Neighbourhood facilities are only worth having if there is the money and resources to run them. One way of helping with this is to incorporate an element of income generation into the physical fabric of the building. This is particularly important for civil society organisations who need a mix of funding types. It is worth spending significant time upfront thinking through the various ways in which facilities can make money, and how this can be maximised. There is, however, clearly a balance to be struck between public service and charitable objectives. In some cases, it may be better to have a completely separate income generating element, rather than attempt to mix both.
The St Luke’s Centre is a large community centre in EC1, approximately 20,000 Square foot. It is converted from two old school buildings, and has a number of different spaces (dining rooms, older people’s lounge, offices, meeting rooms). The Trust, supported by EC1 NDC, has undertaken a £2m capital re-build project and also taken on a number of additional services and responsibilities in the area. To underpin their vision, it was very important for the Trust to be able to increase their revenue generation to contribute to the overall costs of the renovation. Therefore, the building has been designed to facilitate this; it includes a more lettable space, a kitchen that can serve both lunches for older people and a street front café, and a new major conference facility on the ground floor.
There is a significant emphasis on the need for new facilities to generate more income now, both amongst Councils and community sector organisations. However, it is important to be attuned to the potential conflict between commercial and charitable/public service objectives.
