Request for Proposals for the West Hill Café, Hastings
Hastings Borough Council has launched a Request for Proposals for the redevelopment of the West Hill Café, including an interpretation experience to tell the story of Hastings Castle.
Following the Expression of Interest launched in October last year, we would like to appoint an experienced partner within the Cultural Assets sector, to develop, build, operate, and maintain the West Hill Café as a quality food and beverage facility as well as a springboard for innovative education and experience telling the story of Hastings Castle.
Proposals should also incorporate access improvements to Ladies Parlour, with improved setting and landscaping of the surrounding castle grounds, acknowledging and enhancing the existing biodiversity of the site.
The aim is to secure the most suitably qualified organisation or consortium whose proposal delivers an outstanding design scheme for the site, a detailed construction cost plan, a commercially sustainable business plan, a vision for a worlds class visitor attraction at Hastings Castle and comprehensive biodiversity enhancement strategies.
The Council will be seeking additional investment offered by partners, optimum revenue regeneration, as well as considering experience with heritage and cultural assets, with the ambition to deliver the project objectives and long-term sustainability of the Castle site.
Cllr Julia Hilton, Leader of Hastings Borough Council, said: “Transforming the café and castle area into a leading destination is the flagship project of the Hastings Town Investment Plan. I am looking forward to seeing proposals that will engage the community in developing an exciting vision for the transformation of the West Hill Café site, that tells the story of this key part of our history. This aims to drive a step change in the south coast's visitor economy, and ensure that our town once again becomes a 'must visit' destination.”
We are working with consultants, Blue Horizon Ventures who have put together a detailed prospectus outlining the key aims and outputs of the project, key upcoming dates, the submission instructions and the assessment process.
Please use link below to view the Hastings Castle and West Hill Café prospectus
Hastings Castle & West Hill Café prospectus March 2024
If you would like to submit a proposal or view the full suite of documents (method statements and supporting documentation) please register via the Wealden Procurement Hub here
Any questions or clarifications should be sent to TownDeal@hastings.gov.uk by 12 noon on the 6 May 2024. Frequently asked questions will be collated and added to the Town Deal blog page so please ensure you check for any updates.
If you would like to talk about this in more detail, please contact Julian at Blue Horizons Ventures on 07584 102287.
Submissions will be open from 25 March until 12 noon 3 June 2024. Please submit your proposal including all required documentation to TownDeal@hastings.gov.uk
In 2021 Hastings was one of 101 UK towns to receive a share of the Government’s Towns Fund to kickstart the regeneration of the town with funding of £24.3m. Earlier this year the Town Deal Board approved the project’s business case and the council has allocated £3m of Town Deal money to invest in the project. The council issued an Expression of Interest to gauge market interest in October 2023 and following a positive response, the council is now looking for experienced partners to help deliver the project.