Open tenders / Events, arts & leisure
Planned procurement · Notice 099023-2026
Contract for Stafford Borough Council's delivery arrangements for heritage services
- Value
- Value not stated
- Stage
- Early notice
- Where
- West Midlands
- Lots
- 1
- Suitable for SMEs
- Yes, says the buyer
- Contract
- 1 Dec 2027 – 30 Nov 2037
In plain English
Stafford Borough Council is asking the market for views on running Stafford Castle, Ancient High House and Izaak Walton Cottage as a standalone heritage service, with a contract period of 1 December 2027 to 30 November 2037. This is early market engagement only, not an open tender, and the Council has not yet decided on its preferred delivery model.
Good fit for: Heritage, museum, visitor attraction or charitable trust organisations able to run historic sites in Stafford.
- Not open for bids yet
This notice relates solely to preliminary market engagement and does not constitute a call for competition, invitation to tender or commitment by the Council
Written with AI from the official notice. Check the notice before relying on it.
What the buyer says
Stafford Borough Council is reviewing future delivery arrangements for a range of leisure, culture and heritage services as the current contractual arrangements approach expiry in November 2027. Following completion of an options appraisal, the Council has determined that future leisure services and the Gatehouse Theatre will be considered through separate procurement arrangements. In relation to the Council's heritage portfolio, no final decision has yet been taken regarding the preferred delivery model. The Council is therefore undertaking a Preliminary Market Engagement exercise to explore market appetite, capability and capacity to operate and develop the following heritage assets as a standalone heritage service: • Stafford Castle • Ancient High House • Izaak Walton Cottage The facilities currently form part of a wider leisure, theatre and heritage services contract operated by Freedom Leisure. The Council is seeking views from organisations with experience in heritage management, museums, cultural services, visitor attractions, charitable trusts, educational provision, community based heritage management and related sectors. The Council is particularly interested in understanding: • whether there is sufficient market appetite for a standalone heritage contract; • the types of organisations likely to participate in a future procurement process; • appropriate delivery models and partnership structures; • acceptable levels of risk transfer; • subsidy expectations and financial sustainability opportunities; • opportunities to increase visitor engagement and community impact; and • information requirements that would support participation in a future procurement exercise. This notice relates solely to preliminary market engagement and does not constitute a call for com…
What happens next
This is an early notice: the buyer is planning a tender, and its documents come when the tender is published. Read the official notice for the details.
Procedure: not stated. Published 20 Oct 2026.
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