Dear Wardens and Friends responsible for Hiring/Hirees of our  Meeting Houses,

Please see if feel you can let me know what you expect your hire charges to be in 2025?

I would also be helped if you have a hiring policy, currently we have terms/conditions, I wouldn't say it’s a policy.

At Wilmslow, SK9 4BW, not far from Stockport and 12 miles south of Manchester centre, we have a building that is let to "sole hirers". A main room is about 8m by 6m high ceiling , entrance hall, small kitchen, upstairs family room, usual toilets.  

It’s a 19th C building converted in early 1990s from a former pony and trap stable, with an upstairs School Room, now a lofty Meeting Room with "modernish" facilties and a little parking. For security of the building and safeguarding of the hirers its best hired to one user at a time.

Our 2024 rate is £17.35 an hour. Each year I take the annual rate of inflation and apply that to the hire rate.   This year I am puzzled as the Consumer Price Index 12 months September 2023-24 is 2.6%. But energy prices to October 2024 Gas is up 14% and Electricity up 10%.

Instinct is telling me go somewhere in the middle e.g. increase by  6%  for 2025 eg  @£18.40 per hour?

Our hirers will squeak!  May be I am not realistic?

I will  look at the projected income using our 2024 rate and see how that matches to expected increases in  our outgoings.

Thank you to those who feel they can respond, I am sure many of you are very busy people!

In Friendship,

Gavin

Wilmslow Quaker Meeting Premises Committee

Quaker Meeting House, 1a Bourne Street, Wilmslow, Cheshire. SK9 5HD

Gavin Mendham: gavinmendham@gmail.com

(Home Address)112 Lacey Green, Wilmslow, Cheshire .SK9 4BW

mobile :  07769713734