Tender opportunity: catering concession at Cardigan Castle, Wales

Cardigan Castle, located in beautiful west Wales, opened in April 2014 after a full renovation costing £12.5m, following grant funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund.

The award-winning renovation included a 60-seat café/restaurant and facilities for weddings, functions and outdoor events, as well as providing self-catering and B&B units.

The existing concession agreement terminates on 24 December 2017. Cardigan Castle is looking for an experienced and innovative caterer who will develop the catering facilities to their full potential.

The café/restaurant is an integral part of the castle, attracting 25,000 visitors a year. Therefore, the provider is expected to provide a high-quality daily catering service to the visitors of Cardigan Castle, as well as to a strong local following, with a focus on local and artisan produce.

It is envisaged that the provider would also be included as a castle-nominated caterer for weddings, functions and other events for the duration of the contract, currently offered to external caters.

To be considered, providers will need to demonstrate clearly that they have the necessary financial acumen, technical skills and experience of operating successfully within a busy hospitality and catering environment.

The concession includes:
• a three-year agreement;
• fully-furnished café/restaurant with provision for 60 covers;
• fully-fitted commercial kitchen with appliances;

The concession agreement will commence 1 January 2018 and will be for a period of three years.

Applications should be made in writing, to include details of experience, to Sue Edwards at sue.edwards@cardigancastle.com. Shortlisted applicants will be invited to view the facilities and given a full application pack.

Closing date for application: Friday 15 September 2017.