[Swansea Hackspace] [Notice] We're moving out - End of the Wind Street Space

[Paul Harwood]

Hi,

As an admirer of Hackspace’s community from afar, I would humbly like to offer my advice around the current situation with an “if I were you” summary of what I think could work. You may already be considering these options, apologies if there is repetition.

- I would consolidate the position of hackspace and park the community by storing the equipment and asking the community to contribute that storage
- Run a community audit, where you audit the value of the community to the local economy and start to build up a financial picture
- Run a crowd fund and approach WCVA and/or other entities like UWTSD with enough of a case to raise a small capital position that allows Hackspace to BUY a property with a commercial mortgage
- consider anything! Mothballed Ships are fairly cheap and can be moored in the docks at a long term lease, containers are cheap to buy, think laterally and be creative, the more engaging the idea for the new hackspace, the more newsworthy and the more attractive to funders
- This would free up the community from the problem of a landlord, admittedly increasing other costs and burdens, but this would be a platform for a more credible entity. Easy and cheap landlord deals can seem good until you have to move out the 5th time
- Alternatively, try to strike a long term (+10 yr) fixed deal with a landlord, but with the above in place (including the capital position for fit out), factoring in growth and shrinkage into the contract

We have been hit hard by COVID19 in TechHub and we are just about surviving, but it means some tough decisions to remain viable. Long term thinking seems a luxury I know, but it is worth it now to put in the foundations for the next 20 years of the hackspace.

It would be an incredible shame to see the hackspace community be thinned out because it couldn’t find a suitable venue, as communities are so hard to build and nurture in this part of the world. 

— Paul

> On 29 Aug 2020, at 19:06, Swansea Hackspace Directors <directors at swansea.hackspace.org.uk> wrote:
> 
> Hi all,
> 
> This email is being sent directly to all paid members as well as to the
> mailing list.
> 
> Yesterday afternoon (28th) the directors were sent notice from our
> landlord's letting agent that they have found someone willing to rent
> our space at the full commercial rate. We have therefore been given just
> 4 weeks to vacate and move everything out.
> 
> This has always been a possibility, but the middle of a pandemic
> obviously isn't a great time to be finding new premises and we're having
> to proceed on the basis that we will not have a new home for the space
> before the end of our notice period.
> 
> What you need to do:
> 
> All personal property needs to be removed from the space before the
> 18th of September. Feel free to take your storage box with you.
> 
> *** Any property remaining in the space after the 18th may be disposed of
> at the discretion of the directors ***
> 
> If you are not able to visit the space before the 18th, please contact
> the directors to make other arrangements.
> 
> The COVID-19 rules remain in place, so please let us know when you're
> planning to visit. We're also still open for bookings to use the space
> and our equipment as normal until the 18th.
> 
> Non-keyholders please contact the directors or another keyholder to
> arrange for one of us to be present to open the space for you. For the
> purposes of collecting property we will relax the "one household at a
> time" rule, but please ensure that you remain at least 2m from members
> and other building occupants that are not part of your household or
> extended household, and consider wearing a face mask during your visit.
> 
> The hackspace's own property will be stored until we can find ourselves
> new premises or we have exhausted all reasonable alternatives.
> 
> If anyone is aware of suitable alternative premises, send the details
> (most importantly, including the price) to the directors:
> directors at swansea.hackspace.org.uk
> A link to the details from a letting agent/estate agent would be ideal,
> although we are also looking at those.
> 
> We will be making further announcements about membership fees soon, and
> certainly before the next round of direct debits are processed. We will
> also email nearer the time looking for volunteers to help move
> everything out.
> 
> Kind regards,
> 
> Tom, Tim, Liz, Andy and Alice
> Directors, Swansea Hackspace
> 
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