Meanwhile…big news at TQ!
Titanic’s lead Chaplain, Revd Chris Bennett, gives us the latest news in his own inimitable words…
“Well, quite simply, this has been the biggest week in the entire history of The Dock (so far…). This was the week when The Dock signed a license with Titanic Quarter Ltd for a Meanwhile Lease of a vacant shop unit at the base of the Arc Apartments. (And not just any shop unit – the beautiful, airy unit with fabulous views over Nomadic, Titanic Belfast, the Met and the Kit Sculpture).
So, the next question: what’s a Meanwhile Lease when it’s at home? I shall explain (in my customary dour, unenthusiastic way) in this short video:
Meanwhile, in the Titanic Quarter… from The DOCK Church on Vimeo.
In other words, this is the Dock vision – Life in the Titanic Quarter – made flesh. The shop unit is currently empty, with no electricity, flooring, furnishings or fittings – another blank page for The Dock – but it won’t stay that way for long. The Meanwhile proposal is to establish a pop–up cafe – to turn that empty space into a thriving coffee dock, art gallery and visitor information venue – a community hub for the Titanic Quarter.
It’s the vision that we still hold, in the long–term, as the purpose of the Dock boat. What we could scarcely have expected (or even dared to dream) when the project began, is that we could get started in a Meanwhile Space while we research (and save up for) the boat. I still have to pinch myself occasionally to believe that it is actually happening…
(For those of you who still want to ask “Where’s yer boat?”, a full update on the progress of all things nautical and nice here.)
Song of Praise
I was interviewed in the Drawing Office for the Titanic special, due to be broadcast on 11th March, in which I get to tell the story of The Dock and all our hopes, visions and prayers for the area, while standing in the breathtakingly evocative surroundings of the old H&W Drawing Office.
And why is this related news to all things Meanwhile? Well, this Sunday (26th) sees the return of the Songs Of Praise camera crew to the TQ to pick up the rest of their shots – including those involving the guest presenter – none other than Eamonn Holmes, so it is! And so that Eamonn can broadcast from the TQ’s very own (sort–of) church, we’re racing to get the Dock Cafe to a sufficiently advanced stage that Eamonn can be filmed chatting to me while enjoying a coffee on a Dock Cafe sofa.
So, less than a week from signing the contract to being up–and–running, with electricity, artwork, a coffee bar, lighting, sofas, tables, chairs, coffee on the go, signs above the door and a warm welcome for a BBC film crew. Challenge accepted!
So if you’d like to be part of the Dock Meanwhile adventure, we’re meeting up from 11am on Saturday (25th) to build our own Meanwhile Cafe. To your left you can see our starting point, our blank canvas. Call in at any stage of the day to help us turn an empty space into an “industrial chic” cafe – do it for Eamonn!
Chris
PS. Some of you have been kind enough to offer to help financially with setting up the Meanwhile Project, and that offer is gratefully accepted! – this is the first time that The Dock has had bills, bills, bills (electricity, gas, insurance, cafe supplies…) as well as the cost of fitting out the unit with nice quality furniture, a fridge, a heater… the list goes on! Go to The Dock website and click on the ‘Give’ tab if you’re interested in helping out – we’re working on trendy ways of giving online, but in the Meanwhile (!) you can find details there of how to contribute with a nice old–fashioned cheque. Thanks!