Report by Local Democracy Reporter – Eddie Bisknell
Two council-run Derbyshire shops are set to close and be leased to businesses for an undisclosed fee.
Derbyshire County Council has confirmed the visitor centre shops at Shipley Country Park and Middleton Top are set to close, with one shutting its doors this Sunday – November 15.
Both facilities are popular with visitors and the council says it is closing them and opening bids to rent them in a bid to take on outside expertise and give independent businesses a chance.
Shipley Country Park, near Heanor, is accompanied by toilet facilities, play areas, and Bluebell Cafe, all of which will remain open and unchanged.
Meanwhile, Middleton Top Visitor Centre, near Wirksworth, includes a cafe, shop and bike hire facilities, which are all affected by the closure, with a date not yet confirmed, but with tenders to be submitted by Wednesday, December 16.
Closing dates for both sites in Shipley and Middleton Top are Monday, November 23, in under two weeks’ time.
The council says Middleton Top’s facilities will continue trading at weekends until a replacement provider is brought on board, providing drinks for visitors.
Its bike hire facilities have already closed, with the council having said this was to “undertake routine assessments”.
The authority says in its tender for Middleton Top that up to £25,000 in match-funding is available to “support agreed improvements and investment in the premises”.
A council spokesperson said: “The reason for the closure is that we are changing the way the shop is operated and moving towards the same model that has worked successfully for cafés at our countryside sites for many years.
“This means bringing in specialist operators with the expertise to run these types of services and develop an offer that works well for visitors, driving up demand and improving the visitor experience.
“The change is about the future operating model for the service rather than the council continuing to operate the retail offer directly.
“As the council is currently involved in a tender process to find a new provider, we’re not currently able to share any financial information.”
They said: “Whether you’ve got a passion for pedal power and could operate a successful cycle hire business at Middleton Top, you’re a budding entrepreneur who can bring our customers something they never knew they needed or you have some imaginative ideas for a new visitor experience, we want to hear from you.
Councillor Carol Wood, the council’s cabinet member for environment, said: “Our countryside sites are open all year round, are free to enter and attract thousands of visitors each year.
“We’re always looking for ways to improve the experience for our visitors and this is a great opportunity to provide businesses an opportunity to branch out in the beautiful setting of Shipley Country Park and Middleton Top
“We recognise that running retail spaces isn’t our area of expertise so we’re taking a new approach and we can’t wait to see these areas developed to make them even more appealing destinations for local residents and visitors alike.”
Details for the leasing of either of the two facilities are available at www.derbyshire.gov.uk/shipley-property-to-let and www.derbyshire.gov.uk/middleton-property-to-let.
