Planning

Ask AI about this notice

Summarise, research or assess it with AI

View Markdown

Share this notice

Send this contract to a colleague

Christmas Light Trail for Sir Harold Hillier Gardens

Hampshire County Council

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Planning

05 Aug 2026 at 11:28

UK1 - Pipeline Notice
Summary of the contracting process

Hampshire County Council is planning to appoint a provider for an annual outdoor illuminated Christmas light trail at Sir Harold Hillier Gardens near Romsey, Hampshire. The Gardens are a nationally significant, approximately 180-acre arboretum with extensive collections of hardy trees and shrubs, operated as a registered charitable trust. The service is an event-management and visitor-experience concession intended to support the Gardens’ charitable aims and continued growth. The provider will design and deliver an immersive evening trail for public sale, including lighting installation, e-ticketing, marketing, event management, staffing, logistics, stewarding, security and health and safety. The scope also includes sourcing additional car parking if required and providing catering facilities at the outset. Delivery must respect the Grade II listed landscape and provide a safe, accessible and inclusive experience.

This is a planned procurement, not an invitation to tender. The Council expects to use a concession arrangement for one planned lot, with the procurement classified as event services. The intended contract period is 16 January 2027 to 15 January 2037, giving a total duration of 10 years. Each annual light trail is expected to run for six weeks between the end of November and the beginning of January. The Council’s current expectation is to publish the next notice on 17 September 2026. The estimated value is £15,000,000 excluding VAT and £18,000,000 including VAT. The provider will pay the Council £125,000 per year for use of its premises, in instalments, plus a further fee linked to ticket income above 75,000 visitors.

The work is likely to suit established event producers, outdoor attraction operators and specialist light-trail companies able to combine creative design with complex operational delivery. Relevant capability includes designing immersive illuminated experiences, installing and removing lighting safely, operating ticketing systems, marketing public events and managing visitors at scale. Suppliers will need to provide or coordinate staffing, logistics, stewards, security, catering and additional parking, while maintaining robust health and safety arrangements. Experience of accessible and inclusive visitor operations, partnership working and delivery in sensitive or heritage landscapes will be valuable. The Council is seeking a collaborative provider able to align the event with the Gardens’ identity, charitable objectives and public-sector governance, while supporting growth towards 90,000 visitors.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

Christmas Light Trail for Sir Harold Hillier Gardens

Notice Description

Sir Harold Hillier Gardens (SHHG) is a nationally significant arboretum located near Romsey, Hampshire, comprising approximately 180 acres and housing one of the most comprehensive collections of hardy trees and shrubs in the UK. The Gardens are operated as a registered charitable trust, with Hampshire County Council acting as trustee and retaining responsibility for strategic oversight and governance. Since 2021, SHHG has hosted an annual outdoor illuminated light trail with the aim of reaching a wider audience to support its charitable aims and sustained growth. The event has been successful over the past four years, with year-on-year growth in both visitor numbers and light trail ticket sales. The existing contract for delivery of the light trail expires on 15 January 2027. Given the success of the light trail, SHHG is seeking a provider to continue delivering an annual high-quality outdoor illuminated light trail for public sale that shall be ticketed for the duration of 6 weeks, between the end of November and the beginning of January. The appointed provider will be expected to design and deliver an exciting and immersive visitor experience that showcases the Gardens during evening hours, supports continued growth in visitor numbers towards a target of 90,000 visitors, and aligns with the Gardens' charitable aims. The Council intends to enter into a contract for a total duration of 10 years. The service must be delivered in a manner that respects the sensitivities of a Grade II listed landscape and ensures a safe, accessible, and inclusive visitor experience. The provider will be responsible for all aspects of event delivery, including light trail design, lighting installation, e-ticketing, marketing, and event management. Management of the event will include provision of all required staffing and logistics necessary to deliver the trail, sourcing additional car parking if required, stewarding, security, and health and safety compliance. The provider will also be expected to provide catering facilities at the outset of the contract. A collaborative partnership approach will be required, with the successful provider working closely with SHHG to ensure the event aligns with the Gardens' identity, charitable objectives and its position as part of Hampshire County Council. The Council will charge the provider a fee of PS125,000.00 per annum for use of the Council's premises for performance of the Services, payable in instalments. In addition, there will be an additional fee payable against all income generating ticket sales above 75,000 visitors, calculated on the basis of the per-ticket rate proposed by the provider in its tender submission.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-06dc24
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/074084-2026
Current Stage
Planning
All Stages
Planning

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK1 - Pipeline Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Not Specified
Procurement Method Details
Not specified
Tender Suitability
SME
Awardee Scale
Not specified

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

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

CPV Codes

79952000 - Event services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£15,000,000 £10M-£100M
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
5 Aug 20262 weeks ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
17 Sep 20264 weeks to go
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
16 Jan 2027 - 15 Jan 2037 Over 5 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Planned
Lots Status
Planned
Awards Status
Not Specified
Contracts Status
Not Specified

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
Hampshire County Council
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
WINCHESTER
Postcode
SO23 8UJ
Postcode Area
Southampton
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLJ South East (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLJ3 Hampshire and Isle of Wight
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLJ36 Central Hampshire
Delivery Location
Not specified
Local Authority
Winchester
Electoral Ward
St Michael
Westminster Constituency
Winchester

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

View full OCDS Record for this contracting process

JSON Markdown

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.

Loading OCDS record...