Trades Club becomes a Co-op
Wednesday, 25 May 2016
Trades Club members unanimously agreed to turn the Holme Street venue into a co-operative at their AGM. The Trades has spent the last 18 months considering the proposal that gives each member an equal £1 share in the club.
Members also heard that the club generated a trading surplus this year despite the impact of the Boxing Day flood which left the venue with a flooded cellar and no power.
Outgoing Club Secretary Ed Stutt said, "This change has been very carefully considered from day one and although it doesn't affect the rights of our members it does allow us to trade as a legal entity and join the broader co-operative movement worth £37 billion to the UK economy.
Our members also paid tribute to the efforts of our staff and volunteers who kept the club going when the lights went out on Boxing Day opening a free kitchen that provided over 1000 people with hot meals."
Trades Club to vote on whether to become a Co-op
Thursday, 12 May 2016
Trades Club members are set to vote on the final step to becoming a co-operative society at their AGM on Sunday 22 May.
The club has always operated as a members' club, but the proposal to be debated is whether the popular Holme Street venue becomes a Co-op Society: this would help the Trades Club to link to the wider co-operative movement, worth billions to the UK economy.
Trades Club Secretary Ed Stutt told the HebWeb, "Throughout this process we have consulted our members who we will hope will come along to debate and vote on this proposal. If the proposal is passed then we can start looking at how we link to other co-ops who share our values as a socialist club. We think this would benefit both our members and the broader community.
"The AGM is also a time for our members to reflect on the way the club supported our community after the Boxing Day floods thanks to the incredible efforts of our staff and volunteers who provided thousands of hot meals and drinks despite having no electricity."
The AGM starts at 2pm at the Trades Club.