Trafford Housing Trust, Limelight

Limelight is Trafford Housing Trust’s flagship, £22m, community health and wellbeing hub in the culturally diverse area of Old Trafford, Greater Manchester. Limelight’s vision is to be ‘A vibrant space which inspires flourishing lifestyles and makes a difference.’ Limelight offers a range of services delivered by Trafford Housing Trust, its partners and anchor tenants.

The offer at Limelight includes 81 Extra Care apartments for rent and shared ownership; a primary healthcare hub including two GP surgeries and a range of additional health services; multipurpose meeting and event spaces; a Library also providing a range of Trafford Council services; a pharmacy; an opticians; a nursery; a hairdresser and beauty offer; a community café as well as sports facilities.

The café at Limelight is key to delivering the project’s vision, mission and strategic aims. The café is the heart of the building, where families and friends come to eat and spend time together. It is also a destination, not only for Limelight residents and the Old Trafford community but also for residents in the wider Trafford and Manchester area.

We were approached by THT with an initial request to review the business plan and catering scope as well as determining the most appropriate management for the catering services at Limelight. As well as the café this was to include an onsite nursery with requirements for snacks and lunch as well as catering for meetings and event spaces within other locations within the building.

Critical to the project was that due to circumstances beyond THT’s control the future agreed catering partner had decided to withdraw five weeks prior to opening, therefore our brief included a requirement to determine the most appropriate management option and have it in place within this timeframe.

Following developing the initial catering scope, we supported with a full catering tender exercise, undertaken within an extremely accelerated time period, resulting in the appointment of a new catering partner in time for the opening.

Advice and support has included:

• Review & development of catering scope & business plan
• Development of catering tender documentation
• Identification & liaison with suitable caterers
• Review & analysis of catering tenders
• Catering tender interview co-ordination & chair
• Appointment of preferred supplier
• Catering tender based on accelerated process