Bid deadline this week for Hermitage Park's pavilion

Argyll and Bute Council has set a deadline of this Friday, July 12, for expressions of interest in running the catering facility at the pioneering Passivhaus pavilion which will be one of the main attractions of the regenerated park.

The authority is seeking offers in the region of £18,000 a year for 10 years from bidders interested in running the facility.

The lease of the pavilion was first advertised 12 months ago, with a deadline of last October for expressions of interest.

But the authority renewed its appeal for expressions of interest from would-be tenants in May.

The energy-saving design of the pavilion – which is thought to be the first non-residential building in Scotland to be constructed to the exacting Passivhaus standards – is expected to mean a substantial saving for the tenant on the energy bills which would normally be expected in a building of a similar size.

Describing the energy-saving Passivhaus design features on its website, the council says: “The Passivhaus design provides a high level of comfort for occupants whilst using little energy for heating and cooling.

“The Passivhaus design reduces the heat transfer through walls, roof and floors.

“Around 90 per cent less heating energy is consumed, in comparison to conventional buildings.”

The cafe and kitchen has an indoor floor space of 96 square metres, and there’s an outdoor terrace area of a further 25 square metres.

The lessee will also be required to take on the management of the public toilets in the pavilion.

The building will also feature a kiosk, although the inclusion of the kiosk within the main cafe lease is optional.

Meanwhile, work on connecting the pavilion to the main Helensburgh sewer network has been delayed slightly because of the need to dig up part of nearby Sinclair Street.

Fiona Baker, chair of the Friends of Hermitage Park, said: “The Hawthorn Heights team were waiting to start on the car park and sewer works anyway until a big dance festival at the Victoria Halls had taken place as dug up roads would have added to the chaos.

“With the roadworks in Dumbarton meaning more folk are using the Blackhill route the project decided to wait until these roadworks are finished to help minimise overall travel disruption.”

The park briefly had to be evacuated last week after a live gas pipe found underneath the north side of the pavilion was made safe.