Provision of the Café Operation at The Atkinson in Southport

The Atkinson is looking for a suitable provider to take over the management of all or some of its existing kitchen and Café operations, currently known as the Bakery, starting July 2017 leading up until at least March 2020, with an option to extend for two further periods of one year each.

The Atkinson wants to contract this Company to deliver a catering offer with training and development opportunities for people with learning difficulties and Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD).

We are open to suggestions on ways to improve the Café provision within The Atkinson as well as to maximise its assets, which could be included in any procurement process. The Café’s well equipped kitchen represents an important, and underused, business resource in its own right, as it is potentially attractive to catering companies who wish to use it for their own production.

This offer should:
- Be an improvement on the existing offer
- Be founded on a commitment to socially inclusive training and development
- Encourage new customers to use The Atkinson
- Encourage library users to use the offer
- Represent the broad principles of The Atkinson in terms of providing a quality service and supporting locally made produce

The Atkinson needs the Café to deliver against the organisation’s income targets, through a regular daytime offer for all our visitors, plus the opportunity to support the night-time theatres’ offer. The Company will deliver a cost effective and efficient offer, strengthened customer service and increased average spend. There are strong opportunities to support The Atkinson’s theatre and festivals’ programme and to help extend our corporate offer, through special events and activities that take place outside normal opening hours.

The Atkinson wants the Café to deliver a high quality catering offer- and make a strong contribution to social issues. We believes that all people with learning difficulties and Autism Spectrum Disorders, have the potential to make a valued and valuable contribution to society, and has a track record in creating employment opportunities for young people with learning difficulties.

The Atkinson is committed to providing meaningful training and development opportunities for individuals with learning difficulties and ASD. The Atkinson wants its Café to work towards becoming an accredited training site providing training, supported traineeships, apprenticeships and work experience placements for people with learning difficulties and autism.

The Atkinson wants to appoint a social enterprise or company with a strong brand identity, a fantastic menu offer, and a solid business plan, which is committed to supporting individuals with learning difficulties and ASD to lead fulfilling lives, through opportunities to work in the Café, to develop skills and experience that can help them into employment.

The Atkinson is aware of issues of food poverty and the vital role of food in improving health and wellbeing. We hope to maximise the asset of our Café and kitchen to develop a range of opportunities with our partners to develop confidence in cooking and a healthy diet.