A Discussion Paper written by
Ted Ryan and Pauline Roche
RnR Organisation Ltd
September 2014
IRISH
CLUBS AND CENTRES
IN BRITAIN
ACTIVITIES
NECESSARY TO DEVELOP
A
SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MODEL
This discussion paper was triggered following a discussion
about support for, and the future of, Irish Clubs and Centres at an Irish in
Britain (IiB) meeting in July 2014.
We believe there needs to be a discussion as whether
support should be offered, as well as the nature of support to be developed
and offered - this paper, however, offers some radical solutions, solutions
that may not be palatable to some people.
We believe that, given the history of support offered by
IIB, and the state of some clubs, such a discussion should be considering
radical and far reaching proposals if the role of the clubs and centres at the
core of Irish Culture in Britain is to continue.
This discussion paper is essentially an introduction to the
issue – it is not an in depth analysis of the background, governance
structures, source and nature of issues and potential resolutions.
We produce this paper, not only as interested members of IiB
and people active in the Irish community, but also as professionals who have
worked in the field of community and cultural development for over 25 years.
We have a track record of project and partnership
development and management, cultural and arts delivery and governance and
organisational troubleshooting.
Hopefully, if there is the appetite to explore the issue further,
there will be greater, more in depth analysis of all the issues as per the
recommendation.
BACKGROUND
Irish Clubs and Centres (from now on just referred to as Clubs),
have been core to Diaspora life since anyone can remember, and have been core
to the social and cultural life of the Irish community in Britain since the
major emigration in the middle of the last century.
The creation of
these venues fulfilled the need within an emigration pattern long gone. The venues
enabled emigrants to meet and speak with other emigrants, listen to and play
music they were familiar with, sing and celebrate their language, dance and
watch dancing, and celebrate the sport of their Ireland, GAA.
Families held
christening parties, birthday parties, wedding receptions and wakes in clubs.
GOVERNANCE
Predominantly managed by committee, elected through a
membership, the vast majority of clubs followed a ‘democratic’ process in
their management and development.
A variety of governance structures were also adopted:
charity, mutual and beneficial, limited company.
PROPERTY. BUILDING, SALES AND ACTIVITIES
A variety of arrangements exist as to the tenure, ownership,
leasing or renting of clubs.
The same applies to the contract for the purchase and
sales of beer, as well as what other services a club may offer.
The licensing changes in 2005 modified how Clubs were
licensed. While most remain as ‘clubs’ they tend to be licensed as ‘premises’
and not as private clubs.
ISSUES
On July 12th 2014 at the Irish in Britain (IiB)
meeting in Birmingham the issues and problem that some clubs are currently facing
was raised. While accepting that there is a general malaise in the licensing
sector, IiB were requested to consider supporting clubs to ensure that they
continue to be capable of playing an active role at the heart of Irish
cultural activity.
There is a tradition of IiB offering support to clubs. In
previous years this support has been extensive. There is also a pattern of
clubs either ignoring or not recognising the value of that support. This is not
an absolute across the board - some have listened and benefitted - but it can
be said that clubs are not the easiest of groups to work with.
IiB are currently undertaking a review of clubs. While the
current research is being undertaken it may be necessary for additional
information to be obtained.
If the problem of the sustainability of clubs is to be addressed
then the issue of accepting, listening to and acting on support, also needs to
be addressed. The issues on both sides need to be identified in a frank and
honest manner, acknowledging the strengths and weaknesses on both sides, and recognising
the need to develop a workable and sustainable solution.
The issue of sustainability does, however, not apply to
all clubs. While these other clubs may not seek support from IiB it could be
hoped that they may play a role in identifying solutions, enabling other clubs
to learn from their experiences, skills and activities.
Some issues that have been
expressed and need further exploration:
- The experience of club board - business, venue and financial management
- View of role of club – purely for Irish Activity or recognition of other money earning activities?
- The willingness of board members to listen and act on advice
- Unwillingness/reluctance to work in partnership with other agencies
- Inability to develop an economically viable programme, as a business, rather than a series of services to fulfil community need (this is when there is a view that the club or centre is a community asset and not a business)
- A narrow view of Irish Culture and need based on the dominance on the management group of particular elements of the emigrant community
- Reliance on Irish Government funding to develop services or undertake improvements.
WHAT INFORMATION NEEDS TO BE SHARED
Some clubs may be reluctant to share information. If
support is to be offered and sustainable models developed, providing such
information is essential.
Any sustainable model must be developed and enshrined
within a business proposal.
While the cultural role of the clubs may be considered as
their primary function, there is a cost to that activity, a cost that needs to
be raised either through grants, which, in the current economic climate, are
more difficult to come by, or through commercial activity.
The collation of business, property and structural
information needs to be provided and analysed as an initial examination as to
the structural (building) and economic (trading) state of the clubs.
Initial research should examine
a.
Physical
size of club
i.
Provided in
floor size (m2), number of rooms and sizes.
ii.
Car parking
iii.
Transport,
access, location in town/city
b.
Tenure
of club
i.
Rented
ii.
Leasehold –
extended
iii.
Ownership
iv.
Other – church
hall
v.
Other
vi.
Ability to raise
money against club as an asset
c.
Investment
i.
Required - building
requirements
ii.
Potential - based
on value of premises and tenure
d.
Governance
i.
Private
sector, Community Interest Company ,
Company Limited by Guarantee , Mutual, Charity
ii.
Membership and
size of ‘active’ membership, and diversity
iii.
Meetings and
voting activity
iv.
Skills
analysis - experience of board
e.
Structural
Changes
i.
Ability to merge/collaborate
ii.
Mandate of
committee and governance arrangement
iii.
Membership
structure
iv.
Rights and
responsibilities of Board to enter into agreement for partnership and
collaborative agreement
f.
Business/market
i.
Business
turnover
ii.
Staff management
and business activity
iii.
Community
activity, and charges
iv.
Private sector
links and services outsourced
v.
Market knowledge/development proposals
vi.
Business plan
vii.
Skills training
– staff and board
viii.
Identification
of business potential
ix.
Income/Expenditure
– how much does it cost to run the club per hour/day?
WILLINGNESS TO LOOK AT A NEW MODEL -
COLLABORATIVE
OR BUSINESS AMALGAMATION
The state of the clubs within the community is not a new
issue.
The support received from IiB in the past has had some
impact but, for a number of reasons, some clubs remain in decline.
It may be necessary therefore, to look beyond helping individual
clubs, and to explore the potential to develop business partnerships and joint
business practice, formal amalgamation, enabling a managing body to treat the
Irish Clubs as one business.
The information gathered in part 5 will create an overall
picture of the ‘worth’ of the clubs, the property and turnover. Once this
baseline has been established, the potential for business development can be
explored.
Amalgamating clubs, developing business partnerships or other
forms of joint operations can be explored, including the creation of one
company to manage and develop activity.
The potential advantage of one company would be
- Identification of assets and value, transfer of assets to central company
- Central management process informed by local advisory groups , clubs managed as going businesses – long term assessment of viability of club prior to amalgamation[1]
- Central purchasing and monitoring will lead to savings
- Marketing and development of services etc.
- Booking of bands, theatre tours etc could increase potential of additional funding and sponsorship deals
- Development of investment programme based on value of ‘company’ assets
- Preparation for investment readiness of ‘company’
However, we recognise that this is a major change, and
possibly a step too far for the clubs.
Developing collaborative activity, not a formal business
amalgamation but the development of memorandum of understanding, joint
partnership agreements etc. may be more acceptable.
In this model individual clubs would join and ‘buy in’ to a
business model and process. In this case however, there are not so many
advantages:
- It is a weaker business model, whereby clubs ‘buy’ into a process.
- No robust business assets to enable development or investment.
- Similar to previous support offered – which ultimately closed as it was felt that clubs abused the process.
7. FINAL THOUGHTS AND A RECOMMENDATION
There is not an easy answer to
this issue. Clubs are in competition with other venues like never before, the
demographics of the community have changed, and those people that established
the clubs when they first arrived are less in number and up-to-date experience
of venue management.
In many cases, these first
generation (late 1950’s-1960’s) emigrants still dominate the clubs and have ‘difficulty’
in handing over the reins. This transition probably should have happened 10-15
years ago but it didn’t, and now, those who may have been willing, have moved
onto other venues and interests.
Questions to be considered by club committees/boards
What is to be the legacy of the
current committees and structures? How long will you last if you don’t change?
What are you leaving behind and
what do you want to leave your children and children’s children who will move
further away from their heritage and culture if what’s there is not accessible
and acceptable to them?
Recommendation
The IiB could set up a
commission to consider this idea comprising representatives from the clubs,
the Irish Embassy, businesses, Irish cultural organisations and funding be
identified to carry out this activity – there may be funding available in Britain
e.g. Big Potential
[1] The last thing needed after a club joins the ‘company‘
would be disagreement between a local advisory committee and the central
management of the process over viability; therefore, a robust business case is required.
