) Holland</title>
   <list type="defn">
    <item term="12">[Keep?] given slots for Quaker events e.g. funerals/weddings one
Saturday afternoon per month free in Meeting Room for such
opportunity&mdash;even if it means losing income.</item>
    <item term="13">Certainly think Victoria Terrace is <emph>the best
option</emph> in spite of need for forward (?) 'upgrading' etc.</item>
   </list>
  </div>
  <div>
   <title>Rachel Frith</title>
   <list type="defn">
    <item term="3">Access will be excellent soon I hope when building at end of terrace is finished</item>
    <item term="12">Toilets</item>
   </list>
  </div>
  <div>
   <title>Gill Reid</title>
   <list type="defn">
    <item term="12">I think the building is managed well and feedback from
people I know who use it and are not Quakers is good.</item>
    <item term="13">No home for any organisation is going to be perfect but this
suits our needs.</item>
   </list>
  </div>
  <div>
   <title>Alastair Reid</title>
   <list type="defn">
    <item term="12">
     <list type="ndivs">
      <item>Some way that Friends could find out about the groups that use it.</item>
      <item>More devolution of decision-making to assistant managers if possible.</item>
      <item>Noticeboards&mdash;much improved lately&mdash;However could there be
a small notice somewhere that says what is where.</item>
      <item>DO we have a leaflet etc. on hiring?</item>
      <item>Is there some way small rooms could be more easily booked (often
seems to be full)</item>
     </list>
    </item>
    <item term="13">
     <list type="ndivs">
      <item>Readers guides to topics of books/pamphlets in library e.g.
silence, intro to Quaker writings, beginners, Peace testimony, environmental
testimony, Meeting for Worship, prayer etc. etc.</item>
      <item>I hope that we do not move/sell in the near future&mdash;we need an
affordable central base&mdash;movement elsewhere could be expensive and not
necessarily of benefit to Qs &amp; the wider community.</item>
     </list>
    </item>
   </list>
  </div>
  <div>
   <title>Anon</title>
   <list type="defn">
    <item term="12">
     <list type="enum">
      <item>Toilet facilities need upgrading;</item>
      <item>Children need a space
that <emph>does not</emph> require access through the Kitchen&mdash;this is
dangerous and makes a mockery of Health/Safety Regs;</item>
      <item>Priority must be given to Quaker Groups.</item>
     </list>
    </item>
    <item term="13">
     <list type="enum">
      <item>Radical changes need to be made with regard to
Library/Kitchen/Children&mdash;It is impossible to cater for groups when access to
the Kitchen is unavailable when the Library is in use.  It is inefficient and
unsafe for staff/users&mdash;particularly children.</item>
      <item>The running costs of the building are astronomical.  Although I am
in favour of remaining in the building, it might be preferable to find more
'affordable' premises.</item>
      <item>The costs of staffing/managing the building are high because the
building is inefficient to run.  How do we find a way of upgrading the building
with increasing running costs without it simply becoming a costly venue for
external groups?</item>
      <item>Too much energy is being expended on hiring out the building.</item>
      <item>A Quaker Meeting House should be for use by Quakers and community groups.</item>
     </list>
    </item>
   </list>
  </div>
  <div>
   <title>Anon</title>
   <list type="defn">
    <item term="12">Toilets are a bit feeble</item>
   </list>
  </div>
  <div>
   <title>Anon</title>
   <list type="defn">
    <item term="8">[Adequately] Library gets too crowded at coffee time</item>
    <item term="12">{Update toilets; Update kitchen} essential if we are to
continue letting rooms at commercial rates</item>
    <item term="13">Do we need to think about how the MH is used?  Could it be
used in a different way?  Could finance be generated in different ways?  e.g.
Cafe downstairs where the foyer is.</item>
   </list>
  </div>
  <div>
   <title>Anon</title>
   <list type="defn">
    <item term="10">[Don't know] Probably <emph>yes</emph>.</item>
    <item term="12">The Meeting Room is a wonderful and light space with a good
atmosphere.  But the acoustics are dreadful&mdash;a lot of echo, and the loop
system picks up the sound from the street which masks the speaker's words.</item>
    <item term="13">The location is very good, and probably outweighs the
awkwardness of its internal structure.  The committee has done a very good job
in making the most of its potential, and the welcoming wardens and staff are
excellent&mdash;the human element is <emph>most</emph> important.  The window
displays are attractive &amp; informative.</item>
   </list>
  </div>
  <div>
   <title>Anon</title>
   <list type="defn">
    <item term="12">Perhaps more bench seating&mdash;the chairs are not
particularly comfortable.</item>
    <item term="13">I hope the Festival activity continues with continued
creativity and success.</item>
   </list>
  </div>
  <div>
   <title>Anon</title>
   <p>I don't feel qualified to answer these questions.  I don't know enough.
I love this building, what it offers Quakers &amp; other communities &amp; esp.
the quality of air &amp; light in the meeting room.  But I don't think we
should spend most of our money on a building.  There are much more important
things than buildings.  We could do what some churches do and hire space weekly
for meeting.</p>
  </div>
  <div>
   <title>Elisabeth Carnall</title>
   <list type="defn">
    <item term="2">[Very important] Good public transport <emph>vital</emph>,
especially when Terrace is open again</item>
    <item term="4">[Good] Loos up and down stairs.</item>
    <item term="8">[Hall: very well; Library: well] Library can't be quiet place.</item>
    <item term="12">I would like to be less conscious of rules and regulations.
 The MH has felt less like home under the new Health &amp; Safety requirements.
 I don't feel the need to enhance the display of Quaker materials.  I am happy
to see evidence of other users of the building.</item>
    <item term="13">
    <list type="ndivs">
     <item>I have felt cut off from the Meeting House while the Terrace has been
closed as <emph>going up &amp; along &amp; down</emph> to my bust stop has been
tedious for a slow walker.  Sometimes I have walked to Bridges buses.  Or to
Princes Street ones.  I miss the 35 (&amp; 1) which used to stop in the
Lawnmarket.  <emph>But</emph> I would deplore the idea of a suburban location,
'convenient for parking'.</item>
     <item>Before we chose this building, when we were looking, we said we
wanted a building that "wouldn't just be a Sunday building."  It has been
gratifying that our MH has been well used by a very wide variety of groups.  I
hope this will pick up again when the Terrace re-opens.</item>
     <item>I have been very sorry to hear that a very long-standing tenant,
using the building several days in the week [?has left?].  This is unfortunate
both for us and for her.  I can't imagine going to art classes in the Central
Halls.</item>
     <item>I think that as a city much visited it is valuable to have a meeting
house at the centre, highly visible.  Making the MH part of the Festival has
made us part of the community &amp; superb <emph>outreach</emph>.</item>
    </list></item>
   </list>
  </div>
  <div>
   <title>Geoffrey Carnall</title>
   <list type="defn">
    <item term="12">On the whole the Wardening is friendly &amp; welcoming, and
it's very important to remember that this needs to be a primary concern.</item>
    <item term="13">I do think the meeting house is <emph>superb</emph> for
outreach.  Tommy Sheridan kneeling in from of a window to read <emph>Quaker
News</emph>.  The work of Venue 40 in the Festival is magnificent.  I always
feel guilt in that for me the Peace &amp; Justice Centre has to take priority.
Sed non omnia possumus omnes.</item>
   </list>
  </div>
  <div>
   <title>Anon</title>
   <list type="defn">
    <item term="12">Sometimes the room booking procedure is inflexible &amp;
not user friendly.  Also "welcome" is not always friendly on days other than
Sunday.  The loop in the Meeting Room is not effective and many people can't hear.</item>
    <item term="13">I think it is very important that V.T. is used as a
community resource for 3rd sector and campaigning groups.  It is also essential
that the Quaker Meeting is centrally located and visible to the wider
communities in Edinburgh and visitors.</item>
   </list>
  </div>
  <div>
   <title>Anon</title>
   <list type="defn">
    <item term="12">Could coffee not be upstairs in a short break in a meeting,
with a cold water filled urn&amp;then heating water for tea &amp; coffee <emph>?</emph></item>
   </list>
  </div>
  <div>
   <title>Anon</title>
   <list type="defn">
    <item term="12">I feel it is managed very well at all times.</item>
   </list>
  </div>
 </body>
</doc>
author	Henry Thompson <ht@markup.co.uk>
date	Mon, 05 Jun 2023 16:12:01 +0100
parents	34afc1c65fb5
children