Refreshment concessions

The sales of ice creams and other light refreshments in our parks and open spaces is offered on a five-year licence regulated by the ‘Supply Southampton’ process. The current refreshment licences expire in 2027.

All tender opportunities are posted on the Supply Southampton portal. You can view an example of the light refreshment concessions in parks Tender document.

The current sites are:

Location	Type of venue	Further specifications
Central Parks – Houndwell,	Mobile ice cream/light refreshments	One site – licenced until 2027
Central Parks – Hoglands,	Mobile ice cream/light refreshments	One site – licenced until 2027
Central Parks – Palmerston Parks	Mobile ice cream/light refreshments	One site – licenced until 2027
Central Parks – West Park	Mobile ice cream/light refreshments	One site – licenced until 2027
Riverside Park Site A – Woodmill	Mobile ice cream/light refreshments	Two sites – licenced until 2027
Riverside Park Site B – Cobden Meadows car park	Mobile ice cream/light refreshments	One site – licenced until 2027
Mayfield Park play area	Mobile ice cream/light refreshments	One site – licenced until 2027
Weston Shore – Westwood car park	Mobile ice cream/light refreshments	One site – licenced until 2027
Weston Shore – pitch and putt kiosk	Fixed kiosk	One site – licenced until 2027
East Park Pavilion	Cafe building	One site – licenced until 2027
Southampton Common – Hawthorns cafe	Cafe in visitor centre	One site – licenced until 2027
Southampton Common – Common play area	kiosk at play area	One site – licenced until 2027
Southampton Common – Flats	Mobile ice cream/light refreshments	One site – licenced until 2027

Tender opportunities

Southampton City Council (SCC) provides the above concession licences through a tender process only. This ensures that all applications are managed in a fair, open and transparent manner. The Council will not accept adhoc requests to place ice cream vans in its local green spaces.

If you would like to be considered for future tender opportunities, should they arise, then please complete the form below and we will place you onto our “interested parties” list. Companies on the list will get notified when new opportunities arise in parks and green spaces.

It is illegal to sell light refreshments (ice creams, cups of tea and coffee, sandwiches etc.) from one of the Council’s parks or green spaces without a concession licence from the Council.