Christmas Light Trail for Sir Harold Hillier Gardens

What the buyer is asking for

Sir Harold Hillier Gardens (SHHG) is a nationally significant arboretum located near Romsey, Hampshire, comprising approximately 180 acres and housing one of the most comprehensive collections of hardy trees and shrubs in the UK. The Gardens are operated as a registered charitable trust, with Hampshire County Council acting as trustee and retaining responsibility for strategic oversight and governance. Since 2021, SHHG has hosted an annual outdoor illuminated light trail with the aim of reaching a wider audience to support its charitable aims and sustained growth. The event has been successful over the past four years, with year-on-year growth in both visitor numbers and light trail ticket sales. The existing contract for delivery of the light trail expires on 15 January 2027. Given the success of the light trail, SHHG is seeking a provider to continue delivering an annual high-quality outdoor illuminated light trail for public sale that shall be ticketed for the duration of 6 weeks, between the end of November and the beginning of January. The appointed provider will be expected to design and deliver an exciting and immersive visitor experience that showcases the Gardens during evening hours, supports continued growth in visitor numbers towards a target of 90,000 visitors, and aligns with the Gardens’ charitable aims. The Council intends to enter into a concession contract for provision of the services for a total duration of 10 years. The service must be delivered in a manner that respects the sensitivities of a Grade II listed landscape and ensures a safe, accessible, and inclusive visitor experience. The provider will be responsible for all aspects of event delivery, including light trail design, lighting installation, e-ticketing, marketing, and event management. Management of the event will include provision of all required staffing and logistics necessary to deliver the trail, sourcing additional car parking if required, stewarding, security, and health and safety compliance. The provider will also be expected to provide catering facilities at the outset of the contract. A collaborative partnership approach will be required, with the successful provider working closely with SHHG to ensure the event aligns with the Gardens’ identity, charitable objectives and its position as part of Hampshire County Council. The Council will charge the provider a fee of £125,000.00 per annum (excluding VAT) for use of the Council’s premises for performance of the Services, payable in instalments. In addition, there will be an additional Concession Fee payable against all income generating ticket sales above 75,000 visitors, calculated on the basis of the per-ticket rate proposed by the provider in its tender submission.

How this is scored

Published by the buyer. A winning response is written to these weightings, not to the question.

• 20%qualityQuality criterion 1 (Lot 0)Question 2 - Illuminated Trail Concept
• 10%qualityQuality criterion 2 (Lot 0)Question 3 - Design & Brand Identity
• 10%qualityQuality criterion 3 (Lot 0)Question 4 - Trail Refresh & Creativity
• 6%qualityQuality criterion 4 (Lot 0)Question 5 - Managing Adverse Weather Conditions
• 6%qualityQuality criterion 5 (Lot 0)Question 6 - Customer Satisfaction
• 6%qualityQuality criterion 6 (Lot 0)Question 7 - Customer Experience & Booking System
• 6%qualityQuality criterion 7 (Lot 0)Question 8 - Stakeholder Management & Effective Communication
• 6%qualityQuality criterion 8 (Lot 0)Question 9 - Impact on Local Residents & Social Value
• 30%pricePrice criterion 1 (Lot 0)Total Marks for Submitted Concession Fee

What you must already have

Conditions of participation. These are pass or fail, so check them before writing anything.

• economic

  This tender has the following Conditions of Participation. Further supplementary information on each of the requirements is contained within the tender documents. • Corporate Social Responsibility – Suppliers are asked to confirm they meet their legal obligations and expectations of the Council regarding their approach to equalities and sustainability. • Data Protection & ICO Registration – Suppliers are required to meet stated Data Protection standards and be registered with the Information Commissioners Office. • Insurance – As a minimum, suppliers are required to hold, or commit to obtain prior to contract award, Public and Employer's Liability insurance. Minimum cover levels for these and any other additional insurance requirements relevant to this requirement, are detailed in the tender documents. • Financial Standing & Business Risk – The Council uses Creditsafe and requires all suppliers to achieve a minimum Business Risk score of 30/100. For scores between 30 and 50, a Parent Company Guarantee or Performance Bond may be deemed required as appropriate. Suppliers must also be able to evidence at least 12 months of trading.

• technical

  The tender has the following Conditions of Participation related to technical ability. Further supplementary information on each of the requirements is contained within the tender documents. • Health & Safety - Suppliers are required to confirm that arrangements are in place to manage health and safety effectively. • Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) Compliance - Suppliers must confirm compliance with the PCI DSS. • Relevant Experience - Suppliers are asked to provide details of at least 1 contract that demonstrates their technical and professional ability to deliver the services. • Legislative Compliance - Suppliers must confirm compliance with all relevant legislation.

How contested is this?

Buyers publish how many bids they received. Across 56 comparable procurements we can tell you the typical field size, how often one of these goes uncontested, and whether the buyer awards on price or on quality.

Timeline

4 published dates · Europe/London

1. Tender notice publishedyesterday

   30 Sept 2026, 15:38 BST
2. Clarification questions byin 18 days

   19 Oct 2026, 17:00 BST
3. Submission deadlinein 29 days

   30 Oct 2026, 14:00 GMT
4. Award decision expected byin 95 days

   4 Jan 2027, 23:59 GMT

Commercial outcome and contract awards

Nothing awarded yet

Notice history

2 events · 2 releases on Find a Tender

1. Pipeline or early engagement notice5 Aug 2026, 11:28 BST074084-2026
2. Tender notice30 Sept 2026, 15:38 BST092509-2026

Payment terms

This concession contract requires the Supplier to pay the Authority an annual fee for use of the Council's premises and a Concession Fee in accordance with Schedule 2 of Annex 3 (Contract Terms and Conditions). The Supplier shall pay the Council any sums due no later than a period of 30 days from the date on which the Supplier has received a valid and undisputed invoice in accordance with Annex 3.

Documents

• Tender notice on Find a Tender