An opportunity has risen to take on a new cafe at the £1.5 million Riverside Venue in Newtown.

Open Newtown, which runs the project, is inviting bids to lease, run and maintain a food franchise at the new building which is expected to be completed this spring.

Chief executive, Gary Mitchell, said: “We are not only looking for the most economically advantageous bid at the end of the assessment process.

"We are also seeking someone who demonstrates a food offering that is complimentary to existing town food outlets and one that leads the way on low carbon thinking.”

In 2019, plans for a big cafe were scaled down from 178 seats to 25 following complaints from local businesses that it would take customers away from the town centre.

The Riverside Venue will also include a small shop, tourist information area, changing rooms and community rooms that will be available to host and support events in the town.

The successful franchisee of the cafe will need to be experienced with running a busy cafe or restaurant, and provide a "top quality, enjoyable catering experience" with "friendly, fast and efficient" customer service.

They will also have equipment, utensils, crockery, and cutlery provided to them, along with an "iconic space" to trade from as well as potential to expand the operation to other nearby venues.

The tender closing date is February 23 with a final decision on the new operator expected to be made in March. Potential bidders can access more details on the Sell2Wales website 

The Welsh Government’s Transforming Towns Fund and the National Lottery’s Community Fund in Wales have funded the development which has also been supported by Powys County Council and Newtown & Llanllwchaiarn Town Council.