In difficult times such as these, most people will have heard rumours of failing businesses on the high street, and some of you may have heard that The Well is one such business in financial difficulties – and may even have heard that the café / bookshop is to close in September. Like all rumours there is often a grain of truth somewhere in the story, but the trustees of the Well are keen that the Christian community which gave birth to the Well 10 years ago as a Christian presence in the centre of our town should know the whole truth of what is happening.
Let me start by scotching the fantasy in this rumour –
The Well is not closing in September!
That said, however, our situation is far from healthy. Despite much goodwill and effort we are not masters of our own destiny, and you will all recognise that the trading situation on the high street has changed significantly in the past 10 years. When we opened there was no such thing as amazon.com and there were only two other cafes in town; now, however, all bookshops are under threat from the internet; and we are spoilt for choice for places to go for a decent cup of coffee and a bun. And of course The Well has not been immune from the impact of the current recession
Our predicament has been creeping up on us for some time, and at the beginning of this year the trustees embarked on a strategic study of the future of the Well. The next stage in our investigations will see us undertaking a fundamental review of the whole operation to see whether some significant changes in the way we operate might reverse the decline in our turnover.
A few weeks ago I met with the staff and volunteers and explained that with limited reserves we have to consider a range of options, some of which may have a radical impact on the way The Well functions. But like any strategic review this could also be an opportunity for re-launch; for example, did you know that we have been helping people with learning difficulties to gain crucial work experience to add to their CVs? Perhaps this side of our mission needs to be developed further?
The Well does not exist for its own sake or for the volunteers (even though it is an important part in the lives of many); it is there because the Christian community in the late 1990s wanted a visible Christian presence in the centre of town, and worked and prayed that it should be so. With falling customer levels we have to ask whether this remains the case today, and whether the Christians of Fareham still feel that The Well fits the type of mission that they wish to present to the town as we enter the second decade of the 21st century. If it is, we then have to ask whether they are prepared to commit their resources and talents in support of this mission.
On behalf of the trustees I therefore have two requests:
- Firstly, to help inform our review we really do need to know whether the current model of offering hospitality and a bookshop still meets the Christian community’s vision for a Chrstian presence in our town.
- Secondly, and above all, we do not want to be rushed into making decisions, and therefore ask for your support, custom and prayers in the next few months so that we don’t end up with a cash-flow crisis!
All comments, both from congregations and from individuals, will be gratefully received and should be with us by Fri 17 July at the latest. You can either pass your comments to the Well trustee from your church, or you can contact me at The Well, 116-118 West Street, Fareham, PO16 0EP. Email: manager@thefarehamwell.co.uk
The Fareham Well's website is at www.thefarehamwell.co.uk