In August and October of 2008, South East Scotland Area Meeting "considered the history and prospects for the Quaker Meeting House at 7 @@ -69,7 +69,7 @@
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 ‘executive summary’ of our work and its conclusions, and followed by a collection of background material.
Throughout our work we have not seen it as our task to make any overall recommendations, but rather to gather the information @@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ 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:
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 didnt know at the time we left where our new home would be. In the end we spent +we didn’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.
What have we gained from the move?
@@ -157,7 +157,7 @@There is space for a good-sized library.
-The childrens space is improved although +
The children’s space is improved although the crèche is rather dark and small and out of the way but other spaces are quite flexible.
@@ -241,7 +241,7 @@-There are two mezzanine floors (not shown in the plans) in a flat-roofed extension behind the main building. The upper of these, above first floor level, houses toilets. The womens 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 small room, 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 two mezzanine floors (not shown in the plans) in a flat-roofed extension behind the main building. The upper of these, above first floor level, houses toilets. 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 small room, 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.
A tiled passage leads from the foyer past doors to under-stair storage and a small -cleaners cupboard and on to a utility area with +cleaner’s cupboard and on to a utility area with Belfast sink, in which the washing machine is now fitted. Off this is an accessible toilet and a small shower room, which has in the past been used by residential groups but which is more commonly used for further storage.
-The managers office, situated between the foyer and the Bow Room, is +The managers’ office, 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.
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’ Brigade, three are in private (Quaker) hands, and two are owned by the Area Meeting:
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 ‘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.
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.
@@ -326,7 +328,7 @@Income from lettings in 1994 was about £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—the evening so reserved seldom suited the committee that wanted it—so committees and groups which were unable to plan sufficiently in advance became accustomed to meeting in homes.
-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 Columbas-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 +
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 9 am until 10 pm @@ -334,7 +336,7 @@
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.
-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. +
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.
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’ day off.
A General Meeting group was then looking at developing the Quaker base and presence in Scotland, including the appointment of an administrative assistant to @@ -362,13 +364,13 @@
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 Scotlands short life, but the +contributed to the end of Quaker Link Scotland’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 Lucass +same time moved away from the South East. When Pat and Phil Lucas’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’ 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.
@@ -380,7 +382,7 @@ 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 café 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’ 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.For some time the Area Meeting has each year tried to set aside some money as a reserve for use for its buildings. It had built up a considerable reserve by the end of the 1990s but decided to use this in its entirety for the purchase of the new @@ -548,7 +550,7 @@ set at half the charitable letting rate. This decision has been reviewed on several occasions, and the rate is now more than half the charitable rate, being approximately £65 for each Sunday, or £3,300 per annum (see Figure 6).
-Appendix D shows an estimate of the cost of Friends use of 7 Victoria +
Appendix D shows an estimate of the cost of Friends’ use of 7 Victoria Terrace during 2008, based on the full charity rate. If we subtract from the total shown there of approximately £17,000 the amounts which Area Meeting reclaim from Central Edinburgh @@ -581,7 +583,7 @@
Elders are currently looking at having another meeting for worship on Sundays, either at 0930 or Sunday evening.
Children’s meeting for worship takes place every Sunday. The children meet at 1100 for their own programme and join the adult meeting at 1145
On the second Sunday of the month there is an all age meeting for worship held in the hall to which all are welcome. This meeting for worship is programmed, normally lasts thirty to forty minutes, and is well attended by families and other regular attenders from the meeting.
-We occasionally have special all age worship such as the welcome of new babies and +
We occasionally have “special” all age worship such as the welcome of new babies and children. This is an Area Meeting event, and others from Area Meeting come along to be part of this. The most recent of these took place in December 2008 and was held in the meeting room. It was very positively received. This event can only take place at 7 Victoria Terrace because of the need for a large meeting room in which to hold it.
In summary, many varied activities happen around and in connection with @@ -592,7 +594,7 @@
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 ‘clients’: The Traverse Theatre, who moved to their own (new?) premises, and the City of Edinburgh, who cut back on external training.
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.
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.
@@ -739,7 +741,7 @@It is necessary to meet at Victoria Terrace to do practical tasks and allows access to resources.
-The building is ideal for young peoples +
The building is ideal for young people’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.
@@ -762,7 +764,7 @@-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 architects quinquennial technical review of the property that we have to have to plan for its future maintenance.
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 ‘visible’ to the public; it had no lettings of rooms, no display windows and no involvement in the Festival. If these still matter they would be requirements for in any candidate alternative premises.
If we decide to sell Victoria Terrace in order to buy, lease or @@ -986,7 +994,7 @@
We explored the cost of moving elsewhere. Minimum accommodation for our own use only would be:
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.
-However, it would be necessary for us to be the chief +
However, it would be necessary for us to be the ‘chief’ occupants if we wish to be able to arrange mid-week or evening meetings, and have some say over publicity displays and lettings. We would probably want to be in charge of lettings, including festival events @@ -1042,7 +1050,7 @@ 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 ‘ownership’ 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.
@@ -1090,7 +1098,7 @@Subtotals for the year:
Grand total for the year:£16,873