Lease for new Cafe

Loughton & Great Holm Parish Council (LGHPC) is the first tier of local government, covering the Loughton, Great Holm and Knowlhill areas in Milton Keynes. LGHPC owns and manages the Loughton sport pitches and an adjacent pavilion building that contains changing rooms, toilets and a large café area. Around 60% of the space is given over to the café and LGHPC is now looking for a new operator to enter into a lease of this part of the building. A draft plan of the area that would be leased to the café operator is included in Appendix 2. The café is a well-loved facility in the Parish and therefore LGHPC is keen to find a new operator who is committed to providing a high-quality cafe that offers a wide range of food and drinks at affordable prices. The café has traditionally hosted the Parish's Community Larder and LGHPC would like to find an operator who will continue to support the Larder and also work with the Parish Council on other community focused initiatives. LGHPC, informed by a recent community survey, has developed a list of criteria that it wishes parties interested in this opportunity to consider and respond to when developing their plans for the café. What are we looking for: ● A café that offers a comfortable and relaxed environment where customers can enjoy a range of teas, coffees, soft drinks, and sweet / savoury snacks and light meals. ● A café that works hard to meet the needs of the local community. ● A cafe that is welcoming to everyone. ● Opening Hours that take account of the drop-off/pick-up hours of the nearby schools and school holidays. Consideration to be given to weekend opening, noting that currently the adjacent sport pitch is used by youth football teams on both Saturdays and Sundays from September to May. ● Support for the Loughton and Great Holm Community Larder, which has traditionally operated from this café for around 4 hours one morning each week (and continues to be run from the pavilion building today). ● A product range that includes premium teas and coffees and canned / bottled soft drinks. ● The food offer should include breakfast options (up to a time determined by the café operator), cakes and pastries, sandwiches, salads, fruits, and other lunch options. ● A Café operator who is sustainable and environmentally conscious - for example, by promoting reusable resources, minimises food waste, and makes best use of local suppliers. ● An operator who understands the business related aspects of running a café and who can give LGHPC confidence that it will be effective in meeting its business obligations to its stakeholders (including its employees, suppliers, service providers and LGHPC).