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Haigh High Ropes: Expression of Interest

Wigan Council

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Planning

07 Oct 2026 at 10:31

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Summary of the contracting process

Wigan Council is exploring a partnership to develop and operate the high ropes attraction at Haigh Woodland Park in Wigan. The existing facility has a low ropes course with nine obstacles and a high ropes course with 11 obstacles, including a 40-metre zip line; its tower also supports team-building activities, and a jump bag has recently expanded the offer. The attraction sits within the council-managed park and Be Well’s wider outdoor adventure programme, alongside forest school activities at Haigh, watersports at Scotman’s Flash, and residential and day activities at Low Bank Ground. The work would need to fit the park’s wider transformation and woodland management plans. The council is considering a future phase-two high ropes product designed for increased visitor demand while respecting the historic landscape.

This is a planning-stage market engagement, not an invitation to tender. Wigan Council is inviting informal dialogue to understand market appetite and inform its next options appraisal. It is considering a long-term invest, maintain and operate partnership, but welcomes views on alternative arrangements, investment scale and partnership duration. The engagement is expected to conclude on 23 October 2026; this is the council’s stated date for expressions of interest and discussion, not a tender bid deadline. The anticipated contract period is 1 April 2027 to 31 March 2037. The procurement is identified as a service, with sports facilities operation as its specific area. No award procedure or evaluation basis has been set out at this stage. The proposed arrangement would transfer risk and opportunity to an operator while retaining partnership working as the park develops.

The proposal is most relevant to operators with experience running high ropes or comparable outdoor adventure attractions, and the capacity to invest in, maintain and operate a visitor-facing facility over a long-term partnership. Suppliers able to develop a phase-two attraction in coordination with a major site masterplan and woodland management strategy are well placed to contribute. The park already draws more than 500,000 visitors a year, with growth expected as its cultural and commercial offer develops, so operators should be prepared to consider the demands of a high-footfall destination. Wigan Council is seeking market insight on appetite, investment scale and suitable operating-partnership models, rather than asking for a tender bid now. Small and medium-sized businesses are considered suitable. Interested operators are asked to outline their company details, sites operated and interest as part of informal dialogue. Impacts and investment proposals should account for the historic landscape.

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Notice Information

Notice Title

Haigh High Ropes: Expression of Interest

Notice Description

Background: The Haigh High ropes course sits within the regional destination Haigh Woodland Park. The destination is set within Wigan, a 330,000 resident base town within Greater Manchester. The Park is managed by Wigan Council with Be Well (Wigan Council's in house Leisure & Wellbeing service) operating the High ropes course. The High ropes course was funded by Wigan Council through a phase one transformation of the park in 2016. The phase one investment also featured investment within adventure play, adventure golf, visitor centre and cafe , a kitchen courtyard within the Stables complex alongside major improvements to the Parking facilities. The ropes course is comprised of a low course with 9 obstacles and high ropes course with 11 obstacles including a 40 m zip line. The tower can also accommodate a range of team building activities. More recently Be Well has invested in a jump bag from the tower to add more variety and depth to the product offer. Details of the offer is available via the web link - https://www.bewelloutdoors.co.uk/locations/haigh-woodland-park.htm The High ropes course at Haigh forms part of a broader Be Well Outdoor adventure offer that combines forest school activities at Haigh, water sports activities at Scotman's Flash and residential and day activities at Low Bank Ground (on the shore of Lake Coniston). Haigh Woodland Park is undergoing a major transformation with the benefit of secured Heritage Lottery Funding and secured Government grants through the Levelling up Funding programme. Combined the investment exceeds PS50 million. The ambition is to transform Haigh Woodland Park into a cultural destination of national significance whilst retaining the significant local significance and appeal. Visitor numbers currently exceed 500,000 per year and are expected to grow significantly with the introduction of the cultural and commercial offers within the restored Hall, the restoration of key heritage assets and infrastructure, the realisation of the Woodland management plan and the implementation of audience development plans to expand the reach into current and new audience profiles. The Opportunity: Be Well are exploring partnership options to support the evolution of the High ropes product within Haigh Woodland Park. One of the options we are keen to understand is the market appetite to enter into a long-term partnership arrangement on the principle of an invest, maintain and operate model where risk and opportunity is transferred to a trusted operator whilst maintaining a principle of partnership working within the continued transformation of the destination. At this stage we are open to a range of options and welcome comment and insight from the market on the scale and type of investment alongside the form and duration of operational partnership. The future development of the High ropes product within Haigh Woodland Park would require co-ordination with the wider masterplan for the site alongside close co-ordination with the Woodland management strategy to arrive at a suitable phase two product capable of meeting the expected demand whilst being sensitive to the historic landscape. How to Express Your Interest: At this stage we are inviting interested parties to enter informal dialogue so that we can gauge the level of interest and shape the next stage of the options appraisal with the benefit of market insight. To express your interest and to arrange the discussion (on site meeting and virtual meetings can be facilitated) please respond by email to Stuart Holden (Service Lead - Strategic Development and Innovation) at Stuart.Holden@wigan.gov.uk. Within the response, please outline the following information: * Company name, registration number & official address * Main contact person and their contact details * Brief details of any sites in which the company operates * A summary of your interest The deadline for the response is close of play on Friday 23rd October 2026.

Planning Information

Please see above information

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-078247
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/094566-2026
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
Awardee Scale
Not specified

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

92 - Recreational, cultural and sporting services

CPV Codes

92610000 - Sports facilities operation services

Notice Value(s)

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

Notice Dates

Publication Date
7 Oct 20266 days ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
1 Apr 2027 - 1 Apr 2037 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
Wigan 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
WIGAN
Postcode
WN1 1YN
Postcode Area
Wigan
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLD North West (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLD3 Greater Manchester
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLD36 Greater Manchester North West
Delivery Location
TLD36 Greater Manchester North West
Local Authority
Wigan
Electoral Ward
Wigan Central
Westminster Constituency
Wigan

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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