Haverfordwest Library Complex Coffee Shop Early Market Engagement

HAVERFORDWEST LIBRARY COMPLEX COFFEE SHOP EARLY MARKET ENGAGEMENT

CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION ...... 3

BACKGROUND ...... 4

INFORMATION ...... 6

COFFEE SHOP OPERATION ...... 7

THE CATERING AREA ...... 8

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ...... 10

RESPONSE TO DOCUMENT ...... 11

EXPRESSING INTEREST ...... 12

QUESTIONNAIRE ...... 13

QUESTIONNAIRE - ADDITIONAL RESPONSE SPACE ...... 16

APPENDIX A - CAFÉ COUNTER LAYOUT ...... 17

APPENDIX B - CAFÉ SEATING LAYOUT ...... 18

APPENDIX C – LIBRARY GROUND FLOOR AERIAL VIEW ...... 19

APPENDIX D – BASEMENT STORE ...... 20

APPENDIX E – EXTERNAL VISUALS ...... 21

INTRODUCTION

Pembrokeshire County Council is seeking initial operator interest along with views on the proposed coffee shop operation in the new County Library, Tourist Information and National Gallery Complex in the centre of Haverfordwest, and may subsequently invite formal expressions of interest from any organisation interested in operating and developing the catering opportunity presented in this document.

We do not wish to be prescriptive, and at this stage we are primarily interested in obtaining your feedback regarding the enclosed opportunity—its designs and operation along with exploring any proposals you may wish to submit that are viable and compatible with the aims and ethos of PCC’s vision for the operation.

Organisations may be operators of companies with local, regional or national interests or community organisations.

Set out in this document is more information on the complex and its functions.

This exercise is an initial soft market testing only and as such there will be no formal evaluation or scoring.

BACKGROUND

The new facility has been funded by Pembrokeshire County Council with the assistance of a number of external grants alongside its own capital investment. It is probably the largest single project the County has undertaken within the town centre in recent times. The new complex will overlook the Western Cleddau River and utilises the site that the former market and market café previously occupied .

The project is due for completion in March/April 2018.

This ambitious project includes;

• A 21st Century County Library • A new national quality exhibition gallery in partnership with the National Library of Wales (NLW) • A Tourist Information service • New coffee shop.

The vision is for the new complex with its broad and high quality offer and services to become a major focal and meeting point for the population of Haverfordwest, tourists and visitors alike.

Its central location and setting (overlooking the river) also presents an opportunity for the operator to develop a strong loyal regular repeat customer base.

INFORMATION

Haverfordwest is the County town of Pembrokeshire and the administrative centre of the county. It is situated on the banks of the River Cleddau. Haverfordwest is also a market town with a popular weekly farmers' market. The centre of the town has several shopping streets containing several independent and national chain retail outlets.

User Groups & Visitor Numbers

It has been estimated that the facility will welcome over 200,000 visits per annum made up from a number of User Groups; • Library Users – a very broad range of people from families with babies and young children through to retired individuals and groups. • Tourists using the Information Centre and accessing the exhibition gallery* • School groups accessing the exhibition gallery • Shoppers and local business staff

*Our partnership with the National Library of Wales

The facility

The County library will take up the highest proportion of floor space in the facility and will take a technologically rich approach to providing high quality access to information. Integrated into the library will be a Tourist Information Centre in partnership with the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority. It will be a key gateway service to Pembrokeshire, located strategically in the heart of the county, providing information to some of the 4 million tourists that visit the county each year. Another notable element of the library element of the scheme is a children’s play and learn space integrated into the children’s library.

The exhibition gallery (around 160 m²) is a collaboration between NLW and PCC. The gallery will provide access to high quality, inspiring collections from NLWs nationally and internationally significant Framed Fine Art Collections. This will be interspersed by temporary exhibitions that have been professionally curated to the highest standards and displayed in Aberystwyth at the National Library prior to display in the facility. While the primary focus is the display of visual arts collections, the gallery will be flexible and will include cased displays of other material

6 culture such as rare books and manuscripts when appropriate to the particular exhibition on display.

COFFEE SHOP OPERATION

As well as providing a refreshment service to the Library and Gallery Visitor and Tourist Information Centre user, the café has the potential of becoming a destination of choice for locals due to its excellent location, build and river views.

Opening times As a minimum, the café is expected to mirror the wider facilities opening times which are not yet finalised but the aspiration would be for the facility to be open 6 days a week (Mon to Sat) including at least one week day evening opening as below:

• Monday 10:00am - 5:00pm • Tuesday 10:00am - 7:00pm • Wednesday 10:00am - 5:00pm • Thursday 10:00am - 5:00pm • Friday 10:00am - 5:00pm • Saturday 10:00am - 5:00pm

Please note; the current library is closed on Thursdays (all day) and Saturday afternoons and it is possible that the new venues opening hours will match the current library opening hours if we are unable to resource the extension in opening times that we would like. The current library opening hours should therefore be taken as the minimum at this stage and are available at the following link: http://www.pembrokeshire.gov.uk/content.asp?nav=107,108,1360,1365

However, the Coffee Shop has been designed to enable operation outside of the above minimum opening hours, enabling the operator to develop regular repeat business, e.g. by opening earlier to capture early morning/breakfast trade. During such times, the coffee shop would operate on its own with no access to the wider library and gallery but the design ensures that all necessary facilities e.g. disabled toilet, are still accessible when the rest of the building is closed.

Catering Vision

Without being overly prescriptive at this stage PCC’s vision for the catering operation is a simple but select coffee shop operation that will complement the activities within the wider complex, services any programmed activities as well as operating as a standalone destination…...put simply; an Artisan style coffee shop operation offering a range of interesting quality beverages, cakes and cold snacks that is ’accessible’ to all.

We are currently of the view that hot food should not form part of the offer. This is because we wish to offer users of the coffee shop an opportunity to take their drinks/snacks into the main body of the library building itself and would not wish to see hot food brought in (note: no food or drink will be allowed in the exhibition gallery). There is also the issue of any food smells permeating into the main body of the building given the open plan nature of the design.

This would provide a USP (unique selling point) for the coffee shop in that users would be able to take their drinks/snacks into the main body of the library and thus could enjoy a coffee whilst reading a book, checking their emails or watching out for their children in the children’s play and learn library.

All that said, we would welcome feedback on this concept as it is not set in stone.

THE CATERING AREA

Location Modern and contemporary in appearance the coffee shop will be situated at the main entrance of the Library Complex; formed by the glazing in of the existing external patio area of the building. This will ensure that all visitors who use the main entrance/exit to the facility will pass through the coffee shop. Note there will be two other (more discrete) ways into and out of the facility.

Coffee Shop This newly created area will measure circa 100 sqm and contain:

• Separate café access/egress with WC • Internal seating for circa 30+ covers, with further additional seating ’bleeding’ into the Library • External seating for circa 14+ covers located on the balcony overlooking the river

• Additional basement storage area (only accessible when complex is open) • A front and back bar service counter of circa 4 metres in length with – under counter refrigeration, glass fronted bottle chiller and sinks and hot water boiler,

Please note; The coffee shop has no mechanical ventilation/extract system, cooking area and only limited preparation space; consequently the operator will need to consider their envisaged offer ‘bringing in’ any prepared/pre-prepared items they may wish to sell accordingly e.g. packaged sandwiches, salads made off site, delivered and then stored ready for service.

Attached to the document are plans of the catering and seating areas within the Library Complex for visualisation.

The additional equipment shown on the plans are for illustrative/layout purposes only and the operator would need to supply any equipment they required to deliver their envisaged service along with the following e.g.

• Crockery • Cutlery • Glassware • Service and display equipment • Kitchenalia • Till/EPOS • Hot Beverage e.g. espresso machine

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Term & Financials

It is anticipated that PCC would manage the operation through a concession contract. The term is negotiable and we would welcome feedback on this.

PCC welcome concession payment initiatives but as a guide would be expected to receive, at minimum, a guaranteed concession fee combined with an agreed percentage of turnover e.g. guarantee of £11,000/annum with 10% over an agreed threshold.

The concession fee is inclusive of all utility, rates and service charges (except water); however,

10 the operator would be expected to keep all areas of the café including the seating area and disabled WC clean. They would also be liable for maintaining and servicing the equipment provided by PCC.

RESPONSE TO DOCUMENT

At this stage we are seeking your views and comments on the proposed scheme, the operation, the envisaged Term and fees outlined within the document and whether you would be interested in tendering for the opportunity should it arise.

Whilst not required it would assist us if you would give views on the offer you envisage— taking into consideration the visitor numbers, user groups and location etc which will ultimately enhance the Complex user e.g. local people of all ages, customers, visitors, and tourists to the Town.

We have provided a questionnaire which sets out the questions we hope to address, but we are seeking innovation and do not wish to constrain your thoughts. We very much welcome your views and lessons learned from your experience elsewhere.

Your responses to the questionnaire will not be evaluated or scored, as this exercise is not part of a formal process. However, your responses will be used (along with information from subsequent discussions) to inform a report for council officers and members in March/April 2017 which could for example lead to changes in the approach based on your feedback.

Whilst there is no formal ‘deadline’ date for submissions it would be helpful if your responses to the questionnaire could be returned no later than 5pm on Monday 27th February to ;

ADDRESS: EMAIL ADDRESS: James Thornley, [email protected] Pembrokeshire County Council, Room 0B, County Hall, Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire. SA61 1TP

EXPRESSING INTEREST

Parties who also wish to express initial interest may if they so choose provide other information and supporting literature. However we are not committed to progressing any of the proposals, but intend to, dependent on the outcome of the response consider and evaluate our next steps which may include the commencement of a competitive tendering process later in the year.

Pembrokeshire County Council shall not be liable for any costs incurred by the bidder in preparation of their response.

If you wish to express interest there is a space within the questionnaire to acknowledge and provide your company details.

QUESTIONNAIRE

To assist PCC in their next steps please respond to the following questions. All information will remain private and PCC will only use the responses in assisting their decision regarding how they will progress the final catering design & service delivery.

Question Response We are considering the duration of the initial Term. Please let us know your preferred length and the minimum length you would consider. Appended to this document are plans showing;

1. The ground floor spatial area for the catering operation of circa 100 sq/m. 2. The seating arrangements— internally and externally 3. Service counter and indicative equipment layout 4. Basement store

Do you consider this acceptable?

Please provide any thoughts or comments on the overall scheme/design that you feel need further consideration or that you feel may enhance the service e.g. servery, proposed finishes, furniture etc

If you would be willing; provide a short summary of the type/style of catering operation you envisage to deliver. What are your views on the concept of a cold food offer only?

Having taken professional advice and comparing against similar sized outlets we are considering a minimum guaranteed rental of £11,000/annum

Please give your thoughts on the proposed rent and any alternative proposals

N.B. water charges will still apply

The complex will have a minimum opening requirement (mentioned) The coffee shop can operate outside of these hours. Please indicate if opening outside of these hours is desirable to your operation and indicate your preferred operating hours.

Whilst to all intents and purposes you will be left to operate within the stated operating hours, there may be times that you are requested to remain open to

14 support the Complex’s programmed activities. Would your organisation be amenable to such requests?

It is anticipated that the building will be ready for operation in March/April 2018. Please indicate your mobilisation period required to set up prior to opening

Please confirm whether you would be willing to meet with our team, or participate in a telephone conversation, to discuss your responses.

Please submit any additional questions, queries, or comments that you feel would be of value to the scheme

If we formally invite expressions of interest, would you/your Company be considered an interested party? Are you happy for your details to be kept on file? Please provide relevant contact details

QUESTIONNAIRE - ADDITIONAL RESPONSE SPACE

APPENDIX A - CAFÉ COUNTER LAYOUT

APPENDIX B - CAFÉ SEATING LAYOUT

APPENDIX C – LIBRARY GROUND FLOOR AERIAL VIEW

APPENDIX D – BASEMENT STORE

APPENDIX E – EXTERNAL VISUALS