Meet the Buyer events will promote Macduff Aquarium catering opportunity
Aberdeenshire Council is hosting two Meet the Buyer events next month to promote an attractive new catering opportunity which will be available in Spring 2026.
The focus will be on one of the two ambitious projects being developed under the banner “Cultural Tides: North Sea Connections in Aberdeenshire” - the renovation and extension of Macduff Marine Aquarium.
The first event will be hosted in Community Room 3 at the Deveron Community & Sports Centre on Bellevue Road, Banff on Monday, March 3 from 2-5pm, with the second being held upstairs in Inverurie Library on Market Place on Tuesday, March 4 from 2-5pm.
With work already having started at Macduff, the council is keen to begin early discussions with catering enterprises from across the north-east which might be keen to tender for the cafe/restaurant operations.
The council is looking for an experienced catering business to operate the cafe/restaurant at Macduff Marine Aquarium during opening hours with an option to add additional out-of-hours or evening opening as the operator chooses.
The aim is to provide a high quality offering for the 50,000+ visitors who flock to the attraction each year, to increase events and functions on-site, and also to support the thriving local community.
It’s part of Aberdeenshire Council’s firm commitment to increase engagement and encourage local supply chains to explore public sector opportunities to support the local and regional economy. There are many benefits to local supplier inclusion, such as building supply chain resilience and capacity, enhancing sustainability and reducing carbon footprint or fostering local business and jobs growth.
And while similar engagement will be hosted in Peterhead in due course for the second of the Cultural Tides project focusing on the museum and library, any businesses wishing to discuss that café/restaurant contract at an early stage are welcome to attend next month’s events.
Paul Macari, Head of the council’s Planning and Economy Service, explained: “The impressive new developments at Macduff and Peterhead really do provide exciting catering opportunities for north-east businesses. I would encourage all interested parties to attend our Meet the Buyer events where our staff will be able to provide a valuable insight into what cafe and restaurant provision is to be featured in these tourist attractions.
“For those who do wish to consider such contracts, officers will provide guidance and support to help you negotiate the national procurement process as you submit tenders.”