Published date: 21 May 2016

Awarded contract - This means that the contract has been awarded to a supplier.


Closing: 4 July 2016

Contract summary

Industry

  • Architectural, construction, engineering and inspection services - 71000000

Location of contract

South East

Value of contract

£200,000 to £250,000

Procurement reference

Castle

Published date

21 May 2016

Closing date

4 July 2016

Contract start date

8 August 2016

Contract end date

31 May 2017

Contract type

Service contract

Procedure type

Open procedure

Any interested supplier may submit a tender in response to an opportunity notice.

Contract is suitable for SMEs?

Yes

Contract is suitable for VCSEs?

No

Description

The project is to establish Guildford Castle, its grounds and Guildford Museum as a united site and attraction in the centre of the town. To achieve this we are looking to reconfigure the Museum, with the addition of a new building, to open into and utilise the adjoining Castle Gardens and Castle ruins. This will reunite the most important historic site in Guildford, containing the remains of a royal castle linked with medieval kings, including Stephen and Henry III, for over 300 years. The site was later associated with Lewis Carroll, who rented a house on the footprint of the historic castle for his sisters and who died in the house in 1898.
Reconfiguring the site and adding appropriate new build will enhance the historic environment, extend museum display space and improve public facilities, incorporating a new museum entrance and exhibition space into the castle grounds and linking new areas to galleries in the existing museum. Refurbished displays will provide improved conditions for collections, use different formats and approaches to engage a range of audiences in the story of the town and borough and provide new learning spaces with the potential to expand programmes of activities and opportunities.
The project will unite places with a related history, increasing access to, and understanding of, heritage assets including the castle, historic collections, castle grounds and the story of the town and borough that grew around it, producing a refreshed and enlivened museum and the major heritage hub and attraction for the borough's community and its visitors.
The creation of versatile exhibition space that enhances the visit, provides the latest in visitor experience technology and creates the demand for repeat visits, plus a new Café is essential. The design will add something extra to this historic quarter.
Background Information
The Council has identified that the Museum and Castle grounds are in need of development and refurbishment to enhance the historic visitor attraction to the town. The Castle achieves c 15,000 visits per anum, the Museum c13,000 visits and the Castle Grounds over 500.000 per annum; a great disparity. There are a number of reasons for this:-
• The Museum entrance is in Quarry Street hidden away from the Castle and Grounds
• The Castle is more visible and is signposted from the High Street
• The Museum is not very user friendly with poor physical access and facilities
• The displays are tired and need updating to tell new stories displaying exhibits using modern display methodologies
• The central exhibition area used for temporary exhibitions is small and constrained and not able to provide the quality of exhibit to create significant public interest.
The Castle and Grounds are of significant heritage value.

More information

Attachments

Award information

Awarded date

5 September 2016

Contract start date

12 September 2016

Contract end date

31 May 2017

Total value of contract

£639,215

This contract was awarded to 1 supplier.

ZMMA

Address

25b Underwood Street
London
N1 7LG

Reference

None

Supplier is SME?

No

Supplier is VCSE?

No

About the buyer

Contact name

Mike Harris

Address

Guildford Borough Council
Millmead
Guildford
GU2 4BB
England

Email

Mike.Harris@Guildford.gov.uk