Jura Consultants Final Report September 2016
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Hogarth’s Mulberry Garden Project (HG-13-11312) BUSINESS PLAN Jura Consultants Final Report September 2016 7 Straiton View Straiton Business Park Loanhead, Midlothian EH20 9QZ T. 0131 440 6750 F. 0131 440 6751 E. [email protected] www.jura-consultants.co.uk CONTENTS Section Page 1. Introduction 1. 2. Current Context 3. 3. Strategic Context 10. 4. Project Details 15. 5. Market Appraisal 18. 6. Market Forecasts 35. 7. Governance, Management and Staffing 42. 8. Financial Appraisal 47. 9. Risk Assessment 55. 10. Monitoring and Evaluation 61. Appendix A Profiles Appendix B Conference Facilities Hogarth Mulberry Garden Project Business Plan: HG-13-11312 1.0 INTRODUCTION 1.1 Introduction This report presents the Business Plan for the Hogarth’s House Mulberry Garden Project in Hounslow, West London. The report has been commissioned by the London Borough of Hounslow (LBH) as part of the development phase of the project that is taking place with support from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF). This report is an interim draft Business Plan resubmitted as part of the HLF Development Phase review meeting. As such some further development will be required before the Business Plan is finalised. 1.2 Project Overview Hogarth’s House Mulberry Garden project aims to enhance the garden, facilities and learning opportunities at Hogarth’s House in Chiswick, West London. A scheme has been developed for the refurbishment and re-presentation of the historic garden, the construction of a multi-purpose Learning Centre to improve the facilities on site and the development of a learning, skills and activities programme facilitated by a new staffing resource. 1.3 Report Background The Business Plan should be read in conjunction with other reports related to the project. These include: the proposals for the construction of the Learning Centre by AcanthusLW Architects, the landscape proposals produced by Bramhill Designs Ltd, the cost report by Sawyer and Fisher, the structural engineer report by The Morton Partnership, the Activity Plan by Alison Porter and Alis Templeton. Contributions to the research from the William Hogarth Trust, in particular Val Bott, and from John Collins of Carillion Cultural Services are greatly appreciated. 1.4 Business Plan Objectives The purpose of the study was to develop a new 5-year business plan to ensure the long term sustainability of Hogarth’s House after the capital works of the Mulberry Garden Project are completed. Page 1 of 91 Hogarth Mulberry Garden Project Business Plan: HG-13-11312 The Consultant was required to work alongside the project team and to lead and develop a detailed business plan as part of the Heritage Lottery bid that adheres to all HLF guidelines. 1.5 Methodology The Business Plan has been developed using primary and secondary research. Desk research has informed the key aspects of the study. Consultation workshops have been carried out with senior staff from London Borough of Hounslow and stakeholder organisations. 1.6 Report Structure The remainder of the report is structured as follows: Section 2 Current Context Section 3 Strategic Context Section 4 Project Details Section 5 Market Appraisal Section 6 Market Forecasts Section 7 Governance, Management and Staffing Section 8 Financial Appraisal Section 9 Risk Assessment Section 10 Monitoring and Evaluation Page 2 of 91 Hogarth Mulberry Garden Project Business Plan: HG-13-11312 2.0 CURRENT CONTEXT 2.1 Introduction In this section the current operating context for Hogarth’s House and Garden is explained. This includes the history of the site and details the role of stakeholder organisations along with the management, staffing and volunteer arrangements. 2.2 Hogarth’s House History Hogarth’s House and Garden is a site of great significance. The lands on which the house now stands were originally used as a mixed orchard and it is believed that the ancient mulberry that remains in the garden may survive from the original planting. In addition, substantial stretches of the 17th century brick boundary wall survive. The House itself was constructed in the corner of the plot between 1713 and 1717, incorporating sections of this wall within its structure. The house is a Grade I listed building that was first occupied in 1717. William Hogarth bought the house in 1749 to act as his family’s country refuge, a weekend and summer home away from the noise of his other home, since demolished, in what is now Leicester Square. Hogarth was a great British painter and engraver, satirist and Sergeant Painter to the King. He had strong views on injustice and used his art to draw attention to the issues he cared about – poverty, drunkenness, political corruption, and cruelty to animals. He also took practical steps to deal with these issues, for example, promoting the first copyright legislation in 1735 and serving as a founder Governor of the Foundling Hospital. In 1752 Hogarth published what is considered to be his most famous work, his theoretical book about art called The Analysis of Beauty. During their ownership the Hogarth’s extended the house and added two large decorative urns to the gateposts that were given to the family by David Garrick the celebrated actor. They also enjoyed the fruit trees and nut walk in the walled garden where nine pins or skittles were played. Hogarth had a ‘painting room’ at the bottom of the garden where he was working until a few days before his death in 1764. After his death his wife further extended the house. There were a number of subsequent notable owners of the house. From 1814 to 1833 it belonged to Rev Henry Francis Cary, a poet and translator of Dante's Divine Comedy who became Assistant Librarian at the British Museum. The House was acquired in 1833 by the Wickstead family who migrated to Australia in 1840 and left the House to tenants. In about 1867 it became home to Newton Treen Hicks a well-known melodramatic actor. The house was in poor condition until restoration work was carried out from 1890 by Alfred Dawson whose family home at The Page 3 of 91 Hogarth Mulberry Garden Project Business Plan: HG-13-11312 Cedars adjoined Hogarth's and whose printing works was nearby. The house was converted to a museum by Lieutenant-Colonel Robert William Shipway in 1901. Working with Hogarth's biographer Henry Austin Dobson, he provided a collection of Hogarth's works, commissioned replica furniture based on pieces in Hogarth prints and took the photographs for the first guide book himself. Open from 1904, ownership then passed to Middlesex County Council in 1909 and then Hounslow Council in 1965. Some parts of the house, and the mulberry tree, suffered bomb damage in 1940. The house was repaired and the single storey wing adjoining the southern end replaced. In 1951 another small extension to this wing was added in 1996/7 to accommodate a small kitchen and an accessible public toilet. Since 2004 a detailed study of the history of the site and its past occupants has been carried out. This informed the interpretative scheme in the refurbished house after a major conservation programme was completed in November 2011 with support from the Heritage Lottery Fund. The house remains highly significant to many. A special exhibition in 2014 to mark the 250th anniversary of Hogarth's death featured artwork submissions from over fifty artists and celebrities in tribute to Hogarth including works by Quentin Blake, Harry Hill, Jacqueline Wilson, Cath Kidston, Peter Blake and Joanna Lumley. 2.3 Current Operation All aspects of the visitor operating model are considered in the following sections: 2.3.1 Stakeholder Organisations The Hogarth's House Trust is a charity in its own right (registered no 1010069) of which the sole trustee is the London Borough of Hounslow. As appointed by London Borough of Hounslow (LBH) Carillion Cultural Services Ltd (CCS) is the operator until 2018 with a responsibility for the management and maintenance of Hogarth’s House and garden. The William Hogarth Trust acts as a voluntary supportive and advisory service to both CCS and LBH regarding the management of the site and the care and interpretation of the collection. 2.3.2 Management, Staffing and Volunteers The house is staffed by one paid steward during the week and two stewards at the weekend. From Tuesday to Friday the steward is supported by either one volunteer or the Heritage Manager for Carillion Services who also facilitates morning access for groups or limited evening openings. The Heritage Manager for Carillion Services is based at the house with time divided between Hogarth’s House and a number of other properties. Page 4 of 91 Hogarth Mulberry Garden Project Business Plan: HG-13-11312 The house is well supported by volunteers with approximately 18 hours of volunteer time in an average week. There are twelve regular volunteers who work between two and five hours. The William Hogarth Trust also volunteer for specific activities throughout the year which will tend to be for events such as exhibition openings or open house weekends. The Trust regularly helps curate temporary exhibitions at the house and often helps with their installation. 2.3.3 Visitor Experience Hogarth’s House is located on Hogarth Lane in Chiswick which is within the London Borough of Hounslow. The house is open from Tuesday to Sunday and bank holiday Monday’s from 12.00 until 5pm. Entrance is free of charge. The entrance is located on the very busy A4 which has three lanes of traffic going in each direction. Parking is shared with Chiswick House and Garden a few hundred yards away from the house. A small number of parking spaces will be available closer to the house once a major residential development that is taking place behind the house is complete.