Patients, visitors and staff at the Royal Blackburn Teaching Hospital will soon be able to pick up even more essentials without leaving the site when a new Marks and Spencer (M&S) food outlet opens next month.
The new M&S Food To Go will be located on the main concourse within the hospital’s WHSmith store which will undergo a 21-day refurbishment programme starting Monday 21 January. WHSmith will remain open throughout the refurbishment with shopfitters working during the night.
M&S Food To Go at the Royal Blackburn Teaching Hospital is scheduled to open on Saturday 9 February.
Improvements to the hospital’s retail facilities also include a two-phase programme of works to upgrade the Costa coffee and food outlet. The extensive refurbishment works will require the temporary closure of Costa from Sunday 20 January with a grand reopening planned for Saturday 9 February.
James Maguire, Divisional Director of Estates and Facilities for East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust, said: “We’re really excited to be adding to the food and drink retail offers at the Royal Blackburn Teaching Hospital and giving patients, visitors and colleagues here more choice.”
“The new M&S Food To Go store will add to the existing Costa Coffee and WHSmith facilities and we’re looking forward to the opening.”
“We apologise for any short term inconvenience while we upgrade our retail facilities for the long term benefit of everyone.
“We’d like to remind everyone that the hospital’s Grane Restaurant serves hot/cold drinks and snacks, as well as a full restaurant menu, seven days a week with 24-hour access to vending machines.”
Other retail outlets such as Millercare and North West Air Ambulance Shop are unaffected.