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Open tenders / Facilities management

Open tender · Notice 103315-2026

BaDC-1727 Retford Buttermarket Food Hall Operator Opportunity

Bassetlaw District Council

Value
£18m
Closes
27 Nov 2026 (19 days)
Where
East Midlands
Lots
1
Suitable for SMEs
Yes, says the buyer
Contract
4 Jan 2027 – 3 Jan 2032

In plain English

Bassetlaw District Council wants an operator to run an indoor street food market in the Buttermarket of Retford Town Hall (about 260m2), managing the vendors and the commercial side in return for the right to trade from the premises. The Council would ideally grant a 5-year lease with a break at Year 3 and an option to extend by a further 5 years, with the space expected to be available from Winter 2026/Spring 2027; the notice gives an estimated value of £18,000,000.

Good fit for: Experienced food hall, street food market or food-and-drink venue operators able to manage vendors and run a venue commercially.

The catch (with the notice's own words):
  • Must attend a site visit to be able to bid Only bidders who have successfully registered and attended a site visit in accordance with these instructions will be eligible to submit a tender.
  • Site visit dates are fixed (4 or 9 November 2026) and need advance registration Site visits will be conducted on 4th and 9th November 2026.
  • Operator must be suitably experienced appoint a suitably experienced operator to occupy and operate an indoor street food market
  • Three-stage scoring: top 3 bidders must also present Up to the top 3 bidders will then be invited to a presentation stage which will be scored out of 100

Written with AI from the official notice. Check the notice before relying on it.

What the buyer says

Bassetlaw District Council (the Council) wishes to invite tenders to appoint a suitably experienced operator to occupy and operate an indoor street food market within the Retford Town Hall's Buttermarket. The operator will be responsible for all aspects of delivery, vendor management and commercial performance, in return for the right to trade from the premises and an opportunity to influence the final design and fit-out of the space. The Council's objectives in appointing an operator are to: • Animate and activate Retford town centre • Support independent and start-up food businesses • Provide a high-quality, diverse and affordable food offer • Increase footfall and dwell time • Support the evening and weekend economy • Deliver social and economic value for the local area The Buttermarket is anticipated to be available to the operator for commercial operation from Winter 2026/Spring 2027 subject to detailed design agreement and construction programme. The Council envisions the successful provider from this tender to join as a partner through this design process. This interim period for design and Council construction will ensure the final installation is fit for purpose and encourages optimal commercial operation for the appointed end user. Location Located on the Market Square, Retford Town Hall is well positioned to amplify the offerings of the town, however, the site is currently greatly underutilised, and its facilities require significant modernisation. The Buttermarket is the ground floor premise of the wider Retford Town Hall with its own level and independent access along the Town Hall Yard and direct access to the Market Square. There is ample area (~260m2) to enhance this space to provide a series of catering focused opportunities while also creating an inclu…

Read the official notice Tender documents

Getting the documents

procontract.due-north.com (the buyer's own site, usually free to register).

Procedure: Open procedure (Open: anyone can bid, in one stage). Published 30 Oct 2026.

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