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Here’s what’s been happening:

 

• We have agreed in principle a partnership arrangement with Citizen Hub St Neots to offer a hospitality and events provision at 58 Market Square, St Neots which is the Citizen Hub building.

• Citizen Hub have secured a lease on those premises for 3.5 years with an early release option after 6 months if necessary. This is backed by an arrangement with Cambridge Regional College and Bedford College who will support the venture by covering the rental costs and utilities and who will work with Citizen Hub to provide Further Education services to the town (the Cold Spot you might have read about in the Hunts Post and Facebook).

• Art&Soul CIC has not signed up to any lessee responsibilities so we have minimal risk. We have offered to pay £1000 per month towards the rent once we are trading and the venture is open for business.

• We have agreed to pay 50% of the salary of a Hub Manager who will coordinate operations in the Hub premises and oversee the hospitality offering / manage the café aspects.

• We are recruiting this person now as we want to find someone for the role who is experienced and has energy / drive to take the vision forward. See attached job spec for details and if you know of someone who might be interested, please let us know. We want this person to start as soon as possible, clearly.

• Caroline has been working with Citizen Hub on design ideas and how we make the building more of a welcoming place as both a café and a ‘drop in venue’ for townsfolk looking for support, advice and a stimulating place to hang out.

• We already have our first Vinyl Club evening scheduled there on 1st November and also the St Neots Jazz Club will be returning to the town centre on November 14th at this venue.

• Citizen Hub have a number of events planned in the coming weeks including a formal launch on November 21st.

• Our CIC has opened a bank account with Metro Bank and this will allow us to start trading. It will also allow us to receive funds from donations and people buying shares in the CIC.

• The CIC currently has 4 directors: Paul Whitnall, Phil Barrett, Tim Richardson, Caroline Richardson.

• Citizen Hub will be open in a limited way from next week (without any hospitality provision) although there is still much work to be completed before the official launch in November.

 

What happens next:

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As set out in the prospectus, we want to offer 400 shares @ £125 in Art & Soul Community Café and Creative Hub CIC (which will be branded All About Soul for trading) and we now ask for people to

formally apply for these shares.