St Boltoph without Aldgate

by | Jan 31, 2025 | 0 comments

St Boltoph without Aldgate

Client: PCC of St Botolph, Aldgate and Holy Trinity, Minories

Dates: 2022 – 2024

Budget:  N/A

Project: St Boltoph without Aldgate

 

St Botolph’s, a Grade I listed church in the Parish of Saint Botolph, Aldgate, and Holy Trinity, Minories, is located in the Aldgate Connect Business Improvement District. The Parish straddles the City of London and the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, making it the first church you reach coming down Whitechapel High Road. The surrounding area includes large City firms, The Aldgate School, and two social housing estates. Historically known for its work with the homeless in the East End, St Botolph’s has faced several financial challenges, particularly with its hall, which was no longer fit for purpose. The new Aldgate Centre has replaced the old hall but has experienced delays due to COVID-19 and other challenges, impacting revenue and escalating costs.

Our commission involved working with the Priest in Charge to develop a business model for the new Aldgate Centre. We conducted an assessment of demand and need in the local area by consulting with previous hirers, operators, local charities, and desktop research. Our findings were summarized in a SWOT analysis, which informed the business and operational model. This included operating hours, staffing structures, role descriptions, a room hire tariff, and advice on booking systems. We modelled potential income at different rates to illustrate scenarios at 100%, 75%, and 50% capacity, which informed the financial forecasts. We also incorporated assumptions about the new café and office space, managed separately through Cluttons.

Throughout the project, we worked closely with the Priest and members of the PCC to deliver a document and spreadsheets that they could update and use post-commission. For example, we built the financial model around their existing management accounts. The PCC now understands the break-even position and the surplus available to address maintenance and restoration works to the church over the next 10 years. The final component was to develop a marketing strategy and implementation plan to support the delivery of the business plan.