2. Executive summary of work and conclusions

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 +months of 2009. Over the course of those meetings we invited a number of people to join us to share their particular perspectives on the matter:

Alastair Cameron and Don Stubbings, who briefed us on Area Meeting’s perspective;

-The Foyer (also not shown in the plans) is fairly spacious, but its +The Foyer is fairly spacious, but its adaptability is inhibited by two structural pillars. This space was originally a shop under the Original Secession @@ -410,7 +410,7 @@

3.4. Outline financial history

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 6 Upper Bow, for £138,000 with the sale proceeds. (An further flat +flat in 6 Upper Bow, for £138,000 with the sale proceeds. (A further flat in 6 Upper Bow was purchased in 1995 for £25,000). A fund raising appeal and a contribution (for stonework) from Historic Scotland covered a further £360,000, which was used for external repairs, complete internal remodelling, purchase of furniture and @@ -420,7 +420,7 @@ In 1994 the new wardens/managers appointed were explicitly, as a part of their jobs, expected to develop the full use of the building and generate an increased income from the letting of the property to outside organisations. As can be seen from the attached income and expenditure table, this proved to be successful with differential charges being levied of small voluntary organisations and larger government or other public sector bodies some of which had long term, fairly permanent, arrangements to regularly hire out parts of the property. A significant, but fluctuating, contribution to the funds has been received from the Festival Fringe Committee over most of those years.

@@ -539,7 +539,8 @@ 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 user groups about the service provided also increase. Furthermore there are -both routine and one-off capital costs that have to be met both to keep the building safe, wind and watertight as well as to meet disability access legislation for properties open to the public. While the routine maintenance and repairs can be met from regular letting income, contributions from Friends and attenders and donations, specific appeals have had to be made for the redevelopment of the foyer and the Bow Room costing nearly £70,000. In 2008 the cost of the stonework repairs of about £30,000 was largely met by two legacies recently left to the Area Meeting.

+both routine and one-off capital costs that have to be met both to keep the +building safe, wind and watertight as well as to meet disability access legislation for properties open to the public. While the routine maintenance and repairs can be met from regular letting income, contributions from Friends and attenders and donations, specific appeals have had to be made for the redevelopment of the foyer and new entrance costing nearly £70,000. In 2008 the cost of the stonework repairs of about £30,000 was largely met by two legacies recently left to the Area Meeting.

Lettings are not of course the only use made of the building. Central Edinburgh Local Meeting worships there, Local, Area and General Meeting groups have meetings there, @@ -550,8 +551,8 @@ 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 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 +being approximately £65 for each Sunday, or £3,300 per annum (see Figure 5).

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 @@ -608,94 +609,43 @@ current goal is to always have someone on the front desk, with one or two other staff during the day depending on the volume of booking.

To give an idea of the pattern of non-Quaker lettings we have taken a recent six-week -period and have looked at the groups who used the Meeting House and how long the lets -were for. The two figures below summarise the results.

+period and with the help of the Managers have looked at the groups who used the Meeting House and the number of lets. The figure below summarises the results.

- - - + + - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +

Group	Number of people	Room
Campaign Against Arms Trade	10–15	Bow
Alternatives to Violence Project	10–15	Bow
Wood Craft Folk	5	Bow
British Stammering Support Assoc.	10	Bow
J. Johnson	20	Library
Soc. of Homeopaths	20	Meeting
Family Fed. of World Peace Development	0–15	Library
Edinburgh Drug & Alcohol Action Team	20	Hall
Blake & Stevenson	4–5	Bow
Ileostomy Association Support Group	30	Hall & library
Scottish Natural Heritage	20	Hall
Parkinsons Disease Soc.	10	Bow
Collective Gallery	10	Bow
Built Environment Forum	20+	Hall
City of Edinburgh Council Welfare Rights	4+	Room 5
Ramblers	20	Meeting
College of Occupational Therapists	10	Bow
Fruit-market Gallery	4	Bow
Social Research Assoc. Scotland	6	Bow
Scottish Handcraft Circle	20	Library
No 2 I.D.	20	Meeting
Darfur training Committee	4–6	Bow
Action learning Group	10	Bow
Alzheimers Scotland	10–12	Library
Alzheimers National	50	Meeting & Hall
British Assoc. of drama Therapists	20	Hall
World Development Movt.	6	Bow
Spiritualist Friends of Edin	4–5	Room 5
Scottish Traditional Dance & Music Society	10	Hall
Social Enterprise Academy	8	Hall(?)
Parkinsons Disease Soc. Stirling	10	Bow
Political Party	4
Young People	2
Health Training	3
Professional Body	7
Sell-care	5
Church Group	5
Art Gallery	2
Rail	3
Yoga Class or similar	2
Social Interest	11
Environment	3
Spiritual Healing	2
Peace	5
Education	3
Educational Training	3
Charity	4
Grassroots	1
City of Edinburgh	1

Figure 4. Non-Quaker groups using the Meeting House: showing number of people and the rooms used

- - - - - - - - - - - - - -

-	Week of -6th-12th April	Week of -13th-19th April	Week of -20th-26th April	Week of -27th April-3rd May	Week of -4th-10th May	Week of -11th-17th May
All-day bookings	-3	-2	-4	-4	-4	-7
2–3 hour bookings	-15	-13	-20	-21	-24	-19

Figure 5. Number and duration of lets, by week, -spring 2009

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, +

In all there were approximately 113 lets to 66 +different groups during the six-week period from 6 April to 17 May 2009. +Costs will depend on size of group, length of time they needed space, which +room(s) they rented and what rate they were charged: following Area Meeting policy, 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—this amounts to only a few hundred pounds per annum at most.) There is also a cost for refreshments, including tea, coffee @@ -703,7 +653,7 @@ and are not complete, but are included to give a sense of the breadth and volume of letting.

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 +Terrace regarding how they rate the premises. However there were over sixty groups using the building which feels very positive, and the feedback forms the Meeting House Managers solicit contain many very warm endorsements.

It is unclear if we should or could increase income by raising the letting rates. Trustees are aware the lettings levels have fallen, especially daytime use. A possible reason for this could be greater competition in the area for the level of provision we offer. Our letting charges are comparable with other churches/halls in the area.

@@ -740,7 +690,7 @@ stillness and worship.

It is necessary to meet at Victoria Terrace -to do practical tasks and allows access to resources.

+to do practical tasks and allow access to resources.

The building is ideal for young people’s link weekend---there is no other Quaker building in Scotland @@ -810,7 +760,7 @@

From the capital account (legacies) £30,000 and the Festival Fringe account £4,000
Made up by Area Meeting

Figure 6. 7 Victoria Terrace: Revised summary of 2008 income and +

Figure 5. 7 Victoria Terrace: Revised summary of 2008 income and expenditure, including capital project

Of the total 2008 shortfall, roughly £9,000 is owed to one-off expenditures, @@ -909,7 +859,7 @@

Reduce activities to Quaker activities only—this would reduce opening hours and lettings and increase costs per capita.
-The Rain Forest Café—the café could go and/or drinks and snacks alone could be provided for visitors. +The Festival Café—the café could go and/or drinks and snacks alone could be provided for visitors.
The Meeting House as a Festival Venue—events/opening hours could be reduced and income would be reduced. @@ -932,7 +882,7 @@
- -The kitchen does not meet Health and Safety standards to prepare and serve meat +The kitchen does not meet Health and Safety standards to prepare and serve food to the public. An alternative is to serve vegetarian food only and ask for donations from the public. Trustees are actively exploring this area: the working group does not feel that the exact nature of the trade-offs between @@ -1059,7 +1009,7 @@ because it is central and visible, available and open. Such doubts as were expressed were about finance and the Festival.

Table of Contents

1. Background and introduction: The remit of the working group

2. Executive summary of work and conclusions

3. The past

3.1. Origins

3.2. Building structure

3.3. Outline history of building use

3.4. Outline financial history

4. The present

4.1. Building use

4.2. Building finances

5. The future

5.1. Practicalities

5.2. The Vision

5.3. Conclusions

6. Appendices

6.1. Appendix A: Remit from Area Meeting

6.2. Appendix B: Questionnaires for different user groups

6.3. Appendix C: Summary of contributions from open meetings

6.4. Appendix D: Friends’ use of 7 Victoria Terrace in 2008

6.5. Other sources

2. Executive summary of work and conclusions

3.4. Outline financial history

5.3. Conclusions

6. Appendices

6.1. Appendix A: Remit from Area Meeting

6.2. Appendix B: Questionnaires for different user groups

A. For QUAKER GROUPS and COMMITTEES who use 7 Victoria Terrace

6.3. Appendix C: Summary of contributions from open meetings

Notes of first Open Meeting, Sunday, 26 April 2008 at 7 Victoria Terrace

6.4. Appendix D: Friends’ use of 7 Victoria Terrace in 2008

6.5. Other sources