Published: Tuesday, 31st January 2023
Plans for St George's Guildhall in King's Lynn take a step forward with tenders being invited from companies capable of taking forward the design work for the multi-million pound project.
The invitation to tender has been published on the borough council's Delta Portal.
It is seeking an architect-led multi-discipline team to take the design work from RIBA Stage 1 to RIBA Stage 3 for St George's Guildhall and Creative Hub.
The Guildhall is the country's oldest working theatre in which Shakespeare is believed to have performed. The project, which has secured just over £8m from the Government's Town's Fund, is set to transform the Guildhall and surrounding buildings into a nationally important cultural heritage site at the heart of King's Lynn's arts and culture scene. The project aims to enhance this jewel in King's Lynn's crown, turning it into a welcoming, flexible and accessible place with a varied programme of cultural, performances and art-based experiences and opportunities.
The tender is for RIBA Stage 2 and 3, with an option to appoint for stage 4-7. The total contract value is estimated at £1.7m for this element of this £12m project.
The deadline for submission of bids is set as 6 March 2023, with the successful contractor being appointed by the end of March 2023.
Cllr Graham Middleton, Deputy Leader of the Borough Council of King's Lynn & West Norfolk and Cabinet Member for Business Culture and Heritage, and representative on the King's Lynn Town Deal Board, said: "This is an exciting opportunity for a company to get involved in the development of with this nationally, potentially internationally, important heritage asset. I am looking forward to seeing how our early plans are further developed to realise our vision for the future of the Guildhall."
Stakeholder and community engagement and consultation will take place throughout the development of this project, which is due to be completed in 2026.