Tender: public restaurants in Dundee and Nottingham
DISHED is seeking experienced restaurant or café operators to help deliver a pilot public restaurant in Dundee. Public restaurants are state-supported diners offering healthy, affordable meals to everyone, as part of public infrastructure.
This 14-month pilot will test how a public restaurant can support healthier diets, local economies and inclusive access to good food. The project offers c. £240,000 in subsidy, alongside research, marketing and partnership support.
We welcome expressions of interest from established hospitality businesses, social enterprises, community organisations, and consortia (including partial submissions such as venue-only or catering-only). Operators must align with principles of inclusion, collaboration and fair work.
Download the full Prior Information Notice for more details.
Tender process
Please send expressions of interest to tender@publicdiners.org by 13 February (please note this deadline was extended).
Your expression of interest must include:
- A short description of your organisation
- Relevant experience in hospitality, community food provision, or similar operations
- A statement that demonstrates the experience your organisation has in working in line with the outlined values and principles
- Initial response to the operation requirements [max 500 words]
Timeline
EOI deadline – 13 February (please note this deadline was extended)
Full specification shared with preselected parties – 17 February
Full tender deadline – 17 March
Notification of successful tender – end of March
Pilot restaurants commence – end of April TBD
Questions & Answers
How negotiable are the terms of the tender?
We welcome conversations with potential bidders to discuss how the pilots can be feasible whilst still adhering to the principles of the DISHED project.
Is there a venue confirmed for Dundee?
We are working to secure a former restaurant venue on the high street, for the successful tenderer to have the option of entering into an agreement with. We are also open to considering other venues, though co-design sessions have indicated that city centre is preferable.
Is there a venue confirmed for Nottingham?
Our team members are active in several areas of the greater Nottingham area locating suitable venues, including the possibility of bringing catering services into an existing café.
Can you clarify what the start-up period entails?
We anticipate that the successful bidder would spend approximately 2 months testing their menu (e.g. through pop-up events), integrating co-design feedback into the service, and setting up premises, as appropriate.
Is there any flexibility with the start date?
We hope that the public diner/restaurant would be operating full time by June 2026. We would be willing to consider up to 6-8 weeks flexibility.
Can a charity apply?
Yes, we are open to charities applying for this opportunity.
What happens at the end of the tender? Is the tenderer free to do as they wish or is there further collaboration.
We are actively working to make a robust case to relevant government funding bodies so that this model could be resourced in the long term. While the successful bidder would be able to continue operating after the funding ends, it is essential that if the model deviates from what is established during the year-long pilot, there would need to be public facing communication to clarify that it is no longer a public restaurant/diner, including rebranding as appropriate.
Would we be allowed to allocate space in the venue as shop space so that we can encourage games to be purchased and played to continue our work in bringing the community together?
The public diners/restaurants must operate primarily as a dining venue. Where co-located with other activities or services, these must be clearly identified as separate from the public diner/restaurant.