Tender: GLL seeking catering operator for The Sands Centre in Carlisle
GLL is seeking an experienced, creative and professional catering operator to deliver a commercially successful restaurant, coffee shop, and a number of bars at The Sands Centre in Carlisle.
The Sands Centre is a premium touring entertainment venue and flagship leisure centre currently undergoing a £27 million redevelopment. The schedule of work is forecast to be completed by autumn 2022.
The centre will provide first-class entertainment, leisure and swimming facilities on a single site, with estimated yearly footfall of over 1 million.
Our entertainment centre has capacity for 1,800 standing and up to 1,400 seated for an array of touring entertainment, including extended West End theatre runs, major international music artists, comedy, ballet and a Christmas pantomime run.
In 2023 The Sands Centre will host 200 professional events with capacity for over 250,000 customers. Further information on The Sands Centre events programme can be found at thesandscentre.co.uk
New leisure centre facilities include a main pool hall (25m x 17m, 8-lane), and a learner pool with a moveable floor (20m x 8m), both with a spectator seating gallery, a four-court sports hall with a spectator gallery, 120 station fitness suite, group cycle studio and two fitness studios alongside a continued partnership with the NHS to house a new purpose built suite of physiotherapy treatment rooms.
Catering facilities include a new restaurant with a range of dining areas, a coffee shop with separate indoor seating, two downstairs bars as well as an upstairs bar with substantial seating area. Ancillary areas allow opportunities for meetings, conferencing and celebration events with bespoke catering packages available.
The successful catering partner will also have possibilities for additional revenue streams outside of pre-defined spaces, including vending opportunities both internally and across additional GLL facilities city wide and catering provisions at external GLL events, including The Great Cumbrian Run.
The Sands Centre currently operates an integrated EPOS system with our ticketing software to facilitate pre-ordering, click and collect and at-seat service to enhance customer experience and spend per head. GLL intend to continue to work alongside the successful operator to further enhance our digital offering and integrations.
In addition to providing a high-quality service with great value product options, a key outcome also sought by this expression of interest is to provide meaningful opportunity to the community – whether through employment, social inclusion, economic or environmental benefits.
GLL exists to make community services and spaces better for everyone and to improve the health and wellbeing of local communities, and our catering operator must share our values and vision for a successful partnership.
This exciting and unique opportunity demands a strong emphasis on customer experience, innovative product options and the ability to meet the needs of both high-end entertainment and leisure customers and offer a premium experience.
GLL are looking to award a five-year operating contract with possible extensions by mutual agreement. We would like to invite expressions of interest from catering operators by email or in writing to the below addresses no later than Sunday 20 February 2022. Once we have received all expressions of interest we will send out tender documentation to interested bidders.
Correspondence Email: sands.project@gll.org
Correspondence Address: Catering Tender, The Sands Centre, Carlisle, CA1 1JQ
