New Gallery Feasibility Study

Liverpool has been experiencing a great deal of change in the last few years. Winning the Capital of Culture 2008 has brought a great deal of activity and investment into the city centre. There have been major redevelopment projects that include whole tracts of the city centre and the arterial routes that feed it. In a typically Liverpudlian way the work has been formaly called 'the big dig'.

The Liverpool One development has changed the face of the city and with its anchor stores of Debenhams and John Lewis's has brought major retail investment and much needed retail income. The development also provides a link from the City Centre to the Albert Dock, extending the reach and opportunities for visitors to the city.

The Bluecoat Display Centre (BDC) is a craft gallery that promotes the work of artists from across the country and internationally too. It has a reputation for the highest quality exhibitions there are many artists working in the applied arts creating jewellry, ceramics, sculpture and other objets that have benefitted from being shown and promoted by BDC.

The gallery has for all its 50 year history been located at the Bluecoat Chambers off College Lane in the heart of the city centre. When a space within the Liverpool One development was offered to BDC a feasibility study was required to assess the viability.

NS&O undertook survey and analysis work to assess the BDC market segments and matched them with the John Lewis's customer profile. The putative gallery space was opposite a JL main door.

Income projections and sensitivity analysis were carried out and costs were analysed with projected P & Ls produced using best, worst and most likely scenarios.

The feasibility study did its job. Although the operational return from a new gallery would deliver a substantial increase in contribution, the capital investment to fit out the empty shell was too great for BDC, who's constitution forbids the organisation from incurring any long-term debt.

In the conclusion of the report submitted to the Bluecoat Display Gallery the Directors are reassured:

'Should the board decide against dipping a toe into Liverpool One, it should be content that this will not be the only opportunity, this is not the only gallery space and there will be currently unknown future oppertunities that can and should be considered, all without jeopardising the existing space within the Bluecoat'

If you would like to know how NS&O can help your organisation please email by clicking here