[57north-announce] Fwd: Terrible email

[Edward Watson]

*Sent on behalf of the 57North Board of Directors*

Dear 57N members, visitors and followers

As you may know, your directors have been collecting options around moving
to a
larger space. Our limiting factor has been our relatively low income in a
pretty expensive city. Recently, we've been looking into a local unit (half
a
large room) on George Street above the Eco Hub shop.

* The good parts:

    - The unit itself is half a first floor room, roughly the same floor
area
      as our present space but with more height (good for taller storage).
It
      is up a single flight of stairs via a corridor with space for lockers.
      The unit's rear door leads up from a car park, available after 6pm.

    - The landlord does not require a deposit and is keen to help and work
      alongside a group such like us. He has a number of small projects
ideas
      he would offer, with kit, to anyone interested e.g. lighting showroom
      design, product prototyping and experimenting with fuel cells.

    - At this location we'd have control of the outside door so we'd have
actual
      24/7 access to the space.

* The less good parts:

    - The unit/room requires us to refit it. We would need to add:

        * more power sockets
        * network sockets
        * storage
        * desks

      This would have to be done with space volunteers

    - We might have to start paying for internet connection, we cannot
assume
      our current sponsor will transfer our account. We are looking into
this
      but safer to assume we will lose this.

    - The unit is more expensive to rent and the rate will increase as time
      goes on.  It is an extra £45 per month initially compared to our
current rate and
      increases by £70 ontop in 6 months, then by another £50 ontop of that
nearer to
      2018. This does not include any utilities.

We are only just about meeting our present costs, therefore we would need to
significantly increase our income prior to moving and have to maintain it
once
we move.

The directors propose we should only consider such a move if we can:

    (a) increase our income by an additional £120/month on top of the
current,
        which will provide us with enough income for approx. 7 months under
new
        space rent/electric/internet

    (b) gather enough interest from members to actually perform the move.

Addressing (a), one proposal is to ask members for sustained monthly
pledges on
top of their usual rate over the next 7 month period totalling £120/month of
additional income. Meeting this for the next 7 months would give us
breathing
room to increase membership and reach for funding.

For point (b), we suggest a separate show of hands for people who can
commit time, tools, transport and possibly money for materials. It would be
a great group project for those that are keen.

Comments only please at this stage. If we proceed, we'll arrange for
pledges to
received privately. Please either reply to this email or contact the
directors
directly with comments and feedback, using the email below.

Regards,

The 57North Board
 57north-ctte-private at lists.57north.co
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