Earlsfort Terrace Real Tennis Court Business Plan: March 2012
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Earlsfort Terrace Real Tennis Court Business Plan: March 2012 The IRTA is now (May 2016) publishing this 2012 document, which up to now has had limited circulation, on its website, to give background and context to the work it was doing at an earlier stage of discussions with the OPW. As the document itself notes (§3, p.6), some parts are no longer current. Nonetheless we hope it will be of interest. [ Note: This document was written in 2012. ] EARLSFORT TERRACE Real Tennis Court Business Plan: March 2012 [ Note: This document was written in 2012. ] [ Note: This document was written in 2012. ] Recognition and Thanks Table of Contents This Business Plan has been produced by the Irish Section: Page: Real Tennis Association. 1 Executive Summary 3 2 Responsibilities 6 The Irish Real Tennis Association exists to 3 Use and Distribution 6 promote, encourage, facilitate, and provide for the 4 Introduction 7 playing of the game of Real Tennis in Ireland and 4.1 Earlsfort Terrace 7 by Irish people. As part of its programme, the Irish 4.2 Real Tennis 8 Real Tennis Association is working towards the Irish Real Tennis Association restoration of the Dublin Real Tennis court. 4.3 9 5 Earlsfort Terrace Real Tennis Court: 10 The IRTA wishes to thank the Real Tennis clubs in Business Plan other parts of the world which have provided 5.1 Introduction 10 support and guidance through the development 5.2 Request of the OPW 10 of this Business Plan. 5.3 Organisational Structure 11 5.4 Restoration Work 11 We are indebted to the architects who have 5.5 Professional 13 patiently met us and transferred our vision for the 5.6 Demand 14 court to paper. 5.7 International Support 14 Many thanks to Adept Advertising for their design 6 Financial Considerations 15 work on this document. 6.1 Financing the restoration work 15 6.2 Forecast for the first 5 years of 15 Action photographs and front cover by Frederika operations Adam. 7 Appendix: Architects Drawings 22 To all those who have supported this process, we say a heartfelt thank you. Contact Information: Should you have any queries or require any further information, please contact the IRTA at: Mike Bolton [email protected] 086 270 8470 1. 2. [ Note: This document was written in 2012. ] [ Note: This document was written in 2012. ] 1. Executive Summary down the line of the main wall. The scoring is Our Proposal returned to their donors and the project intricate but not complicated, set by the markings This Business Plan proposes that a company abandoned. The fundraising plan is detailed in The Plan on the court. Service is from a particular end of limited by guarantee be set up to operate the Section 6.1. This Business Plan has been prepared in an effort the court only, and players switch ends even court: The Dublin Real Tennis Club Ltd (see Section to demonstrate that the restoration of the Dublin during games. The game is played with rackets 5.3). The IRTA will remain as the national The main person involved in the daily operation Real Tennis court to playing condition would add made of wood, and hand-made balls. There are 47 governing body for the sport. of the court is the Professional, who is trained in an invaluable sporting venue for the nation and active courts around the world in the UK, France, the various aspects of the management of a Real attract international visitors. No State funding is the United States and Australia, with an The company will raise funds to restore the court. Tennis court, including liaison with players, day to being requested. estimated 10,000 active players. The IRTA is a Architects have been engaged to provide drawings day maintenance of the court and equipment, thriving contribution to this pool of players in a for the restoration of the court and costings have coaching, scoring games, attracting new members The Court sport that continues to grow and gain popularity been provided by a quantity surveyor. The and organising matches and tournaments (refer The Real Tennis court at Earlsfort Terrace forms a as players of other racket sports realise the reason restoration of the court itself would cost €450k to Section 5.5). unique piece of Irish sporting, cultural, and why it has been enjoyed for centuries. There is an and take 6 months. To have a club house with architectural history. It was constructed in 1885 international resurgence of the game, and Ireland shower facilities, a social area, Professional’s The table below sets out a forecast of receipts and by Sir Edward Guinness (later 1st Earl of Iveagh), should be part of this. Over the last 25 years workspace, etc., would cost another €770k and payments for the court during its first 5 years of at his city residence. The court is famous as one several Real Tennis courts in the UK have been take another 6-9 months. The company would operations (set out in detail in Section 6.2). The of only six existing venues to have hosted the Real built from scratch or refurbished, including Bristol, hold all funds in trust until such time as sufficient forecast is based on analysis of accounts provided Tennis World Championship in the 150 years Radley, The Hyde, Newmarket, The Oratory, funds had been raised either to restore the court by comparable clubs in the UK, while taking Irish- leading up to 2000, having done so in late May Cambridge University, Middlesex University, and or to restore the court and club house. If, after a specific considerations into the equation, e.g., 1890. The court was generously presented to the two courts at Prested Hall; in the USA, a new fixed period, sufficient funds had not been rates, electricity costs, etc. Irish government by the 2nd Earl, Rupert court was built just outside Washington DC in the secured, then the funds collected would be Guinness, in 1939, but has not been played on 1990s, and a court in Chicago is currently being since then. It is the only Real Tennis court on the restored and is to reopen later in 2012. Section Receipts Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5 island of Ireland. Situated in the centre of the 4.2 includes further details on the game. country’s capital city, it is an ideal venue for sport Receipts ¤’000 ¤’000 ¤’000 ¤’000 ¤’000 with easy access to public transport. A more Ireland’s Sporting Heritage Membership Fee 38 46 54 61 72 detailed history can be found in Section 4.1. Ireland is a sporting nation, and was presented Court Fees 18 19 25 27 35 with a rare and remarkable sports facility. Ireland Revenue from lessons 5 3 3 3 3 Revenue from marking 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.5 0.5 The Game now has an opportunity to return to the group of Revenue from sale of merchandise 2 0.8 0.5 0.5 0.5 Real Tennis is a game in which subtlety and countries privileged to enjoy real tennis, and the Tournaments 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5 thought are at least as much rewarded as power IRTA hopes to work with the State to restore the Donations 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5 and fitness. It is played in an asymmetrical court Real Tennis court to playing condition. Sponsorship/ Advertising Revenue 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5 which contains many distinctive features: sloping TOTAL REVENUE 65 71 84 93 113 roofs (penthouses), openings (galleries) in the Sport is encouraged and facilitated through the walls, and a main wall which has a kink in it Irish education system. The Real Tennis court at (tambour) so the ball, on hitting the sloping face, Earlsfort Terrace is surrounded by a large number moves across the court instead of continuing of schools and colleges. 3. 4. [ Note: This document was written in 2012. ] [ Note: This document was written in 2012. ] Payments Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5 2. Responsibilities 3. Use and Distribution Payments ¤’000 ¤’000 ¤’000 ¤’000 ¤’000 This document has been prepared by the Irish This report has been prepared for the review of Staff Costs 32 32 49 55 58 Real Tennis Association. Information provided by the Office of Public Works (‘OPW’) only, in Building Operational Costs 17 18 19 20 22 third parties has not been investigated and has connection with their assessment of the IRTA Administration Costs 5 5 5 5 5 been taken as accurate and reliable. proposal. Miscellaneous Costs 6 4 4 4 4 TOTAL PAYMENTS 59 59 77 85 90 The Business Plan contains certain forward- It should not be circulated to any other parties looking statements (quantitative and qualitative) without the consent of the IRTA, nor should it be NET PROFIT/LOSS 6 12 7 9 23 which are based on current expectations and used for any other purpose whatsoever, and no (Figures may not add, owing to rounding.) projections about future events and are subject liability is accepted to any other party or in to, among other things, risks, uncertainties, and connection with any other use whatsoever. This document provides detail on each element that the court at Earlsfort Terrace should be assumptions. The IRTA has made every effort to of the above summary, and supports the proposal returned to play. draw on the experiences of others and to make The information contained in this document is realistic, but conservative, judgements and current at the time of issue of this report.