The lease to run and manage Helston’s flagship Coronation Park is open for tenders.

The tender opportunity for the site, which is owned by Cornwall Council, includes the park, lake, events square and café - with an existing tenant - River Cober and the former cattle market car park.

The new agreement for the Events Square will include the public toilets and the landlord role for the boat and cycle hire franchise.

The ease opportunity, which will commence by winter 2016 / spring 2017, is only being formally advertised via the Government’s Contracts Finder website. The deadline for submissions is Friday, August 12.

Andrew Wallis, Cornwall Councillor for Porthleven and Helston West, said: “I support Cornwall Council’s aim of looking for a suitably experienced organisation to be able to invest in Helston’s flagship park.

"The popular facilities are well used and with the café open daily serving a wide variety of refreshments - we hope to attract some high quality proposals, hopefully from community led organisations to take on the running of this area. We are offering a 99 year lease, but the council would consider a different length.

“For me, I want to explore opportunities for enhancing and maintaining the very special historic Coronation Lake that is at the heart of the park; the lake has boating, seating, a water wheel and footpath around it to be able to watch and admire the resident wildfowl.

"At the town centre end of the park the skate park, café, public toilets, events space, avenues and car parking, offer very special views and entertainment for the parks’ many visitors. I cannot convey enough how important the park and facilities are to Helston, and the wider community.

“Therefore, this is about securing the long term future of this area, including much needed investment to bring it back to its former glory; and giving the community more control over how this area is operated for the benefit of residents.”

There has been considerable investment in the park over recent years, including:

• £888,000 from the West Cornwall Liveability Project for the redevelopment of the town end of park

• £116,000 from the Playbuilder Project to install new tower play units within the play area

• £12,024 for tree works, skate ramp and lake repairs, and a survey report

• £10,000 on improvements to play area

• £7,573 on repairs to the steel skate ramps With this significant investment, tender submissions will need to include a 5/10 year investment plan.

The annual income generated by the café lease and former cattle market car park generate a combined average annual income of £32,000; and with an annual programme of maintenance works costing in the region of £16,000 per annum, there is potential for the future management, with investment, to improve this income considerably, the council has said. 

The tender does not include Penrose car park; however if a private organisation takes on the management of the former cattle market car park, this could be operated under contract law, employing the services of a private car park operator to enable enforcement.