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Swindon's New Entertainment Venue PME

Swindon Borough Council

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Planning

03 Sep 2026 at 16:09

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Summary of the contracting process

Swindon Borough Council is planning a flexible modern entertainment venue to replace and enhance the existing Wyvern Theatre. The proposed procurement is expected to cover a combined design, construction, operation and delivery partnership for the new venue, responding to Swindon’s cultural, technical and audience requirements. The scope spans theatre and entertainment-building construction, architectural, engineering and planning services, engineering design, modular or portable building solutions, arts-facility operation, and building and facilities management. The work will be delivered in Swindon. This is a major public-sector works project with associated services, intended to create a long-term venue that can support cultural activity and audiences after the Wyvern Theatre reaches the end of its life.

The process is at the planning stage: the Council has announced an intention to procure but has not invited tenders. It expects to develop a competitive procurement process after preliminary market engagement. The estimated value is £40 million excluding VAT, or £48 million including VAT, and the procurement is above the relevant threshold. One lot is currently planned, with an anticipated contract period from 1 August 2027 to 31 July 2055. Market engagement is planned through one-to-one Microsoft Teams discussions with potential operator and delivery partners, subject to a confidentiality agreement. The engagement is expected to run from 7 to 18 September 2026, with the Council aiming to complete it by 18 September and reserving the right to limit participation if interest is high.

This will suit organisations or consortia able to combine major entertainment, theatre or cultural-venue development with long-term operational delivery. Relevant preparation includes construction and development capability, architectural, engineering and planning expertise, technical design for entertainment spaces, and experience operating arts or entertainment facilities. Building and facilities management capacity is also likely to be important for the extended operating period. The Council is specifically testing interest from operator and delivery partners able to take part across design, build, operation and delivery, so businesses that can provide an integrated offer, or contribute a defined specialist role within a partnership, may be well placed. Suppliers should be prepared for confidential, structured discussions about the venue’s cultural, technical and audience requirements before a future competition is designed.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

Swindon's New Entertainment Venue PME

Notice Description

Swindon's New Entertainment Venue PME. As the Wyvern Theatre nears the end of its life, Swindon Borough Council are looking to bring forward a flexible modern entertainment venue that replaces and is an enhancement on the Wyvern Theatre, meeting Swindon's cultural, technical and audience needs. This preliminary market engagement exercise seeks to explore the market for operator and delivery partners for this exciting opportunity. The Council wishes to undertake preliminary market engagement to gain an understanding of interest from the market in being an design, build, operate and delivery partner for the proposed venue. The Council will also use this information to design a competitive procurement process that meets both its own requirements and the needs of the market.

Planning Information

Operator & Delivery Partner for Swindon Entertainment Venue As the Wyvern Theatre nears the end of its life, Swindon Borough Council are looking to bring forward a flexible modern entertainment venue that replaces and is an enhancement on the Wyvern Theatre, meeting Swindon’s cultural, technical and audience needs. This preliminary market engagement exercise seeks to explore the market for operator and delivery partners for this exciting opportunity. The Council wishes to undertake preliminary market engagement to gain an understanding of interest from the market in being an design, build, operate and delivery partner for the proposed venue. The Council will also use this information to design a competitive procurement process that meets both its own requirements and the needs of the market. The Preliminary Market Engagement is being undertaken by In Partnership With Ltd (IPW...) on behalf of the Council and for further background information to the scheme and registering your interest in participating the process please contact Elliott Russell at (elliottrussell@ipw3.com) with (billymills@ipw3.com) also copied in, before the 12pm on Friday 11th September 2026. Please note that participation in this process will require the signing of a confidentiality agreement and the engagement will be conducted via one-on-one discussions (via Microsoft Teams) between suppliers and IPW… (the Council’s specialist event venue consultants) between Monday 7th – Friday 18th September. To ensure the engagement exercise can be completed within the required timeframe, the Council reserves the right to reduce the number of participants if the number of organisations expressing an interest is such that the exercise could not reasonably be concluded by Friday 18th September 2026.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-06f19b
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/083603-2026
Current Stage
Planning
All Stages
Planning

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Works
Procurement Method
Not Specified
Procurement Method Details
Not specified
Tender Suitability
Not specified
Awardee Scale
Not specified

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

44 - Construction structures and materials; auxiliary products to construction (except electric apparatus)

45 - Construction work

71 - Architectural, construction, engineering and inspection services

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

92 - Recreational, cultural and sporting services

CPV Codes

44211100 - Modular and portable buildings

45212170 - Entertainment building construction work

45212322 - Theatre construction work

71240000 - Architectural, engineering and planning services

71320000 - Engineering design services

79993000 - Building and facilities management services

92320000 - Arts-facility operation services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£40,000,000 £10M-£100M
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
3 Sep 20261 weeks ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
1 Aug 2027 - 31 Jul 2055 Over 5 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Planning
Lots Status
Planning
Awards Status
Not Specified
Contracts Status
Not Specified

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
Swindon Borough 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
SWINDON
Postcode
SN1 2JH
Postcode Area
Swindon
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLK South West (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLK7 Gloucestershire and Wiltshire
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLK71 Swindon
Delivery Location
TLK14 Swindon
Local Authority
Swindon
Electoral Ward
Eastcott
Westminster Constituency
Swindon South

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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