Expressions of Interest Sought: Poole’s Cavern Café Concession
The highly coveted Poole’s Cavern Café Concession is now available, offering a rare opportunity to operate at a regionally recognised, award-winning tourist destination.
Café at the Cavern is a strategic commercial asset positioned to capture both high-volume tourist trade and high-disposable-income local market share.
Buxton & the strategic partnership
Align your business with a leading heritage location in one of the Peak District’s most popular tourist destinations.
- A “Cultural Powerhouse”: Buxton was recognised by The Sunday Times Best Places to Live in 2024 as a top UK destination, praised for its strong community and vibrant arts scene. Situated in the heart of the Peak District, the town attracts 1.5 million visitors annually to its unique blend of heritage, cultural venues (like the Buxton Opera House and Crescent Hotel), and exceptional natural surroundings.
- Partner with a trusted guardian: The opportunity is presented by the Buxton Civic Association (BCA), the town’s leading environmental and heritage charity. BCA owns and operates the Cavern, reinvesting revenues directly into conservation in 9 woodlands around the town. This partnership model combines commercial success with community benefit and ensures long-term, values-led sustainability.
- Strong Business Confidence: The regional business environment is robust. The Visit Peak District and Derbyshire Business Sentiment Survey (Q1 2025) reported that 43% of local businesses expect improved performance in the next six months, reflecting a stable tourism base and year-round visitor demand.
The Café & the Vision
We are seeking a partner to establish an innovative and high-quality service for our café that reflects our visitor expectations and environmental ethos.
The café area includes a well-equipped kitchen and service counter, complemented by generous seating:
- Indoor Seating: Capacity for approximately 43 covers.
- Outdoor Seating: Extensive capacity for an additional 86 covers
- The successful partner must provide a high-quality service, offering outstanding customer care and value for money. The vision is for menus to champion fresh local produce, developing contemporary dishes that establish the café as a genuine culinary destination for both tourists and locals.
CONTRACT & NEXT STEPS
- Term: A guaranteed 3-year term, with an option to extend to 5 years (commencing March 2026).
Potential partners are invited to apply for the pre-qualification questionnaire and initial tender submission pack.
DEADLINES: Intention to Tender returned by Tuesday 16 December 2025
TENDER SUBMISSION: Tuesday 6 January 2026 at 12 noon. Please apply to: David Green, CEO, Dave.Green@buxtoncivicassociation.org.uk
Tender Documents below
