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From today (Thursday 21 March), North Somerset Council is inviting tenders to operate the iconic Clarence Park café. Tenders for the other three concessions are expected to go live next week (from Monday 25 March).
The council is looking for operators to take on each of the concessions for a 15-year lease. They will be responsible for refurbishing the spaces, as well as running them.
To bid for these opportunities, businesses can register their interest for free via the council’s procurement portal, at www.supplyingthesouthwest.org.uk.
The council will be accepting applications to run the Clarence Park café until 1pm on Thursday 18 April. Closing dates for applications for the other concessions will be available on the portal, once the tendering process has begun.
Councillor Mike Solomon, North Somerset Council’s Executive Member for Culture and Leisure, said: “We want to make North Somerset a thriving and sustainable place to live, work and visit. I can’t wait to see the applications to run and restore these four concessions in key Weston locations.
“These concessions offer great opportunities to operators. For instance, the Royal Sands concession is only a stone’s throw away from a popular public pétanque court and the beautiful See Monster Garden, which is home to the Pilot Gig Club’s boathouse.
“And we know that people have been desperate for the café at Clarence Park to reopen, so I’m delighted that we’re a step closer to making this happen.
“We haven’t put the concessions at Royal Sands, Clifton Sands and Carlton Kiosk on the market for a long time, so it’s the perfect opportunity for us to attract bold new talent to Weston-super-Mare. And by offering 15-year leases, we can make sure that we bring in skilled operators to run and look after these beloved local facilities for a solid length of time.
“We’re keen to work with catering businesses that are just as passionate about the local area as we are. If you pride yourself on providing high-quality products, are enthusiastic about social values and match North Somerset Council’s ethos, we’d love to hear from you.”
Councillor Robert Payne, North Somerset Council local ward member for Weston-super-Mare central, added: “These concessions are fantastic facilities, both for our local community and our many visitors to Weston-super-Mare, so I’m thrilled that we’re continuing to bring fresh ideas and looking after their longer-term future.
“I’m sure residents will be particularly pleased that Clarence Park café will be opening its doors before too long, after its previous operator retired. The café is a hugely important part of Clarence Park, so it’s very important to me that we find an operator who understands how valued this space is for our residents and visitors alike.
“If you’re interested in running one of these concessions – or know anyone who is – please do get in touch.”