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Electric Theatre - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice

Guildford Borough Council

This public procurement record has 2 releases in its history.

PlanningUpdate

21 Sep 2026 at 16:01

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Planning

21 Sep 2026 at 15:53

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Summary of the contracting process

Guildford Borough Council is exploring the appointment of an operator or leaseholder for the Electric Theatre, a vacant historic venue in central Guildford. Originally built as an electricity works in 1913 and converted into a theatre in 1997, the building has significant cultural value and strong community support for continued use as an arts and performance space. The anticipated service covers operating and managing the venue, potentially through a lease or concession arrangement, while the Council finalises the legal classification and minimum requirements. The procurement is for cultural, entertainment, artistic and performance services. Delivery will take place at the Electric Theatre in Guildford. The Council is seeking views from cultural, community and commercial operators on market capacity and appetite.

This process is at preliminary market engagement and planning stage. It is not a call for competition and does not commit Guildford Borough Council to launching a procurement. The Council expects to finalise its procurement route and minimum requirements after engagement, with a further notice anticipated on 9 November 2026. The engagement milestone has an indicative date of 30 October 2026 for registering interest. One planned lot is identified, with an indicative contract period from 11 January 2027 to 10 January 2052. The eventual arrangement may be a lease or concession, but its final classification has not yet been settled. The lot is marked as suitable for small and medium-sized enterprises and voluntary, community or social enterprises.

The engagement is relevant to organisations able to operate a cultural or performing-arts venue and develop its community role. Potentially suitable participants include theatre and arts operators, entertainment companies, cultural charities, community organisations, social enterprises and commercial venue managers. The Council’s stated direction favours continued use as an arts and performance space, so relevant experience is likely to include programming performances, managing historic or multipurpose venues, community engagement, partnership working and financial operation of a public-facing cultural asset. Organisations considering a lease or concession model should be prepared to explain their operating approach, market capacity and appetite, together with their ability to manage the building and associated responsibilities. The process is currently for market understanding and preparation, rather than bidding.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

Electric Theatre - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice

Notice Description

The Electric Theatre is an iconic and historic building in the heart of Guildford, originally built as an electricity works in 1913 and converted into a theatre in 1997. The venue is currently vacant, with Guildford Borough Council assuming full responsibility for the building and its associated holding costs. The Council has undertaken a programme of technical surveys and stakeholder engagement to establish a clear evidence base to inform the future of the asset, confirming both the significant cultural value of the venue and a strong community aspiration for its continued use as an arts and performance space. The Council intends to appoint an operator or leaseholder to run the venue on a lease or concession basis pending final classification and is undertaking preliminary market engagement to understand market capacity and appetite among cultural, community and commercial operators before finalising its procurement route and minimum requirements. This is not a call for competition and does not commit the Council to commence a procurement process.

Planning Information

To register interest for this tender please access via the below link, and login with your credentials if already registered on the SE Shared Service portal: https://www.sesharedservices.org.uk/esourcing If you are not registered on the SE Shared Services, and would like to place to submission for this tender, then please register your companies details via the below link. Once registered you will be able to access the tender documentation: https://www.in-tendhost.co.uk/sesharedservices/aspx/Home

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-0776c0
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/089304-2026
Current Stage
Planning
All Stages
Planning

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Not Specified
Procurement Method Details
Not specified
Tender Suitability
SME, VCSE
Awardee Scale
Not specified

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

92 - Recreational, cultural and sporting services

CPV Codes

92000000 - Recreational, cultural and sporting services

92300000 - Entertainment services

92310000 - Artistic and literary creation and interpretation services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
Not specified
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
21 Sep 2026Today
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
9 Nov 20262 months to go
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
11 Jan 2027 - 10 Jan 2052 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
Guildford 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
GUILDFORD
Postcode
GU2 4BB
Postcode Area
Guildford
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLJ South East (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLJ2 Surrey, East and West Sussex
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLJ25 West Surrey
Delivery Location
Not specified
Local Authority
Guildford
Electoral Ward
St Nicolas
Westminster Constituency
Guildford

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

View full OCDS Record for this contracting process

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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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