16th Mar 2009 - 00:00
Abstract
A high street retail experience in the hospital has opened at the Leeds General Infirmary by the Leeds Teaching Hospital NHS Trust and Compass Group UK & Ireland.
The retail area for visitors, staff and patients includes Costa Coffee, Amigo retail shops with takeout Costa coffee, Mondo Subs, Worldmarche and Spice of Life, and offers a wide range of food and beverages with everything from Rainforest Alliance coffee to freshly prepared meals. Compass Group UK & Ireland has worked with the Trust for the past five months, after winning the seven year contract to transform the retail area into a modern high street experience. One of the key factors in the decision-making process was that Compass Group could offer a specialised and dedicated retail team. Speaking at the opening, Kay Lawton, Assistant Head of Facilities - Commercial Services at Leeds Teaching Hospital NHS Trust, said: "LTHT retail catering services are developing their ongoing vision to be a centre of excellence to provide customers with a great choice of premium and value range. "This offer is designed to meet the needs of an increasingly diverse community in these challenging economic times. The Compass retail team really understood our needs and has delivered a retail area with a great ambience and a wide variety of choice." Lynn King, Business Director Retail, Specialist Markets, at Compass Group UK & Ireland, said: "We are excited about the opening at Leeds, as this is a new approach to food retailing in hospitals. This demonstrates the strength of the Compass team to develop and deliver a range of retail solutions in hospitals from a single Costa Coffee outlet through to a wide range of high street-type outlets."