A statement from our Founder and CEO, Kirsty Thomson:
Since we launched in 2016, The Circle has worked to provide fair rent and flexible workspaces, as well as consultancy and training, for charities, social businesses and community groups across Scotland.
The current challenging economic conditions mean this mission is even more critical. Small businesses, start-ups and charities are under growing pressure from the energy and cost-of-living crises.
The Circle remains committed to continuing to serve this crucial sector of Scotland’s social and economic landscape. However, rising costs across many areas of our business have led us to review how we can best support our tenants and serve our stakeholders, funders and friends into the future.
We have therefore had to make some difficult decisions around some of our existing financial commitments and staffing levels.
We will terminate our recent lease on Michelin Scotland Innovation Parc (MSIP) property. Unfortunately, the twin pressures of rising heating costs and the challenge of repurposing, repairing and renovating a listed building means that it is not economically viable to continue with this property. Terminating the MSIP lease will allow us to focus on fully developing operations for our tenants at Dundee’s Dudhope Castle and our hub in Easterhouse, Glasgow.
Our decision to end the MSIP lease has been taken with MSIP’s full support. We will work with The Circle’s three MSIP tenants to offer alternative arrangements.
We regret that current economic circumstances, experienced by so many in the sector at this time, are also likely to cause us to review staff numbers. This will be done through a process of consultation. We will extend all support possible to any departing staff – all of whom have made valuable contributions to our community – to enable them to find new positions.
We are very proud of all that The Circle – and the community of socially-minded organisations we support – have achieved since we were founded.
We now manage over 30,000 square feet of office and meeting spaces across our sites in Glasgow and Dundee. Our Dudhope Castle site is full, and has a waiting list; our site in Easterhouse, Glasgow, in the former Westwood Business Centre, is 85% full, only 18 months after we took over the lease of the nearly empty building.
We are grateful to The Circle’s tenants who all provide vital services across Scotland.
We recognise that this is a challenging time for everyone in our wonderful community. However, our dedication to The Circle’s mission has not changed. As we work through and process these difficult organisational changes, we are certain they will help us to grow stronger in the future.