Tendering for the curation and maintenance of the National Fruit Collections at Brogdale, near Faversham, Kent has come up for a second time because of weaknesses in the original bids.

Defra, which owns the Collections, stated that those involved in the original bids are eligible to re-apply.

They have been rumours that the Collections, which are the largest in the world, would be moved from Brogdale, particularly after an original bid from the growers and jam makers Tiptree, made by Wilkin and Son, Colchester.

But protestations by the Friends of the Brogdale Trust helped to block this move so far, though the official Defra brief made it clear that relocation of the Collections could be part of any future negotiations.

There have been suggestions that it could move to East Malling Research, which had been closely involved in top and soft fruit research since its formation and had been proposed in a previous bid..

Defra has said in their second brief that while they were integrally involved in the Collection being conserved, they were also keen to enhance its value as the largest collection of fruit and nut species in the world and a national resource.

Applications for re-tendering had now been closed.

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