Contractor sought for visitor centre expansion at country park near Bridgnorth

Shropshire Council wants to expand the visitor centre at Severn Valley Country Park near Bridgnorth.

The extension is expected to create 1,076sq ft of additional internal space and an external decking and seating area.

A competitive contract notice issued by the council says the project has a maximum budget of £500,000.

Work is expected to start in April next year and take a year to complete.

The notice says that work will be timetabled so that the café and visitor centre are not closed during the busiest summer period.

Much of the work is due to be carried out during the autumn and winter next year.

The contract notice says: “We have an aspiration to make the Severn Valley Country Park visitor centre one of the key visitor attractions and interpretation centres along the whole length of the River Severn.

“We aim to provide a modern, welcoming environment that incorporates innovative and thought provoking interpretation media to tell the story of the local riverine history and wildlife.

“Shropshire Council is inviting tenders to deliver all technical design, construction and installation work for an extension to the Severn Valley Country Park visitor centre building and the creation and installation of the associated visitor experience interpretations as a single turnkey solution.

“We would like to hear from organisations who have a proven track record of delivering enhanced customer experiences within natural or historic public settings.”

It says the successful contractor will be responsible for “developing, building and seamlessly integrating an interpretive master plan within the build using a variety of inspiring and interactive media”.

The notice says: “The project is scheduled to run from April 2018 to April 2019 and work needs to be timetabled so that the café and visitors centre are not closed during the busiest summer period.

“We anticipate much of the work being done during the autumn/winter 2018-19.

“The project has a maximum budget of £500,000. As public money we are seeking tenders that give innovative design and value for money.”

Mark Blount, Shropshire Council’s country parks and heritage sites manager, said:“The intention is to create a new ‘gallery’ space for interpretation, education and for use as an events space. The aim of creating a new gallery space is to allow the visitor centre to open all year round, attracting visitors outside the main tourism season. The new gallery space will also provide a meeting space for local people and businesses.

“The extended visitor centre will showcase the cultural and natural heritage of the River Severn and the Severn Valley, broadening the appeal of the park to a wider range of people, helping to increase visitor numbers to secure the park’s future through increased café and car parking income, as well as providing a boost to the wider local economy and to establish Severn Valley Country Park as the visitor centre for the River Severn."

For more information visit https://www.delta-esourcing.com/respond/P5HH9HNE47