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Venue Hire (Southbank Centre)

THE OPEN UNIVERSITY

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Award

16 Jul 2026 at 22:35

UK7 - Contract Details Notice
Summary of the contracting process

The Open University procured venue-hire services from Southbank Centre for its graduation ceremony at the Southbank Centre in London. The requirement covers the use of a major events venue for the university’s graduation activity, rather than the supply of goods or construction works. The procurement is for business-related services, classified under CPV 79900000. The buyer is The Open University, a sub-central public authority based in Milton Keynes, and the delivery location is Southbank Centre, London. The selected venue is a large organisation. This opportunity is therefore relevant to venue operators and event-service providers able to support formal higher-education ceremonies at a prominent London events location.

The procurement has been completed and the contract was awarded to Southbank Centre. It used a below-threshold procedure, with the local method recorded as unknown, and consisted of one completed lot. The award is active. The award date is 30 April 2026. The contract was signed on 30 April 2026 and runs from 30 April 2026 to 29 April 2027. Its value is £45,400 excluding VAT, or £54,480 including VAT. The contract concerns the venue-hire services for the Open University graduation requirement. Southbank Centre is the named supplier. The published procurement description identifies the graduation event as taking place on 26 November 2026.

For a supplier that did not win this procurement, the award demonstrates demand from The Open University for a substantial London venue to host a formal graduation ceremony. A credible competitor would need to operate, manage or represent an established events venue with suitable capacity, formal presentation spaces and the operational arrangements needed for a university ceremony. Relevant strengths would include experience hosting organised public or institutional events, dependable venue access and coordination, and the ability to provide a professional setting for graduates, staff and guests. Venue businesses with comparable large-scale event capability and a track record of delivering time-sensitive ceremonies for public or education-sector organisations would be best placed when this requirement next reaches the market.

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Notice Information

Notice Title

Venue Hire (Southbank Centre)

Notice Description

OU Graduation - Southbank Centre - 26th November 2026

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-06cd58
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/067480-2026
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK7 - Contract Details Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Not Specified
Procurement Method Details
Below threshold - unknown
Tender Suitability
Not specified
Awardee Scale
Large

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

79 - Business services: law, marketing, consulting, recruitment, printing and security

CPV Codes

79900000 - Miscellaneous business and business-related services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
Not specified
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
£45,400 Under £100K

Notice Dates

Publication Date
16 Jul 20262 months ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
30 Apr 2026 - 29 Apr 2027 6-12 months
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Complete
Lots Status
Complete
Awards Status
Active
Contracts Status
Active

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
THE OPEN UNIVERSITY
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
MILTON KEYNES
Postcode
MK7 6AA
Postcode Area
Milton Keynes
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLJ South East (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLJ1 Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLJ12 Milton Keynes
Delivery Location
Not specified
Local Authority
Milton Keynes
Electoral Ward
Monkston
Westminster Constituency
Milton Keynes Central

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
1
Supplier Name

Southbank Centre Limited

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

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The Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS) is a framework designed to increase transparency and access to public procurement data in the public sector. It is widely used by governments and organisations worldwide to report on procurement processes and contracts.

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