Options for a cafe at the cinema

From The Star And Shadow Cinema Wiki

altabocn IDEA 1 Franchise or lease a space to someone who will run a café alongside the voluntary-run bar. Such a business doesn't have to be 'profit-making', but could have a co-operative or LLP relationship with Star and Shadow.

ADVANTAGES/DISADVANTAGES Responsibility and risk pass to the lessee. Runs against the ethos of Star and Shadow; creates an inequality.

FINANCE Steady income for Star and Shadow. Capital expenditure probably shared between café and Star and Shadow.

NOTES With the current numbers using the space, and the way the main entrance works, I doubt if a 'viable business' (yuk) could be run.

IDEA 2 Appoint a full-time or part-time café manager whose job would be to work with volunteers, order and manage, train, maintain momentum, book-keep, etc.

ADVANTAGES/DISADVANTAGES Responsibility and risk have to be taken by Star and Shadow. Creates an inequality, but this could be managed by devising the contract carefully and appointing sensitively.

FINANCE Capital expenditure would have to be entirely undertaken by Star and Shadow. Steady expenditure by Star and Shadow: returns uncertain.

NOTES As above: could the numbers using the café maintain even one full-time wage? There is a precedent I know of: The Forest Café in Edinburgh.

IDEA 3 Appoint a paid project manager/co-ordinator for a limited time, whose job would be to work with volunteers to get the café established, train/empower volunteers, and devise a plan for the future running and rhythms of the café.

ADVANTAGES/DISADVANTAGES Responsibility would have to be taken by Star and Shadow; risk would be limited by project time. Creates a temporary inequality - again, this could be managed, and indeed the project 'manager' would need to be very aware of his/her role.

FINANCE Capital expenditure would have to be undertaken by Star and Shadow, but project funding could be applied for. The risk of any money put into this would be that it doesn't achieve the momentum for the café to continue effectively after the project ends.

NOTES After the project phase, the voluntary ethos returns in its full sense. Limitations are set by volunteer numbers and hours, but people who use the Star and Shadow will expect a consistent level of 'service' and 'quality' (yuk again). Self-empower.

IDEA 4 Agree a volunteer co-ordinator or team to plan, self-train, equip, establish rhythms, etc.

ADVANTAGES/DISADVANTAGES Maintains the voluntary and collective ethos of Star and Shadow. Dependent on volunteer time and energy, and volunteers' skills and enthusiasms may well not have been offered for this area of Star and Shadow's activity.

FINANCE Capital expenditure would have to be undertaken by Star and Shadow, but project funding could be applied for. The risk of the effort put into this would be that it doesn't achieve the momentum for the café to continue effectively after the initial phase.

NOTES It hasn't quite happened yet but. with agreement on the social importance of the café and a specific effort to attract volunteers for the café, perhaps, for example, from refugee groups, this could be not only successful but exciting!