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
1. Background and introduction: The remit of the working group
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:
-
-
- Alastair Cameron and Don Stubbings, who briefed us on Area Meeting’s perspective; +
- Alastair Cameron and Don Stubbings, who briefed us on Area Meetings perspective;
- John Phillips, Area Meeting Treasurer;
- Anthony and Sue Buxton, Meeting House Managers;
- Mark Hutcheson, Clerk of Area Meeting Trustees; @@ -128,7 +128,7 @@
-
-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 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. +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.
-
@@ -261,14 +261,14 @@
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 +cleaners 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.
@@ -277,23 +277,21 @@
The Meeting House interleaves with the adjacent tenement building, 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 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’
+the main building and provide the present Library, Kitchen and Crèche
+Rooms, while one ground floor flat provided the present Managers
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
-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.
+Boys 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.
- 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. -
- 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. +
- 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. +
- 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.
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 didnt 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 children’s space is improved although +
The childrens space is improved although the crèche is rather dark and small and out of the way but other spaces are quite flexible.
@@ -183,14 +183,14 @@ 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 2007–8 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.
- 
- 
+
+
+
- 
+
There follows a description of each room, working down from the top.
@@ -241,7 +241,7 @@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:
-
-
-
-
- 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. +
- 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 childrens and teenagers groups, for the serving of refreshments and for social activity.
- 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.
- 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.
Early developments in Meeting House use
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.
@@ -328,7 +326,7 @@Use of the Meeting House and income from lettings develop
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 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 +
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 9 am until 10 pm @@ -336,7 +334,7 @@
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 @@ -364,13 +362,13 @@
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 Scotland’s short life, but the +contributed to the end of Quaker Link Scotlands 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 Lucass 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.
@@ -382,7 +380,7 @@ 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.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 West Bow, for £138,000 with the sale proceeds. (An further flat -in West Bow was purchased in 1995 for £25,000). A fund raising appeal and +flat in 6 Upper Bow, for £138,000 with the sale proceeds. (An 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 equipment, as well as common repairs to 6 Upper Bow.
@@ -523,8 +521,16 @@ 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 £12,000 to -£30,000 per annum, 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. - +£30,000 per annum, has reduced Area Meetings contribution to Britain Yearly Meeting. +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 +meeting house in Kelso. All legacies received by Area Meeting since then +have been set aside in a reserve fund, and this, together with a special appeal for +extra funds, permitted us to +undertake the foyer development work and, most recently, during 2008, the restoration of the +building's stonework. The reserves are currently low as a result of that +recent expenditure.
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 @@ -542,19 +548,21 @@ 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 Local Meeting (£3,300) and the Festival Fringe (£4,000), the remaining £10,000 represents 35–40% of the gap between income and expenditure in 2007 and 2008.
-Referring to Figure 3, what this means is that up until 2005, Area Meeting was getting a very +
Summary
+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 2005 it paid the charitable rate for that space, and thereafter has been paying what is only now approaching a commercial rate for that space. Any consideration of the impact on the Area Meeting of moving out of 7 Victoria -Terrace must consider this perspective very seriously.
+Terrace must consider this perspective very seriously.4. The present
@@ -573,15 +581,18 @@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 +Meeting for Worship, requiring both large and small rooms and benefiting from ancillary facilities such as the library +and kitchen.
Lettings
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.
@@ -703,7 +714,7 @@Festival Fringe
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.
-There is also the Rainforest Café that runs at the same time-from around 1000–1800. 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 café does not make much of a profit it adds to the feel and ethos of the venue.
+There is also the Café that runs at the same time—from around 1000–1800. 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 café does not make much of a profit it adds to the feel and ethos of the venue.
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 @@ -728,7 +739,7 @@
It is necessary to meet at Victoria Terrace to do practical tasks and allows access to resources.
-The building is ideal for young people’s +
The building is ideal for young peoples 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.
@@ -738,7 +749,7 @@ as babysitting.The overall room size, location, comfort -and facilities are considered to be good.
+and facilities are considered to be good. The building is ideally placed for outreach.Some Quaker groups had a problem booking rooms for the times they requested and asked if there could be some priority @@ -746,14 +757,12 @@
The service offered by meeting house staff is very good.
- -Ideally placed for outreach
4.2. Building finances
-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.
-
-
- Includes services, cleaning, equipment and furniture purchases and architect’s fees +
- Includes services, cleaning, equipment and furniture purchases and architects fees
- Building work—external stonework
- For the meeting house and specifically building work
- External £47,400 and Central Edinburgh meeting £3,300 @@ -808,29 +817,26 @@ indeed required in some cases, about which decisions need to be taken in the near future:
- Windows - Some of the windows on the south-west side of the -building urgently require repair or replacement and insulation needs to be improved. -
- Roof access - Access to the roof above the flat, for example -for gutter repairs, is very difficult and should be improved at some point. -
- Kitchen - Health and safety requirements have stipulated +
- Roof access Access to the roof above the flat, for example +for gutter repairs, is very difficult and needs to be improved. This work will be carried out shortly. +
- Windows Some of the windows on the south-west side of the +building urgently require repair or replacement and insulation needs to be +improved. A plan is being drawn up for their phased replacement and this is +currently being costed. +
- Kitchen Health and safety requirements have stipulated improvements to the kitchen likely to cost in the region of £30,000 if cooking is to be undertaken and offered for sale, for -example in conjunction with the Rainforest Café at +example in conjunction with the Café at the time of the Festival Fringe. Lower-cost options with reduced facilities are also possible. -
- Toilets - These are not up to the standard of the rest of the +
- Toilets These are not up to the standard of the rest of the building. Plans for extending and improving them have been costed at around £50,000. -
- Creèche - Plans for re-structuring the creèche rooms and +
- Crèche Plans for re-structuring the crèche rooms and their access to come directly from the library have been costed at around £5,000. -
- Heating - It has been suggested that the heating for the +
- Heating It has been suggested that the heating for the building should be upgraded or replaced, possibly involving a shift to -renewable sources. +renewable sources, building on work done some time ago by an Environmental +Improvement group.
-
-
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 even share somewhere else it would probably be necessary to sell at least one of the -two flats as well. 7 Victoria Terrace was valued at only £160,000 before the current slump -in property prices, at which time the two flats together were valued at closer -to £300,000. The official rateable value (reflecting a fair-market annual +two flats as well. 7 Victoria Terrace was valued at £385,000 in +November of 2007 (before the current slump +in property prices), at which time the two flats together were valued at £370,000. The official rateable value (reflecting a fair-market annual rental value) for 7 Victoria Terrace is £14,600, which is -broadly in line with, or a little below, the £160,000 valuation.
+rather low in terms of the £385,000 valuation.We explored the cost of moving elsewhere. Minimum accommodation for our own use only would be:
- 1 Meeting Room -
- 1 Children’s Room +
- 1 Childrens Room
- Library
- Kitchen (for heating up only)
- Lavatories @@ -989,7 +995,7 @@ we would be looking for:
- 2 Meeting Rooms -
- 2 Children’s Rooms +
- 2 Childrens Rooms
- Kitchen (for cooking)
- Library
- Lavatories @@ -1005,7 +1011,7 @@
- A home not only for the Quaker community but also for those with whose principles and activities Quakers are in harmony. -
- Our building’s shop windows make us unusually visible—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. +
- Our buildings shop windows make us unusually visible—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.
- Building could be more of a focus for Quakers in Scotland, perhaps having an office from which Quakers can speak to the Scottish Parliament. @@ -1100,23 +1106,23 @@ towards independence. This will present a great opportunity for Scottish Quakers to dialogue with Scottish law-makers (freed from the influence of English bishops).
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 @@ -1036,7 +1042,7 @@ 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.
@@ -1084,7 +1090,7 @@