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Pantomime Procurement

Reading Borough Council · Local authority

In brief

Reading Borough Council has announced plans to buy leisure and events work. This is an early notice: there is nothing to bid on yet, but it tells you a tender may follow.

The estimated value is £1,155,000 including VAT.

The contract runs for 3 years, up to 5 years with extensions, starting 1 October 2026.

Built from the notice's own fields. Always check the official notice before you bid.

Can I win this?

Competition

Usually high: a median of 7.5 bids per contract for this buyer (from 12 awards in the last 12 months).

What the notice says

The Hexagon, Reading's largest entertainment venue, delivers a wide-ranging and diverse programme of events throughout the year. The annual pantomime represents the most commercially significant and strategically important component of the venue's programme. In 2022, a formal procurement process was undertaken to appoint Imagine Theatre as the pantomime production partner. This contract is now approaching its conclusion, with Aladdin (2026/27) being the final production under the current agreement, which ends in February 2027. To ensure continuity of delivery, audience engagement, and timely marketing and production planning, The Hexagon must enter into a new pantomime production contract…Read the full description
The Hexagon, Reading's largest entertainment venue, delivers a wide-ranging and diverse programme of events throughout the year. The annual pantomime represents the most commercially significant and strategically important component of the venue's programme. In 2022, a formal procurement process was undertaken to appoint Imagine Theatre as the pantomime production partner. This contract is now approaching its conclusion, with Aladdin (2026/27) being the final production under the current agreement, which ends in February 2027. To ensure continuity of delivery, audience engagement, and timely marketing and production planning, The Hexagon must enter into a new pantomime production contract by Autumn 2026, enabling full preparation for the 2027/28 pantomime season. The appointment of a pantomime production partner is a critical procurement for The Hexagon, given the pantomime's status as the venue's most commercially significant and strategically important annual event. A formal procurement process is required to ensure compliance with public sector procurement regulations, secure best value, promote fair competition, and mitigate financial and operational risk. Early market engagement and timely contract award are essential to enable sufficient lead-in time for creative development, casting, production planning, and marketing activity, all of which typically commence 12-18 months in advance of delivery.

How to bid

  1. Read the full notice on Find a Tender, including any tender documents it links to.
  2. Register your organisation on the Central Digital Platform (through Find a Tender) if you have not already. Suppliers need to be registered to take part in procurements under the Procurement Act 2023.
  3. Follow the submission instructions in the notice; it does not name an e-tendering portal.

Timeline

  1. Preliminary market engagement notice · UK2, notice 041646-2026
  2. Preliminary market engagement notice · UK2, notice 044575-2026

About the buyer

Reading Borough CouncilLast 12 months

Procurements

55

Awards

27

Suppliers it has used most for leisure and events

All tenders and awards from Reading Borough Council

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From notice 041646-2026 on Find a Tender, first published 6 May 2026, last updated 14 May 2026. We last checked for changes on 28 September 2026.