Cobtree Manor Estate Charity Committee

25th January 2018

 

Cobtree Manor Park Visitor Centre/Café Update. January 2018

 

Final Decision-Maker

Cobtree Manor Estate Charity Committee

 

Lead Head of Service/Lead Director

Head of Regeneration and Economic Development

Lead Officer and Report Author

Jason Taylor –  Leisure Manager

Classification

Public

 

Wards affected

Boxley

 

 

Executive Summary

 

The information in the report is to update the committee on the performance of the Cobtree Manor Park Visitor Centre/Cafe as agreed at the Committee on 3rd August 2016 meeting.

 

 

 

This report makes the following recommendations to this Committee:

1.   That it notes the contents of this Visitor Centre/Café Update

 

 

 

Timetable

Meeting

Date

Cobtree Manor Estate Charity Committee

25th January 2018



Cobtree Manor Park Visitor Centre/Café Update. January 2018

 

 

 

1.      INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND

 

1.1                     The Cobtree Manor Visitor Centre/ Café first opened in August 2015.

1.2                     This will be the last update on the café operations as the café will be operated by an external operator.

1.3         Below is a breakdown of the month on month café/ visitor centre costs and income from when the facility opened to the current time.

 

*December 2017 figures still to be reconciled with Agresso


 

1.4                     For clarity, in the right hand outcome column of the table, positive figures are shown in black and negative figures in red.

1.5                     Business has slowed down considerably, as expected, during November and December. This is purely due to reduced visitors to the park, poor weather  and shorter opening hours. December was the first month that the business has operated at a loss in this financial year.

1.6                     Staffing levels continue to be kept to a minimum.

Café Contractor

 

1.7                     As the Committee is aware, the catering operation at Cobtree Manor Park is being externalised to DA GT, along with Mote Park and Maidstone Museum Cafes.

1.8                     Unfortunately the proposed handover date of October 31st 2017 was delayed due to legal documents not being exchanged in time.

1.9                     It is hoped that the handover of all three of the cafes will take place by the end of this month (January)

1.10     Regular meetings with the staff at all of the cafes have continued to take  place to ensure they are kept updated of progress.

1.11     DA GT the incoming contractor have indicated that a larger 3 phase electricity supply would be needed for then to carry out the improvements that they wish to do to the kitchen and servery. The cost of these works would be £23,600. Currently discussions are taking place on this matter with DA GT, but if CMET were to pay for these works, it is proposed to recoup any costs over the 5 years of the contract through an increase in rent.

 

 

 

2.        AVAILABLE OPTIONS

 

2.1     The committee could choose not to note the information contained in this  
     
reports, however the committee has requested regular updates on the Café
     
Visitor Centre performance

 

3.        PREFERRED OPTION AND REASONS FOR RECOMMENDATIONS

 

3.1         It is recommended that the information in this report regarding the performance of the Café/ Visitor Centre is noted.

 

 

 

4.       RISK

4.1    This report is presented for information only and has no risk management implications.



 

 

 

5.       CONSULTATION RESULTS AND PREVIOUS COMMITTEE FEEDBACK

 

5.1        The committee has previously resolved to receive regular updates on performance of the Café/ Visitor Centre.

 

 

6.       NEXT STEPS: COMMUNICATION AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THE DECISION

 

Any comments from the Committee will be passed on to the relevant parties.

 

 

 

7.       CROSS-CUTTING ISSUES AND IMPLICATIONS

 

 

Issue

Implications

Sign-off

Impact on Corporate Priorities

The work of the charity links

directly to its charitable objects and the corporate priorities of the Council.

Head of

Regeneration

and Economic

Development

Risk Management

Risks to running the estate are

dealt with in the annual Estate

Risk Management Report.

Head of

Regeneration

and Economic

Development

Financial

Financial risks are considered in

the ongoing finance updates.

 

Head of

Regeneration

and Economic

Development



8.        REPORT APPENDICES

 

·         None

 

 

9.        BACKGROUND PAPERS

 

None