Birmingham duty-free bid deadline imminent

John Rimmer

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The duty-free tender at the UK airport has attracted interest from Europe's biggest operators ahead of the final submission deadline on Monday

Retailers contesting the duty-free tender at the UK's Birmingham airport are to submit their final bids on Monday December 20. The airport's market development manager commercial Charles Watts told RavenFox.com that Birmingham had received "a high level of interest across Europe" and said he was confident of a high standard of bids.

"There will be no further details until at least March, when we hope to present our decision to the board," said Watts. "We will prepare a shortlist before then and hope to be able to announce a winner by April. As part of terminal developments here we are building a new tax-free store which will open in January 2006, so that would leave us a good timeframe in which to work with our chosen partner."

Birmingham incumbent Alpha Retail will face tough competition to retain its contract, with Aelia, Aldeasa and Aer Rianta International among those known to be interested in bidding. Gebr Heinemann and The Nuance Group could also submit bids.

Alpha Retail managing director David King confirmed that the retailer would fight hard to continue operating at Birmingham. "I'm never confident and always cautious, as confidence breeds complacency,? he told RavenFox.com. ?But I'm confident in the job we do at Birmingham. Our aim now is to win the tender. Birmingham is a well-situated airport with fantastic infrastructure, and the recent government white paper is backing its plans to expand."

The contract at Birmingham will run for five to seven years and includes over 2,200sq m (23,680sq ft) of retail space, including the new 1,110sq m (11,840sq ft) store in terminal one.