Civic Quarter Project - Removals and Storage Service

Cambridge City Council invites expressions of interest from suitably qualified organisations accredited by the British Removal Association (BAR) to provide removals and storage services. These services will support the refurbishment of two key Council assets-the Guildhall and the Corn Exchange-as part of the Civic Quarter Project.

Estimated Contract Dates

Start Date: 1 October 2026

End Date: 30 September 2029

Overview

Programme and Timescales

Refurbishment works are scheduled to begin in January 2027. To support this:

Guildhall decant: Mid-October to end of December 2026

Corn Exchange decant: 1st - 31st January 2027

Service Requirements

All items must be appropriately packed, protected, and transported to a storage facility.

Storage facilities should be located within the Cambridge area, particularly for technical equipment where regular access may be required.

A dry environment with a consistent temperature is required; climate-controlled storage is not necessary.

A facility to have a storage space, which could be used to carryout maintenance work on technical equipment from the Corn Exchange would be beneficial.

Scope of Services

The Council requires packing, removal, and storage services for two categories of items:

Heritage items - including artwork, antiques, and furniture

Technical equipment and general items

Storage Durations (Minimum)

Guildhall: 2 years

Corn Exchange: 18 months

Reinstatement

Following refurbishment, the appointed supplier will be required to:

Return all items to site

Unpack and position them as part of the final fit-out process

Additional Information

The Council has completed an inventory of items to support the decant process.

Market Engagement

This exercise is a preliminary market engagement. Interested suppliers are not required to submit detailed proposals at this stage.

Suppliers are invited to:

Register their interest via this portal

Provide proof of accreditation with the British Removals Association

Optionally provide a brief overview of relevant experience or suitability for the project