Friargate Phase 2: Ready for the Off!

Now that the financing arrangements of the remaining works are in place, York Area Meeting Trustees have given the green light for the second phase to start.

Work is due to start later this month:

• Underpinning part of the building;
• Moving the library, ready for the creation of the new seating area;
• The addition of new rooms on an upper floor;
• Refurbishment of the present cloakrooms;
• Various improvements to the ground floor area.

OFFERS NEEDED!

Tasha, our meeting house manager, is looking for offers of practical help from 20th July on, in moving the library contents, and on 25th for clearing rooms and moving furniture. 
She would like you to contact her as soon as possible if you can lend a hand.




SPECIAL MEETING HOUSE ARRANGEMENTS 

The group co-ordinating the works has helpfully given some indications of arrangements and timetable ahead.

Building work starts on Monday 27^th July and is due to finish on Friday 27^th November.

The main entrance to Friargate Meeting House will be available at all times during the contract, as will the disabled WC. 

On Sundays only, the downstairs toilets will be accessible through the Fell Room.

Children’s’ meetings will be all-age, and take place in the Fox Room.

ork on the ground floor toilets will mean that there will be no access to ladies or gents facilities, probably until September

The kitchen will be available on Sundays and usually during the week, but may be closed from time to time when specific building operations are carried out from the scaffolding overhead.

The present library, the Penn Room and the Quiet Room will be out of use for the duration of the contract.

U3A, AA, and users of the rooms on the garden level will access the basement area from Clifford Street only.

The outer lobby at the front of the building will be used by the contractors as an office for the site foreman, and the patio and side passageway as a materials store. 

The white gates will only be used to access the Assistant Manager’s house and the Fox Room. The passageway will be fenced off, similar to the arrangements in Phase one.

Bikes should be locked to the racks on Friargate.

NB

During August the Meeting House will normally be closed.  Staff can only guarantee to be open 10-12 Monday to Friday if there are bookings already in the diary.  If Friends need access to the building, for whatever reason, please contact the Meeting House staff in advance and they will be as helpful as they can be.  August will be used for staff holidays, cleaning and ‘catching up’. 

From September Friends will be able to call in to the Meeting House as usual, at the opening times of 10-4, Monday - Friday, but are asked to be aware that building operations are going on and to comply with any requirements or restrictions which are there in the interests of safety.