Forest BB

Received this tasty notice:

Hello,

Tired of seeing space after space closing down? Wondering where you're going to party, meet, organise, show your art, turn up to on your own and know you'll find an interesting chat? Want to do something practical about the tide of posh-up-ification sweeping the city?

You are invited to the first open meeting of a new temporary, pop-up squatted social centre/arts cafe for Edinburgh!
* Saturday March 24th, 3-6pm, Pentland Room, The Pleasance *

What we would like is an occasional, short-term space which pops up in different places maybe 3, 4 times a year. For a week, a weekend. You know you can just rock up to and know you'll meet friends, new people, find something interesting happening. A cafe with tasty grub, coffee and tea, but where you don't have to buy anything at all and just enjoy the sun coming through the windows, read your book. A short and *really good* programme of workshops, exhibitions, inventive collaborations, classes, bike repair, urban gardening 101, poetry readings, gigs. An unused space made crazy and beautiful for the weekend.

Come along to the open meeting, whether you think you want to help organise the space, help put on part of the programme of events, or just be part of it when it happens.

This meeting will be a big brainstorming of ideas. We won't be making any decisions at all. It'll be fun! If at the end you want to join the new horizontally organised collective, grand. If not you can go away and start plotting and planning for what you want to run! If you just want to contribute insights, feedback, ideas and enthusiasm, you’re fully welcome.

Everyone seems to be talking about underground projects for this decaying gentrifying mess of a city. There's loads of energy for this now, so we thought we'd make a move. The iron, as they say, is hot.

See you there! And spread the word.

xxxxx gorilla@riseup.net xxxxx

Fantastic!!!

You know, I was think (a bit on another subject) on how maybe a way to help someone like Scotmid (cooperative) beat the likes of Tesco, etc, would be if we offer them to organize something like a half-volunteer run delivery service. I mean, maybe they could pay some self-employed van driver (as charity shops do), or employed directly by them and the rest of the personnel could be volunteers.... Just an idea. Of course I realise that it could be a heavy job if the packet was for a tenament, although not bad for individual ground floor houses or tower blocks. (We could go around gyms and boxing clubs trying to recruit volunteers ( )

It could also just be an idea to pass on to other people.... Don't you think?

Hope you are all very well

Susana

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Susanita, la amiga tonta de Mafalda

i'm pretty sure Scotmid isn't a cooperative like you're thinking... but rather just another corporation... just like tescos.

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wet, dirty and dangerous.

Oops! I didn't know, obviously. Thanks for clarifying . (As they say, you learn something new everyday )

So, what type of coop is it? I've been trying to get some information but I still don't get it...

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Susanita, la amiga tonta de Mafalda

Scotmid IS a co-operative. If you ask at any branch they will give you a form to fill in to join. When you do that, everytime you buy something there, it goes towards a dividend which you get periodically. The co-op is owned by it's members.

It is never a good idea to post information here unless you know what you are talking about. If you are guessing say so, otherwise you end up looking extremely foolish.

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consistency is the hobgoblin of small minds

Scotmid is indeed a co-operative, but I'd say not a very good one. It is technically democratically managed by its members, but attendance at annual general meetings is very low and the management don't do much to encourage it. It's a consumer co-op rather than a workers' co-op -- so the workers don't necessarily get dividends from profits, as they do from John Lewis, for example. The pay gap between floor staff and executives is absolutely huge for a co-operative, and the executives have the right to award themselves very large bonuses. Moreover, like the Co-operative Group, Scotmid functions like a large chain in the way it will buy or force out smaller, more co-operative co-operatives.

However, I think your idea is a reall good one, Susana, and would certainly appeal to a number of the small co-operatives around. The Autonomous Centre of Edinburgh (http://www.autonomous.org.uk/) runs an informal buyers' co-op that really strugggles with staffing. Perhaps more interesting stil, a group is looking at taking over the former New Leaf on Argyle Place as a workers' co-op (scoping survey here: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/BSRF7XG) and I know they'd love to hear from you -- I can put you in touch if you want.

@ Ken: ouch.

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wet, dirty and dangerous.

@ Ken: ouch.

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wet, dirty and dangerous.

We don't tolerate foolishness round these parts.