✓Tender information last checkedLast checked 20 Oct 2026, 14:52.
Opportunity overview
Stafford Borough Council is reviewing future
delivery arrangements for a range of leisure, culture
and heritage services as the current contractual
arrangements approach expiry in November 2027.
Following completion of an options appraisal, the
Council has determined that future leisure services
and the Gatehouse Theatre will be considered
through separate procurement arrangements. In
relation to the Council's heritage portfolio, no final
decision has yet been taken regarding the preferred
delivery model.
The Council is therefore undertaking a Preliminary
Market Engagement exercise to explore market
appetite, capability and capacity to operate and
develop the following heritage assets as a
standalone heritage service:
• Stafford Castle
• Ancient High House
• Izaak Walton Cottage
The facilities currently form part of a wider leisure,
theatre and heritage services contract operated by
Freedom Leisure.
The Council is seeking views from organisations
with experience in heritage management,
museums, cultural services, visitor attractions,
charitable trusts, educational provision, community
based heritage management and related sectors.
The Council is particularly interested in
understanding:
• whether there is sufficient market appetite for a
standalone heritage contract;
• the types of organisations likely to participate in a
future procurement process;
• appropriate delivery models and partnership
structures;
• acceptable levels of risk transfer;
• subsidy expectations and financial sustainability
opportunities;
• opportunities to increase visitor engagement and
community impact; and
• information requirements that would support
participation in a future procurement exercise.
This notice relates solely to preliminary market
engagement and does not constitute a call for
competition, invitation to tender or commitment by
the Council to commence a procurement process
Classification
CPV92300000 — Entertainment services
Lots
Lot 1Value not stated
Documents and notices
Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a TenderOpen source ↗
Published notice details
Additional information from the published procurement release. Fields appear only when supplied by the source; check the original notice and tender documents before acting.
The Council has prepared a market engagement
document and questionnaire seeking feedback on
the future operation of the heritage portfolio.
Interested organisations are invited to review the
supporting information and submit a completed
questionnaire by 12:00 noon on Friday 6th November 2026.
The engagement seeks confidential feedback on
the viability of a standalone heritage management
contract, potential delivery models, investment
opportunities, subsidy requirements, contract
structure and operational responsibilities.
The Council welcomes responses from heritage
trusts, museum operators, charities, cultural
organisations, visitor attraction operators, social
enterprises, leisure trusts with heritage experience,
commercial operators and consortium
arrangements.
Responses received through this engagement
exercise will be used to inform the Council's future
decision making regarding the heritage portfolio
and any subsequent procurement strategy.
For further information and access to the
engagement documentation, interested parties
should register via the Council's procurement portal and search for this PME notice
LINK BELOW
https://supplierlive.proactisp2p.com/Account/Login#
Due
6 Nov 2027, 23:59
Status
scheduled
Documents
Entry 1
Id
099023-2026
Document Type
marketEngagementNotice
Notice Type
UK2
Description
Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender
1 published notice version reviewed by ProcuraAxis.
1 VERSION
1
099023-2026Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender ·
PROCURAAXIS ANALYSIS
ProcuraAxis Analysis
Our approved analysis of the opportunity appears below the official tender information.
ANALYSIS PREVIEW
Opportunity intelligence at a glance
Early-stage preliminary market engagement by Stafford Borough Council about possible future standalone heritage-service arrangements for Stafford Castle, Ancient High House and Izaak Walton Cottage. This is not a call for competition or an invitation to tender.
Who this may suit
Potentially relevant to organisations experienced in heritage management, museums, cultural services, visitor attractions, charitable trusts, educational provision, community-based heritage management and related sectors. No future supplier selection requirements are stated.
Key points identified
Market-engagement inputViews on market appetite, capability and capacity to operate and develop the named heritage assets.Evidence: "The Council is therefore undertaking a Preliminary Market Engagement exercise to explore market appetite, capability and capacity to operate and develop" the assets.
Relevant experience soughtExperience in heritage management, museums, cultural services, visitor attractions, charitable trusts, educational provision, community-based heritage management or related sectors.Evidence: "The Council is seeking views from organisations with experience in heritage management, museums, cultural services, visitor attractions, charitable trusts, educational provision, community based heritage management and related sectors."
Formal eligibility criteriaUnknown; none stated in the supplied notice.Evidence: The notice is preliminary market engagement and provides no selection or eligibility criteria.
95% approved-analysis confidence3 supplier criteria identified3 risks or unknowns
ProcuraAxis structures information found in published procurement records, checks the result for consistency and publishes only approved analysis. Confidence describes the completeness and consistency of the available source information; it is not a guarantee of eligibility or contract award.
Early-stage preliminary market engagement by Stafford Borough Council about possible future standalone heritage-service arrangements for Stafford Castle, Ancient High House and Izaak Walton Cottage. This is not a call for competition or an invitation to tender.
Who this may suit
Potentially relevant to organisations experienced in heritage management, museums, cultural services, visitor attractions, charitable trusts, educational provision, community-based heritage management and related sectors. No future supplier selection requirements are stated.
Key deliverables
Provide market feedback on appetite, capability, capacity, delivery models, partnership structures, risk transfer, subsidy expectations, financial sustainability, visitor engagement, community impact and information needs.
SUPPLIER REQUIREMENTS
3 criteria identified
Market-engagement input
98% confidence
Views on market appetite, capability and capacity to operate and develop the named heritage assets.
View supporting evidence
"The Council is therefore undertaking a Preliminary Market Engagement exercise to explore market appetite, capability and capacity to operate and develop" the assets.
Relevant experience sought
99% confidence
Experience in heritage management, museums, cultural services, visitor attractions, charitable trusts, educational provision, community-based heritage management or related sectors.
View supporting evidence
"The Council is seeking views from organisations with experience in heritage management, museums, cultural services, visitor attractions, charitable trusts, educational provision, community based heritage management and related sectors."
Formal eligibility criteria
98% confidence
Unknown; none stated in the supplied notice.
View supporting evidence
The notice is preliminary market engagement and provides no selection or eligibility criteria.
COMMERCIAL AND DELIVERY
Contract intelligence
Commercial
Contract value
100% confidence
Unknown.
View supporting evidence
No value is supplied.
Commercial model
98% confidence
Unknown; the Council is seeking views on delivery models, risk transfer, subsidy expectations and financial sustainability.
View supporting evidence
"appropriate delivery models and partnership structures"; "acceptable levels of risk transfer"; "subsidy expectations and financial sustainability opportunities".
Delivery
Assets in scope for engagement
100% confidence
Stafford Castle, Ancient High House and Izaak Walton Cottage.
View supporting evidence
The notice lists "Stafford Castle", "Ancient High House" and "Izaak Walton Cottage" as the heritage assets.
Current contractual arrangements approach expiry in November 2027.
View supporting evidence
"the current contractual arrangements approach expiry in November 2027."
PROCEDURE
How to respond
Status
100% confidence
Upcoming / planning: early-stage preliminary market engagement, not an open competition.
View supporting evidence
Display status is "upcoming" and the notice states it "does not constitute a call for competition, invitation to tender or commitment by the Council to commence a procurement process".
Procedure
100% confidence
Preliminary Market Engagement (PME). Future procurement method is unknown.
View supporting evidence
"The Council is therefore undertaking a Preliminary Market Engagement exercise"; procurement method is null.
Submission deadline
100% confidence
Unknown.
View supporting evidence
No submission deadline is supplied.
RISKS AND UNKNOWNS
Points requiring attention
No commitment to procure
100% confidence
The Council may not commence a procurement process.
View supporting evidence
The notice "does not constitute a call for competition, invitation to tender or commitment by the Council to commence a procurement process".
Scope and delivery model unresolved
99% confidence
No final preferred delivery model has been decided; procurement scope, route, terms and timetable remain unknown.
View supporting evidence
"no final decision has yet been taken regarding the preferred delivery model."
Separate services excluded from this engagement
99% confidence
Future leisure services and the Gatehouse Theatre will be considered separately.
View supporting evidence
"future leisure services and the Gatehouse Theatre will be considered through separate procurement arrangements."
ProcuraAxis analysis supplements, but does not replace, the original notice and tender documents. Always verify eligibility, deadlines and commercial terms with the issuing authority.
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