Scope
Description
AWARD & STANDSTILL PERIOD
Following receipt of best and final tenders on 19th December 2025 the Council has concluded the assessment process and will award a contract under Lot 2 - Agency Agreement. Assessment summaries to the successful and unsuccessful suppliers have been issued as required under Section 50 of the Procurement Act 23 (the 'Act').
Issuing of this Award Notice will now instigate the standstill period which will not be less than eight-working days (the Standstill Period), in line with section 51 of the Act.
The Council reserves the right to amend (extend) the Standstill Period if needed; if this right is exercised, the Contract Award Notice will be updated and affected suppliers will be notified accordingly.
After the Standstill Period has expired, and provided no legal challenge has been made by the end of the Standstill Period or any agreed extension, the Council intends to enter into contracts with the Successful Supplier. Following this, the Council also intends to publish a Contract Details Notice.
DESCRIPTION
Rushmoor Borough Council ('the council') invited tenders from suitably experienced leisure facility operators for the operation of a planned new leisure centre to be located in Farnborough as well as the operation of the council's existing leisure centre & lido facilities located in Aldershot.
The new Farnborough Leisure Centre, which is currently scheduled to open late 2027 / early 2028, will proactively address identified community needs aligned to health, physical
activity and social wellbeing.
The leisure operator appointed via this formal procurement process will manage both the Aldershot and Farnborough facilities, with the contract split into two distinct phases:
• the Interim Phase, during which the contractor will manage the Aldershot facilities and at the request of the Council, provide any input requested in relation to the opening of Farnborough Leisure Facility, and
• the Main Phase, during which the contractor will fully operate both facilities
The Interim Phase of the Contract is planned to commence shortly
afterwards from 1st April 2026, at which point the Operator will be required to commence delivery of services at the existing Aldershot facilities to coincide with the summer opening of the Lido.
The operator may be asked to provide input into the final design & configuration of the new Farnborough Leisure Centre where possible within the development programme, as well as
mobilisation, launch and other pre-opening services for the new centre.
The Council's target date for opening of the new Farnborough facility is late 2027 / early 2028, at which point the contract will enter its Main Phase. The duration of the Interim Phase is dependent on the date the new facility is ready to be opened, but is likely to run for around 18 to 24 months.
The interim phase will continue for a maximum of 2 years. However, its duration is dependent on the date when the new facility is ready to be opened so may run for a shorter period.
The Main Phase of the contract will involve operation of both the Aldershot facilities and new Farnborough facility & will then run for a further 15 years. The contract may subsequently be extended by up to 10 years, in further increments to be agreed by both parties up to a maximum term of 25 years.
CORE SCOPE
The scope of services / activities / inputs that the Operator will be responsible for can be summarised as:
• Equipment fit out of the new Farnborough Leisure Centre
• Operational management of the specified Rushmoor Borough Council leisure facilities;
o Operation, programming, activities & events
o Marketing, promotion & communication
o Customer on-boarding, booking, account management, website, back office & customer service
o Facilities management, Health & Safety management, Servicing, Repairs & Maintenance
o Open book performance reporting, partnership working & continuous improvement
• Delivery of the Authority and Public Health priorities to address the wider determinants of health;
• Partnership working including;
o Developing a higher profile for community sport
o Advocating the benefits of leisure time and activities.
o Open book performance reporting
o Continuous improvement
As allowed for within the design of the competitive flexible procedure used to undertake this procurement, the Council included for additional Council owned leisure facilities (operation of ski centre / administration of tennis courts) within stage 2 (Best & final tenders) of the process. As allowed for under the procedure the Council also invited development proposals for the existing Aldershot facilities & at stage 2 of the process allowed for the commercial impact of these to be included within core business plans. This has resulted in the estimated value of the contract based primarily upon turnover projection over the maximum 25 year term increasing above the non-binding estimate of £105,700,000 included for within the tender notice.
Lot 2. Leisure Operator - Agency Model
Description
Lot 2 specific requirements are set out in the the following key documents included within the Procurement Documents accessible via ProContract:
• Specification - Lot 2 (Agency Model)
• Draft Agency Agreement_ 74485630 v1.0
• Financial Tender Submission - Lot 2 - (Agency Model)
N.B. - The estimated value for Lot 1 has been entered below with a different value due the Find a Tender Service system preventing the same value being entered for the Lot value as for the general value stated within the Scope section of this notice. The value estimate for Lot 1 is actually the same as the estimate stated for the contract in the Scope section. i.e. £105,700,000.
TBA???
Contract 1. Rushmoor Borough Council - Leisure Centre Operator
Lots
Lot 2. Leisure Operator - Agency Model
Supplier
Contract value
- £147,987,583 excluding VAT
- £147,987,583 including VAT
Above the relevant threshold
Award decision date
10 February 2026
Date assessment summaries were sent to tenderers
12 February 2026
Standstill period
- End: 24 February 2026
- 8 working days
Earliest date the contract will be signed
1 April 2026
Contract dates (estimated)
- 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2043
- Possible extension to 31 March 2053
- 27 years
Description of possible extension:
The Main Phase of the contract may be extended by up to 10 years, in further increments to be agreed by both parties up to a maximum term of 25 years.
Main procurement category
Services
Options
The right to additional purchases while the contract is valid.
Over the term of the contract, including for any extension period, the scope may be amended to include for the addition or removal of sport and recreational facilities as required, with agreement of both parties. Changes to scope will be made using the change mechanism provided for within the contract and as a result the value of the contract may be amended accordingly.
The following is a non-exhaustive list of potential sport and recreational facilities that may be added to/removed from the scope in the future:
• Swimming pools & lidos
• Gymnasiums, fitness studios & sports halls
• Physio & rehabilitation facilities
• Yoga & wellbeing centres
• Soft play facilities
• Climbing walls
• Skate parks
• Pitches & courts - football, rugby, hockey, basketball, netball, tennis, badminton, squash,
volleyball, etc.
• Golf courses
• Ski centres
• Ice rinks
• Cafes, restaurant & hospitality
CPV classifications
- 45212100 - Construction work of leisure facilities
- 45212290 - Repair and maintenance work in connection with sports facilities
- 45451000 - Decoration work
- 45452000 - Exterior cleaning work for buildings
- 45454000 - Restructuring work
- 50510000 - Repair and maintenance services of pumps, valves, taps and metal containers
- 50531100 - Repair and maintenance services of boilers
- 50531200 - Gas appliance maintenance services
- 50700000 - Repair and maintenance services of building installations
- 55330000 - Cafeteria services
- 55500000 - Canteen and catering services
- 70332200 - Commercial property management services
- 77320000 - Sports fields maintenance services
- 79342200 - Promotional services
- 79342300 - Customer services
- 79342320 - Customer-care services
- 92610000 - Sports facilities operation services
- 92620000 - Sport-related services
Contract locations
- UKJ37 - North Hampshire
Information about tenders
Lot 2. Leisure Operator - Agency Model
- 3 tenders received
- 3 tenders assessed in the final stage:
- 0 submitted by small and medium-sized enterprises (SME)
- 1 submitted by voluntary, community and social enterprises (VCSE)
- 1 supplier awarded contracts
- 2 suppliers unsuccessful (details included for contracts over £5 million)
Unsuccessful suppliers
Lots that will not be awarded
Lot 1. Leisure Operator - Concession Model
Description
Lot 1 specific requirements are set out in the the following key documents included within the Procurement Documents accessible via ProContract:
• Specification - Lot 1 (Concession Model)
• Leisure Operator Contract_74494032 v1.0
• Financial Tender Submission - Lot 1 - (Concession Model)
N.B. - The estimated value for Lot 1 has been entered below with a different value due the Find a Tender Service system preventing the same value being entered for the Lot value as for the general value stated within the Scope section of this notice. The value estimate for Lot 1 is actually the same as the estimate stated for the contract in the Scope section. i.e. £105,700,000.
CPV classifications
- 45212100 - Construction work of leisure facilities
- 45212290 - Repair and maintenance work in connection with sports facilities
- 45451000 - Decoration work
- 45452000 - Exterior cleaning work for buildings
- 45453100 - Refurbishment work
- 45454000 - Restructuring work
- 50510000 - Repair and maintenance services of pumps, valves, taps and metal containers
- 50531100 - Repair and maintenance services of boilers
- 50531200 - Gas appliance maintenance services
- 50700000 - Repair and maintenance services of building installations
- 55330000 - Cafeteria services
- 55500000 - Canteen and catering services
- 70332200 - Commercial property management services
- 77320000 - Sports fields maintenance services
- 79342200 - Promotional services
- 79342300 - Customer services
- 79342320 - Customer-care services
- 92610000 - Sports facilities operation services
- 92620000 - Sport-related services
Date of decision not to award
10 February 2026
Submission
Submission type
Tenders
Procedure
Procedure type
Competitive flexible procedure
Special regime
- Concession
- Light touch
Suppliers
PLACES FOR PEOPLE LEISURE MANAGEMENT LTD.
- Companies House: 02585598
- Public Procurement Organisation Number: PPBD-6652-CGNN
305 Gray's Inn Road
London
WC1X 8QR
United Kingdom
Website: http://www.placesleisure.org
Region: UKI31 - Camden and City of London
Small or medium-sized enterprise (SME): No
Voluntary, community or social enterprise (VCSE): Yes
Sports and Leisure Management Ltd
- Charity Commission (England and Wales): 2204085
- Public Procurement Organisation Number: PTCY-3946-LHDG
2 Watling Drive
hinckley
LE10 3EY
United Kingdom
Region: UKF22 - Leicestershire CC and Rutland
Small or medium-sized enterprise (SME): No
Voluntary, community or social enterprise (VCSE): No
Supported employment provider: No
Public service mutual: No
Contract 1. Rushmoor Borough Council - Leisure Centre Operator
WEALDEN LEISURE LIMITED
- Companies House: IP29336R
- Public Procurement Organisation Number: PVYN-8735-CJQM
The Paddock 1 - 6 Carriers Way East Hoathly East Sussex
East Hoathly, East Sussex
BN8 6AG
United Kingdom
Website: http://www.freedom-leisure.co.uk
Region: UKJ22 - East Sussex CC
Small or medium-sized enterprise (SME): No
Voluntary, community or social enterprise (VCSE): No
Contracting authority
Rushmoor Borough Council
- Public Procurement Organisation Number: PYHV-5798-RWLT
Farnborough Road
Farnborough
GU14 7JU
United Kingdom
Region: UKJ37 - North Hampshire
Organisation type: Public authority - sub-central government
Other organisation
These organisations are carrying out the procurement, or part of it, on behalf of the contracting authorities.
Portsmouth City Council
Summary of their role in this procurement: Procurement Support
- Public Procurement Organisation Number: PCNL-5714-PRZV
Civic Offices, Guildhall Square
Portsmouth
PO1 2AL
United Kingdom
Telephone: +44 2392688235
Email: procurement@portsmouthcc.gov.uk
Website: https://www.portsmouth.gov.uk/
Region: UKJ31 - Portsmouth