--- title: "Ashford Arts Centre Operator" ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-0792e2" canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-0792e2" markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-0792e2.md" json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-0792e2.json" source: "Find A Tender Service" current_stage: "Tender" buyer: "Ashford Borough Council" published: "2026-10-29" --- # Ashford Arts Centre Operator Buyer: Ashford Borough Council Current stage: Tender OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-0792e2 [View canonical contract page](https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-0792e2) [Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-0792e2.json) ## Summary Ashford Borough Council is seeking a partner to manage and operate Ashford Arts Centre, a new community and commercial arts venue being created by redeveloping the former Odeon cinema in Ashford town centre. The programme is intended to include theatre, live performance, comedy, family shows and community activities, alongside hospitality and events. The operator will be responsible for running the venue as a performance and arts facility, with associated café, bar and entertainment services. The design is at RIBA Stage 3, so the venue’s scope remains subject to confirmation as it develops. The work is delivered in Ashford, Kent. The Council invited offers through a competitive flexible procedure, with an initial questionnaire and tender submission, followed by possible negotiation and final tenders. The contract period is 1 April 2027 to 31 March 2042. The bid deadline set by the Council was 8 January 2027 at 10:00, and the stated award decision date was 8 March 2027. The estimated operator income over the 25-year term is £12.6 million excluding VAT and public subsidy (£15.12 million including VAT); this is an indication of scale, not a forecast or guaranteed income, and bidders must develop their own financial assumptions. There is one lot. Evaluation is weighted 60% quality, 25% commercial offer, 10% business case and 5% legal. Economic and technical participation criteria apply. The opportunity suits organisations able to operate a mixed-use arts and performance venue for both community and commercial audiences. Relevant strengths include producing or presenting theatre, live entertainment, comedy and family programming; engaging community users; and managing hospitality, bar and event services. The Council expects bidders to demonstrate sufficient capability and financial standing at the questionnaire stage, with economic and technical selection requirements applying. Bidders need to develop their own operating and financial case using their venue-management experience and the procurement information, rather than rely on the Council’s indicative income modelling. The concession structure places operating risk on the operator, as set out in the concession agreement. The opportunity is identified as suitable for SMEs and voluntary, community and social enterprises. ## Notice The Council seeks a suitably skilled, long-term partner to manage and operate Ashford Arts Centre (AAC) via a concession arrangement. AAC is a new community and commercial arts centre being delivered by the Council through the redevelopment of the former Ashford Odeon cinema building, in Ashford town centre. The design for AAC is currently at RIBA Stage 3, and details in respect of the scope of the AAC in the suite of procurement documents should be treated as subject to confirmation as the design develops. AAC's programme is intended to include theatre, live performance, comedy, family shows and community use, alongside a hospitality and events offer, ensuring there is something to suit a broad range of audiences within a scale appropriate to Ashford. The estimated value stated in this notice is based on detailed financial modelling completed by Blue Horizon Ventures on behalf of the Council. The model draws on the RIBA Stage 3 design for AAC, benchmark data from comparable venues, and projected commercial and community activity across the venue's spaces, reflecting its intended role as a hybrid commercial and community performance venue. The figure represents cumulative operator income over the 25 year contract term, excluding VAT and public subsidy. It is shared to give Tenderers an indication of scale so that they can plan their interest and resources with confidence. It is not a forecast or a guarantee of future income, and it is not intended to be used as the basis for Tenderers' own financial modelling. Tenderers are required to develop their own assumptions, drawing on their operating experience and the information in the tender pack. ## Key Details | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication source | Find A Tender Service | | Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/102539-2026 | | Notice type | UK4 - Tender Notice | | Procurement type | Standard | | Procurement category | Services | | Procurement method | Open | | Procurement method details | Competitive flexible procedure | | Tender suitability | SME, VCSE | | Awardee scale | Not specified | | All stages | Tender | ## Dates | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication date | 29 Oct 2026 | | Submission deadline | 8 Jan 2027 | | Future notice date | Not specified | | Award date | Not specified | | Contract period | 1 Apr 2027 - 31 Mar 2042 | | Recurrence | Not specified | ## Values | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Tender value | £12,600,000 | | Lots value | £12,600,000 | | Awards value | Not specified | | Contracts value | Not specified | ## Status | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Tender status | Active | | Lots status | Active | | Awards status | Not specified | | Contracts status | Not specified | ## Buyer | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Main buyer | Ashford Borough Council | | Locality | ASHFORD | | Postcode area | Tonbridge | | Postcode | TN23 1HU | | Country | England | | ITL 1 | TLJ South East (England) | | ITL 2 | TLJ4 Kent | | ITL 3 | TLJ45 Mid Kent | | Local authority | Ashford | | Electoral ward | Victoria | | Westminster constituency | Ashford | | Delivery location | TLJ4 Kent | ## CPV Codes ### Divisions - 55 - Hotel, restaurant and retail trade services - 75 - Administration, defence and social security services - 92 - Recreational, cultural and sporting services ### Codes - 55330000 - Cafeteria services - 55400000 - Beverage-serving services - 55410000 - Bar management services - 75200000 - Provision of services to the community - 92000000 - Recreational, cultural and sporting services - 92300000 - Entertainment services - 92310000 - Artistic and literary creation and interpretation services - 92312000 - Artistic services - 92312110 - Theatrical producer entertainment services - 92320000 - Arts-facility operation services ## Release History - 29 Oct 2026 at 11:43 - TenderUpdate - UK4 - Tender Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/102539-2026 - 28 Oct 2026 at 17:28 - Tender - UK4 - Tender Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/102323-2026 ## Documents - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/102539-2026 29th October 2026 - Tender notice on Find a Tender - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/102323-2026 28th October 2026 - Tender notice on Find a Tender - https://www.kentbusinessportal.org.uk/ Procurement documents can be accessed via the Kent Business Portal. ## Notice URLs - https://www.kentbusinessportal.org.uk/respond/P5BBRU393F - 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-0792e2. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-0792e2.json.