This week, the Well Street-based Denbighshire Voluntary Services Council (DVSC) will announce a major departure from its usual role. It's secured £100,000 to transform the market hall and to establish alongside a social enterprise to run it. A social enterprise sounds all very community-focused and fluffy but it is in essence a business.
Why a departure? Hitherto, the DVSC has been a support body for existing voluntary organisations. With its role for the market hall, the DVSC now becomes an actor in its own right, a doer. The first question to ask therefore is, is this the right step for the DVSC. Should it be moving away from its constituted support role.
The second question might conceivably be, is this £100,000 being spent wisely. There's no denying that the market hall needs investment. But the DVSC's doesn't appear to be complementary. Instead, it's competitive. The town council has invested well over the same amount of money in a protracted project refurbishing the Old Courthouse into a community space. Both are chasing the same market.
The advantages of the Old Courthouse are clear: it's a well heated space. The market hall is very cold—with hire prices of £100 for the privilege of frost bite,
Speaking with town councillors, it appears that there's a certain amount of animosity towards the DVSC project. To illustrate this, the DVSC was to run its Christmas market (not in the market hall) on December 7th, the same time as the town's Christmas splurge. This resulted in the town council pushing back its own Christmas market by one week, to November 27th. Or could that have been something to do with the events at the Auction? Then, lo and behold, the DVSC cancelled its version anyway! This may have resulted from improper insurance for the DVSC's effort—the town council pays £200 to insure itself for the Christmas market proper.
At one time, the town council even considered tackling the market hall itself and it probably would've, had it not had the Old Courthouse project on the books. But the council's plans were to offer something alongside not running against the Old Courthouse.
One body that will be delighted with the DVSC initiative is Denbighshire County Council. They own the market hall and have been looking for partners for an asset transfer. Although not a transfer itself, it does result in the county council vesting the hall to someone else.
The second question might conceivably be, is this £100,000 being spent wisely. There's no denying that the market hall needs investment. But the DVSC's doesn't appear to be complementary. Instead, it's competitive. The town council has invested well over the same amount of money in a protracted project refurbishing the Old Courthouse into a community space. Both are chasing the same market.
The advantages of the Old Courthouse are clear: it's a well heated space. The market hall is very cold—with hire prices of £100 for the privilege of frost bite,
Among a number of interesting artifacts on the market hall's walls is this roadsign for the former pre-1974 borough of Ruthin
At one time, the town council even considered tackling the market hall itself and it probably would've, had it not had the Old Courthouse project on the books. But the council's plans were to offer something alongside not running against the Old Courthouse.
One body that will be delighted with the DVSC initiative is Denbighshire County Council. They own the market hall and have been looking for partners for an asset transfer. Although not a transfer itself, it does result in the county council vesting the hall to someone else.