---
title: "Venue Hire for OU Graduation Ceremony"
ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-060820"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-060820"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-060820.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-060820.json"
source: "Find A Tender Service"
current_stage: "Award"
buyer: "THE OPEN UNIVERSITY"
published: "2026-01-16"
---

# Venue Hire for OU Graduation Ceremony

Buyer: THE OPEN UNIVERSITY  
Current stage: Award  
OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-060820

[View canonical contract page](https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-060820)  
[Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-060820.json)

## Summary

The Open University has completed a procurement process for hiring a venue for its two-day graduation ceremony, selecting Southbank Centre as the supplier. The procurement process was executed directly without competition due to being below threshold requirements. The contract for venue hire in Milton Keynes was signed on 17th December 2025, with the ceremony scheduled to take place on 14th and 15th September 2026. This procurement falls under the services category, specifically event services.

This opportunity primarily catered to large-scale service providers specialising in venue hire and event management. Although this specific contract has been awarded, similar future opportunities could align well with businesses in the event planning and hospitality industry, particularly those capable of hosting large academic gatherings. Such tenders can significantly contribute to business expansion by providing stability and prestige through association with reputable institutions like The Open University.

## Notice

Venue Hire for OU Graduation Ceremony for 2 days

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Find A Tender Service |
| Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/004106-2026 |
| Notice type | UK7 - Contract Details Notice |
| Procurement type | Standard |
| Procurement category | Services |
| Procurement method | Direct |
| Procurement method details | Below threshold - without competition |
| Tender suitability | Not specified |
| Awardee scale | Large |
| All stages | Award |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 16 Jan 2026 |
| Submission deadline | Not specified |
| Future notice date | Not specified |
| Award date | 17 Dec 2025 |
| Contract period | 13 Sep 2026 - 15 Sep 2026 |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | Not specified |
| Lots value | Not specified |
| Awards value | Not specified |
| Contracts value | £110,000 |

## Status

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender status | Complete |
| Lots status | Complete |
| Awards status | Active |
| Contracts status | Active |

## Buyer

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Main buyer | THE OPEN UNIVERSITY |
| Locality | MILTON KEYNES |
| Post town | Milton Keynes |
| Postcode | MK7 6AA |
| Country | England |
| ITL 1 | TLJ South East (England) |
| ITL 2 | TLJ1 Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire |
| ITL 3 | TLJ12 Milton Keynes |
| Local authority | Milton Keynes |
| Electoral ward | Monkston |
| Westminster constituency | Milton Keynes Central |
| Delivery location | Not specified |

## Supplier

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Number of suppliers | 1 |
| Supplier names | SOUTHBANK CENTRE |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

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

### Codes

- 79952000 - Event services

## Release History

- 16 Jan 2026 at 18:27 - Award - UK7 - Contract Details Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/004106-2026

## Documents

- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/004106-2026
  16th January 2026 - Contract details notice on Find a Tender

## Notice URLs

- https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/54/contents

## Provenance

This Markdown file is an alternate public rendering of the D3 Tenders contract record. The canonical page is https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-060820. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-060820.json.