Business Plan

Veggies and the Rainbow Centre are Moving~ON soon.
Note our NEW phone number : 0846 458 9595.
Our address is changing. To be kept informed click here.

This page presents the business plan for how we think the move will work.

Can you help us with funds for our move? Anything is welcome, however small or large... take a look at the fundraising page.

CONTENTS

  • (A) SUMMARY OF BUSINESS TO DATE

  • (B) CONSTRAINTS OF CURRENT SITUATION

  • (C) OUTLINE OF CURRENT PROPOSAL

  • (D) MARKETING PLAN FOR PRODUCTS AND SERVICES

  • (E) OPERATIONAL DETAILS OF PROPOSAL

  • (F) COSTING AND PRICING OF PROPOSAL

  • APPENDICES

    (A) SUMMARY OF BUSINESS TO DATE

    A.1. Background

  • The Centre was established in 1984, by members of Nottingham Friends Of the Earth and Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament groups. It has grown from what was initially a single shared office in a single building, to a seven unit terrace of shops, offices, cafe, library, campaign resources and collective housing. The Centre is currently situated at 176-188 Mansfield Road, Nottingham NG1 3HW.

    Summary Statement

  • The Rainbow Centre is a secondary co-operative that services groups and individuals working towards peace, co-operation and social and environmental awareness.

    Key Objectives

  • To provide accommodation, administration, social and information facilities for organisations and individuals working towards peace, co-operation and social and environmental awareness.

    Business Identity

  • The Rainbow Centre is registered as an Industrial and Provident Society with limited liability, under the Industrial and Provident Societies Act 1965-1978 [Registered Number 24442R]

    A.2. Sources of present funding

    A.2.1. Rent

    Tenant groups

  • Veggies Catering Campaign (Outside catering co-operative)
  • Veggies Ltd. (Vegetarian Food Manufacturing co-operative)
  • Vaccination Awareness Network (Parental support group)
  • Nottingham Windpower Project
  • Alternative Holidays (Residential / Natural Healing
  • Workshops)
  • Sustrans Regional Office (National cycle network)

    Housing Collective (Seven Residential Units)

    User Groups

  • Nottingham LETS (Local Exchange Trading Scheme)
  • Vegetarian and Vegan Society
  • Wild Things Ecological Education Collective (Activities for young people)
  • Cropwell Croppers (Organic Market Garden Collective )
  • NEDS Housing Co-operative (Social Housing Co-operative)
  • Nottingham Animal Aid Group

    Mailbox Service

  • MISO Publications (Independent Publisher)
  • NASA (Nottingham Association of Social Activists)
  • Nottingham Friends of the Earth

    A.2.2. Trading

  • Vegan Cafe
  • Fair Trade Shop
  • Outside stalls at Festivals and other environmental and social events

    A.2.3. Fund-raising.

  • Grants (e.g. Network for Social Change)
  • Benefit Events, in partnership with ecological and community projects
  • Video Nights (showing independent / educational videos)
  • Sale of music tapes and CDs

    A.2.4. Miscellaneous Income

  • Recycling project
  • Computer facilities user fees (desktop publishing, word processing, internet access, web-site hosting, database management)
  • Photocopying facilities
  • Public payphone and fax service
  • Room hire (to community and campaign groups)

    In summary, The Rainbow Centre provides a unique environment where all the above services can be made available to groups and individuals in an atmosphere of mutual aid, co-operation, and collective decision making.

    (B) CONSTRAINTS OF CURRENT SITUATION

    B.1. Location

  • Position at the junction of two of the busiest roads in Nottingham is not conducive to maintaining a pleasant working environment, or attracting customers or users.
  • Access is made difficult by the lack of parking space for visitors, and parking restrictions on an urban clearway limit creates difficulties for deliveries and for loading for outside functions and events.
  • There is no safe space for parking of bicycles, the preferred mode of transport for many of our clients and users.
  • Mansfield Road is not a thriving business corridor and lacks passing trade. As a major heavy traffic route it also lacks any sense of community.
  • There is no outdoor space such as a yard or garden. Many of the Centre's user groups would like to provide services to the community such as bike workshops, urban horticulture projects, children's play projects, etc. This lack of suitable space is therefore limiting the facilities that we can provide.

    B.2. Building

  • The current premises are no longer able to sustain the growth of the activities of the Rainbow Centre. This has necessitated piecemeal expansion into neighbouring buildings, creating a fragmented effect.
  • Occupying six separate units creates lack of collective identity or clarity, with the layout of the building leading to different projects being confined to offices remote from other users and the public.
  • Facilities made available at the Centre are spread throughout three different levels creating problems of accessibility for many of our users.
  • The building is in desperate need of renovation beyond the resources of the co-operative and the will of the landlord.
  • The degeneration of the building does not create a tolerable environment for our residents and users. This leads to a shortfall in tenancies, with a consequent effect on financial viability. This is compounded by the location being in an area of constant noise and air pollution.
  • With the building consisting of a series of small rooms, we can not meet the growing demand for a more suitable public meeting space and social/educational venue.

    B.3. Ownership and Control

  • We are currently tenants of a landlord, with no long-term security; the lease allows the landlord to give six months notice to quit at any time. This means that any investment in the building is insecure, and restricts investment opportunities, i.e. funding from outside bodies is difficult to obtain.
  • Volunteers and users lack any sense of control over their working environment.
  • With no long-term security, potential new projects are reluctant to establish themselves within the Centre. Money spent on rent would be better invested in a building of our own which would lead to long term security for user groups and residents.
  • Long term investment in ecological improvements such as solar energy, solar water heating, double-glazing, permaculture, windpower and educational displays of other alternative technologies is not viable in a building that lacks long term security.

    In summary, all of the above factors lead to physical and financial insecurity. The membership of the co-operative therefore feel that the only way to ensure the continuation of the project into the future is to relocate to more suitable and permanent premises.

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