For more information about the Café Partnership Opportunity
A five-year lease opportunity on the Lincolnshire Coast, with a target opening of late August 2026!
An exciting opportunity has emerged for established businesses in Greater Lincolnshire. The National Trust is seeking a business partner to operate a newly built café at Sandilands on the Lincolnshire Coast, as part of a significant new wetland nature reserve that has been six years in the making. The opportunity is offered on an initial five-year lease, with potential for extension subject to the success of the partnership.
The site, developed in partnership with the Lincolnshire Coastal Country Park, has transformed a former golf course into a thriving wetland reserve, complete with boardwalks, bird hides, and accessible walking routes. The reserve is forecast to welcome 75,000 visitors in its first year of operation, rising to over 100,000 by year five, providing a strong and growing customer base for the right operator.
The Purpose-Built Café
The café is a single-storey, newly constructed building situated adjacent to the reserve car park. It has been designed with sustainability at its core, featuring photovoltaic roof panels, an air source heat pump, and natural materials including oak and larch cladding. The building offers 40 indoor covers and space for up to 92 covers on a south-facing outdoor terrace overlooking the nature reserve and coastline.
The kitchen, servery, and seating areas are fully fitted and freshly decorated, with the total internal let area measuring 144.9 m². The selected partner will also have access to a takeaway window and may apply for an alcohol licence if they wish to develop an evening offer.
What the National Trust is Looking For
- The Trust is seeking a partner with demonstrable experience in café or restaurant management, strong commercial acumen, and a genuine passion for community-focused hospitality.
- The successful applicant will need to submit a detailed five-year business plan, including forecast profit and loss accounts, proposed menus, staffing plans, marketing strategy, and pricing.
- Applicants must hold a minimum Food Hygiene Rating of 4 and have an up-to-date HACCP plan in place.
- The concept should reflect the ethos of the National Trust: welcoming families, dog walkers, nature enthusiasts, and the wider local community, with a focus on locally sourced, seasonal produce and sustainable operations.
- The café must be willing to support seasonal events programming, which may extend into evening hours.
Key Dates
- Tender deadline: 15th April 2026 (5pm)
- Interviews: 29th April 2026
- Target opening: Late August 2026
Interested businesses are encouraged to submit their tender documents to Nick Brown at nick.brown@nationaltrust.org.uk by 5pm on 15th April 2026. Site visits can be arranged by appointment during daylight hours.
