WHITCHURCH Town Council will draw up a tender for their new bar franchise.

At the council's Cultural and Civic Centre Committee meeting, held virtually on Wednesday, September 9, councillors discussed drawing up a new tender for the Civic Centre's bar contract.

At the meeting, Councillor Andy Hall mentioned how despite voting to extend the contract until December, the francise holder was not aware of this extension.

"In regards to the tender to the bar franchise, in a previous meeting we voted to extend it for six months," said Cllr Hall.

"I spoke to the franchise holder today and he told me he is unaware of any extension to December.

"He’s very concerned the clerk has forgotten about it and that has a bearing on our discussions tonight.

"At this time everything seems up in the air.

"If I used Whitchurch town councils methodology I’d be bankrupt by now.

"I would like this to go out to tender but what are we offering."

Cllr Simon Hamlyn believed the time was right to sort out a new tender.

"I thought we had previously agreed to make a tender document and we could target a selection of companies that might agree to that document," he said.

"We might as well get this thing sorted and signed until the time is right that we can open the bars."

Cllr Beverly Duffy said the tender should be agreed ahead of the next meeting.

"We should agree what the tender contract says which needs to be done before the next meeting," she said.

The council agreed to draw up a tender before the next meeting.