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FRIENDS OF BRITANNIA PANOPTICON
MUSIC HALL TRUST (SCIO)
REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 JULY 2024
REGISTERED CHARITY NUMBER: SC029031
REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES AND UNAUDITED
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR
ENDED 31 JULY 2024 FOR
FRIENDS OF BRITANNIA PANOPTICON
MUSIC HALL TRUST (SCIO)
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FRIENDS OF BRITANNIA PANOPTICON
MUSIC HALL TRUST (SCIO)
REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 JULY 2024
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FRIENDS OF BRITANNIA PANOPTICON
MUSIC HALL TRUST (SCIO)
REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 JULY 2024
The trustees present their report with the financial statements of the charity for the year ended 31 July 2024. The
financial statements comply with current statutory requirements, the charity's rules and regulations. OBJECTIVES
AND ACTIVITIES
Objectives and aims
The charity’s objects are:
- To advance the conservation and preservation of the Britannia Panopticon Music Hall and ensure the building’s future as
a viable visitor attraction and a living museum of popular entertainments from the music hall auditorium to the attic area.
- To promote the involvement of the community in this unique building as a learning, archival and educational resource
for the wider community and to engender further volunteer support for the day to day running thereof.
- To always promote and hold the music hall as a building of historic interest and importance and to secure its
permanent preservation for the benefit of the public as an outstanding example of a Victorian Music Hall and a rare
survivor of its genre.
- To facilitate the use of its premises on such terms as the Trustees deem fit for any purpose, public or private, and in
particular for music hall and other performances, meetings, exhibitions, lectures, dinners and other entertainments; also,
for shops, restaurants or business premises to enable the foregoing purposes to be carried out effectively as required.
SUMMARY OF THE MAIN ACTIVITIES IN RELATION TO THESE OBJECTS
Conservation and preservation
We continue to develop plans and activities to support the long-term future of this unique Category A listed music hall.
We also continue to maintain and interpret the historic information and artefacts that the building contains.
Operation and community involvement
In line with the objectives of the charity. Volunteers, staff and trustees continue to open the building to the public as a visitor attraction and
as a venue. Admission tickets are charged for all shows and also for general viewing to mitigate the costs of opening and operating the
building. We continue to engage with the local community with free opening times during Doors Open Day and with a free music hall
show one Saturday a month during the summer. This show is intended to keep the old music hall songs and acts alive. During all events,
shows and openings we have on display various objects and information boards to help people understand the history of the music hall and
the working classes of Glasgow during the Victorian and Edwardian eras. We continue to work with various community groups locally and
offer outreach to various schools, colleges and universities. During this accounting period we also began building a stronger relationship
with GMAC and Jam Hot, with great success and hope to work with them ona regular basis in the future.
Publicity and Marketing
We rely on online publicity and marketing through our website and various social media platforms. We have over 13,000 followers online
and this number increases year on year as social media becomes a part of our everyday lives. We also benefit from occasional editorial in
magazines, newspapers and on television and radio. We also produce a small leaflet listing our events and shows for the coming month
which is available in the auditorium and from the three businesses operating on the ground floor. Our publicity to the tourist market was
further enhanced by Angus White, owner of Direct Distribution, who sponsored the charity with 3,000 flyers and distribution promoting
the music hall in Hotels and information centres.
ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE
We continued to sell out a number of shows including, Ghost Stories From Around the World, Silent Films with Gladstone’s Bag, Adult
Pantomime, Burns Night and A Night of Ghosts.
Doors Open Day in September 2023 included a temporary installation inspired by the Orchestrions which were popular in the Panopticon.
As a result, our visitor numbers made a return to near pre-pandemic visitor numbers.
In October 2023 we had two wedding hires which were very successful. Unfortunately, it is difficult to offer wedding hires as most
weddings are organised at least a year in advance and we cannot guarantee that the building will be open further than six months into the
future due to the ongoing nature of the conservation project. However, we do know that in the future the Britannia Panopticon would be a
popular wedding venue.
2024 saw the 25" Anniversary of the Friends of Britannia Panopticon Music Hall Trust (SCIO) and as part of those celebrations we began
a crowdfunder for the provision of disabled access and facilities. That crowdfunder is ongoing.
January 2024 benefitted from a new Saturday event called Tea & Tarot in which visitors pay the usual £2 admission to see the music hall
but can also get their fortunes told. Tea & Tarot is now a regular monthly event which has helped to increase footfall.
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FRIENDS OF BRITANNIA PANOPTICON
MUSIC HALL TRUST (SCIO)
REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 JULY 2024
We also launched a new comedy award for fresh comedy talent called, The Laurel Awards- commemorating the fact that Stand Laurel
made his debut in The Panopticon in 1906. These awards were well received, and the final was a sellout success with Tony Roper and
Gavin Mitchell featuring as judges.
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Summary of the main achievements of the charity during the financial period
September 2023 the Friends of Britannia Panopticon Music Hall Trust continued to work with The Panopticon Trust (the building
preservation trust which was established in 2018 to advance the purchase of music hall) and with Hoskins Architects to complete a
feasibility study to identify the end use and stakeholder management. This study was completed in March 2024 and the results will be
made available to the public later in the year or in early 2025.
Significant Events
Post COVID-19 we are still seeing a lack of footfall in the city centre and tourism is still yet to recover. Due to this, in 2023 it was decided
that visitor numbers didn’t warrant opening five days a week and so general viewing is currently only available on Tuesday — Saturday
from noon — 5pm April - October. It is hoped that tourism will return to pre-pandemic levels in 2025.
In June 2023 the LEZ (Low Emission Zone) came into force in Glasgow which further compromised our revenue. By the end of
November 2023, it was becoming apparent that our alcohol sales were falling. This seems to be partly due to the reduction in
public transport available — taxi licenses have been severely reduced, and night buses are no longer available to many of the
suburbs; this has meant that more people are driving into the city and therefore unable to drink alcohol.
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FRIENDS OF BRITANNIA PANOPTICON
MUSIC HALL TRUST (SCIO)
REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 JULY 2024
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FRIENDS OF BRITANNIA PANOPTICON
MUSIC HALL TRUST (SCIO)
REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 JULY 2024
Tried and Tested Regular Shows
Concentrate on our popular shows such as silent films and film nights, Laurel & Hardy nights, story telling events, variety shows etc and
the least performing shows are either reduced in their frequency of stopped all together.
Other events and shows we could offer
e Games Nights are becoming more popular. Some of the staff and volunteer team have connections in this area and are
happy to help bring in this market.
e Podcasts —a regular podcast on a subject that would generate a following.
e Film Club — we did do this a few years ago and it is something we could potentially bring back on a quarterly basis with
the emphasis on cult classics.
e Tea parties such as the return of Chopin and Cake or The Mad Hatters Tea Party
e ~The return of The Mystery Room which can be pitched to companies as a team building exercise.
Making Money from the auditorium
e The Bar - Our income was heavily reliant on alcohol sales, however, in the last few months we have seen a large decline
in alcohol sales which means we need to adapt our approach. Obviously, we still need to sell alcohol, but we also need
to focus on more snacks, mocktails, soft drinks and tea & coffees. With artisan coffees now being so popular a
partnership with a local coffee supplier could help increase our footfall during our general viewing hours
e Hidden Secret — by capitalizing on being hidden up a lane above an amusement arcade it gives us a sense of being a
secret place and the limited opening hours as “exclusive” times. It appeals to the student and hipster market. This could
help increase the footfall during our general viewing hours.
e = Story Telling — Story telling has become an increasingly popular activity. With a Scottish Story Telling Centre now firmly
established in Edinburgh, it might be beneficial to partner with them and provide more story telling events and
activities.
e Merchandise is an obvious route, but one that requires investment. We do have some merchandise and also some
products which are sold on commission. The shop counter isn’t exactly the best presentation so perhaps we should
rethink the layout, location and presentation. We should perhaps invest in more small, low cost items such as novelty
postcards, keyrings, and bookmarks.
Glasgow 850 — In 2025 Glasgow celebrates 850 of being a city and therefore there is potential for us to get involved and encourage more
visitors for general viewing. A special exhibition about the history of entertainment over the last 850 years.
e =Awalking tour about the history of Glasgow entertainment that will culminate at the Britannia Panopticon
e §=Capitalize on Britannia Music Hall being the oldest remaining place of entertainment in the city, save for the City Halls
which opened in 1841.
Outreach & Education
Outreach and Education is a great way to encourage more corporate sponsorship and also grant funding. This element does not
have to be in the building, this can be done in the schools, colleges, and with other groups such as U3A.
STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT
Governing document
On 10 October 2016 the Trust converted to a SCIO (Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation) governed by a
constitution.
Recruitment and appointment of new trustees
Trustees are appointed by the existing trustees upon ratification by the members.
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FRIEtYDS OF BRITANNIA PLryOPTICOL¥
MUSIC HALL TRL'ST (SCIO)
REIY)RT OF THF. TRUSTEES
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 JUL Y 2ff24
ATEmE OF TRiiSTE&S R&SPONSIBILITIF.S
The tnL8tees arc respsIblet0rprtyanng the Rerx)rt of the I'wstees 8tMlthe finan¢ial statements in accordAnce with ippli¢4ble
law and regulations.
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CritieS Accounts (Scottand) Regtsl¥tions 9. They re 3150 respjnsible for safeguaTding the assets of the charity. and
en5urlngdir proper appliL7ti(x) in with thwrity law. and henc£ for thking r¢ssonable M¢ps for the prevemi(m and
detection of fraud and other irre8ularrtK4.
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- ~~Po 4500~~ - ~~fs~~ 24417
FRN18 OF BRtTLNNIA PANorrtcoN
MUSIC HALL TRusr {scio)
RF.PORT OF THE TRUSTF.FS
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 JULY 2W24
Investh]ent income
. Totsl revi
PAYMTr.N'r
57380
12146
charlble •etivilit5
Support ofTr Britsnnia Fallo}e Mysfftc
Flall
45824
ElJr¢hAsc of fixed 4sYt5
Tol•l
aymenlj
SURPLUSI(DEFjCIT) FOR YEAR
.(590)
Tmnskrs betw¢•M
et movement ill funds
RV.C()NCILIATION OF BALthCFS
Total b•laDCU brought fDTw•rd
TOTAL BALANCV,SCARRlkD
' FORWARD
(51X))
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