A full analysis of all questions and answers to follow
Where the “£7,000 loss” figure came from?
The original report that accompanied the Delegated Decision notice stated that the Ventnor Botanic Garden was losing £7,000 income a week during the summer due to the unreliability of the lift.
It was not clear how those figures had been arrived at, but following this being challenged, we the public now get to hear how it came to appear in the document that attempted to justify spending £220,000 on a new lift.
The answers sits in the appendix to today’s decision notice in the questions asked by Cllr Chris Welsford.
£7,000 figure provided by the Royal
The £7,000 was lost revenue (and it is lost potential takings, not trading losses) claimed by the IW council were in fact an estimate provided by the new catering franchise on the site – Royal Garden Cafe, operated by Ventnor’s Royal Hotel.
This estimate was, it’s now been disclosed, based on an assessment of the spending potential of coaches which are known to bypass the garden.
Although it also says that “it is attributable to the Visitor Centre, which is both a catering franchise and a gift shop.”
The Answers also claim that the figure came to light “once the first quarterly figures from the new catering franchise became available (July 2010).”
Commercial confidentiality
Anyone wanting to find out more about what the arrangements between the Royal Hotel and the council might well find difficulties.
Twice in the answers to the questions posed by Cllr Welsford it is stated that the details are “covered by a commercial confidentiality agreement.”
A full analysis of all questions and answers to follow
