Ripon City Council, acting as sole trustee of the Alderman T F Spence Charity, invites tenders from suitably experienced suppliers to provide practical grounds maintenance and site stewardship services at Quarry Moor Nature Reserve, Ripon.
Quarry Moor is a 7.59-hectare Local Nature Reserve and Site of Special Scientific Interest. The contract is intended to support the safe, accessible and welcoming day-to-day use of the site while respecting its important habitats and natural character.
The service will include:
- checking paths, entrances, the car park and key visitor areas;
- light, access-led cutting back of vegetation that obstructs paths or entrances;
- minor upkeep and make-safe tasks;
- identifying and promptly reporting hazards, damage and other concerns;
This is a light-touch stewardship and access-maintenance contract. It does not currently include specialist ecological management of the SSSI, formal tree inspections, major landscaping or wider management of the reserve’s grassland, scrub and woodland.
The opportunity may be suitable for an experienced sole trader, countryside or grounds maintenance contractor, or other appropriately equipped and insured business that can demonstrate a sensitive and reliable approach to working on a publicly accessible nature reserve.
Contract details
Contract term: Initial 18 months, with an option to extend by up to a further 24 months
Tender deadline: 11.59pm on Sunday 6 September 2026
Deadline for clarification questions: Friday 4 September 2026
Tenderers are strongly encouraged to visit Quarry Moor before submitting their proposal. A site visit or detailed discussion can be arranged by contacting the Council.
Full requirements, pricing schedules and submission instructions are contained in the tender pack: Quarry Moor Site Stewardship Tender
Enquiries or completed tenders must be emailed to with the subject line “Quarry Moor Site Stewardship Tender”.
Quarry Moor Nature Reserve is managed by the Alderman T F Spence Charity, whose sole corporate trustee is Ripon City Council. The day-to-day running and operation of the site are delegated to the Council’s dedicated Alderman T F Spence Committee. Alongside its councillor members, the committee benefits from substantial input from invited non-voting members and partner organisations, bringing relevant expertise and perspectives from outside the Council.
We are not obliged to accept the lowest or any tender. Submissions will be assessed on quality, experience, proposed delivery, health and safety, environmental considerations and value for money.