Operator sought for new café in Priory Park
News release dated 17 February 2006 inviting expressions of interest from professional caterers for the lease of a new café in Priory Park, Reigate.
The Council is inviting expressions of interest from professional caterers for the lease of a new café in Priory Park, Reigate.
"This is an exciting opportunity for a professional caterer to become part of this landmark project." (Cllr Rob Ellingham, Executive Member for Leisure and Community Development)
The café will be located in the new pavilion that forms part of a proposed £6.6 million project to restore and enhance this historic park, subject to a grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund.
Cllr Rob Ellingham, Executive Member for Leisure and Community Development, said: “Following its restoration, Priory Park will become a park of regional significance and the unique pavilion is expected to become a flagship facility within the borough.
“The pavilion has been designed by award winning French architect Dominique Perrault, and if the Council’s lottery bid is successful, it will be the first Dominique Perrault building to be built in the UK.
“The café is expected to open in summer 2007 and presents an exciting opportunity for a professional caterer to become part of this landmark project.”
Artist's impression of how the inside the pavilion will look
The café will have seating for an estimated 60 customers indoors, plus 50 more outdoors.
It is intended that the café will offer a primarily cold food menu, but with facilities to also prepare simple hot food on site. There may also be additional opportunities for private functions and catering for special events held in the park.
As well as a café, the pavilion will provide toilets, an information space about the Park and a base for a park manager.
The Council will draw up a shortlist of applicants from the expressions of interest it receives. The short-listed applicants will be given further details of the restoration plans, the new café and the requirements for operating the cafe, and invited to make an offer for the café lease.
Expressions of interest must include:
- the applicant’s name, company name (if applicable), address & telephone number
- details of experience in the catering industry (including qualifications if applicable)
- specific experience of parks catering and other experience of events catering
- addresses and details of all existing catering facilities operated by the applicant
- landlord’s contact information if existing catering facilities are leased and
- three year’s audited accounts
Applicants may give other supporting information that they feel is relevant to show their experience or their ability to operate a successful café in a park environment.
For more information on making an expression of interest please contact Steve McLeod, Estates Surveyor & Valuer at Reigate & Banstead Borough Council on 01737 276074 or e-mail: steven.mcleod@reigate-banstead.gov.uk.
The closing date for expressions of interest is Friday 10 March 2006.
The planning application for the new Priory Park pavilion was approved by the Council's Planning Committee on 25 January 2006.
The Borough Council will hear whether its Stage Two HLF bid has been successful in the Spring.
The Council's bid has received commercial support from local businesses Legal & General, Parador Properties, Canon (UK) Ltd, Watson Wyatt Worldwide, Fidelity Investments and Charles Church.
For more information about the lottery bid see the Priory Park lottery bid section of the Council's website.
Some of Dominique Perrault’s previous projects include the French National Library, Paris; Pinault Foundation for contemporary art, Paris; Olympic Velodrome and Swimming Pool, Berlin; New Mariinsky Theater, St Petersburg and Library Kansai Khan, Kyoto, Japan.
Reigate & Banstead Borough Council
Town Hall
Castlefield Road
Reigate
RH2 0SH
01737 276000
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