Rosliston invitation to tender

An invitation to tender for the management of popular tourist attraction Rosliston Forestry Centre has been issued by South Derbyshire District Council on behalf of the Rosliston Forestry Centre Executive, which is responsible for the development of the site.

The 62 hectare site, with a mix of woodland and meadow, ponds and play areas, offers a perfect playground for visitors of all ages and physical abilities, all year round. People go to spot the wildlife, join a guided walk, enjoy a picnic or take advantage of the programme of events. It has been awarded a TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence for 2017.

The facility, jointly owned by the district council and The Forestry Commission, was the first visitor centre in The National Forest and has been run by the current management company, on behalf of the partnership, since 1999. The contract comes to an end on 31 March 2018.

The successful bidder will be responsible for the effective management of all the buildings within the scope of the commercial operation, including the visitor centre, retail space, meeting rooms, indoor and outdoor play areas and the popular log cabin accommodation.

The management of the woodland will remain with the Forestry Commission as part of its extensive forestry work across the Public Forest Estate.

The aim is to continue to balance the needs of the thousands of visitors attracted to the centre each year with the aim of achieving a sustainable economic business.

South Derbyshire District Council and the Forestry Commission are following a ‘Competitive Procedure with Negotiation’ procurement exercise which provides the opportunity for the partners and the bidders to work together to develop the most appropriate outcome for management of the centre.

The deadline for submission of tenders is Friday 15 September 2017 and the successful bidder is due to be announced in December 2017.

7 August 2017