Both the new ‘corner shop’ and café at St Mary’s Hospital, run by the Friends of St Mary’s, are now up and running – thanks to sterling work by staff and an army of volunteers.
As a result of the hospital’s decision to invite a commercial undertaking to run a coffee shop in a re-designed Foyer, the Friends have been provided with a new shop in the area at the front of the hospital.
The charity’s own café has been re-located to the northern section of the hospital, next to the new outpatients department.
Lisa Brodie, shop/cafe manager, says:
“About eight of us have been involved in transferring everything to the new sites and it is gratifying to see that throughout these big changes we have enjoyed so much support from customers, patients and staff.”
BIG Signs showing the new cafe would be good. Somany patients have not been able to find it. It is hidden away in the corner of the new Out Patient Dept.
Hopefully, people will use the Friends of St. Mary’s shop and cafe, and boycott the ‘Costa packet’ commercial enterprise. Can’t see Costa contributing any money to St. Mary’s other than rent.
I hope that the Costa Packet coffee shop in the prime location does not affect the Friends of St Mary’s business, but I fear that unless there is equal eye level signage it will effect them , the sign at the moment just states they have moved to the Northern Hospital . Not good enough .I mean you have the money from the lease of the area near the main entrance use it to be fair to the Friends of St Mary’s.
As someone who has to visit St Mary’s several times a year I will be still using The real cafe run by The Friends of St Mary’s
I visited the new friends cafe today and had quite a shock. It’s tiny….only seats 4 people unless you go for take away. I was so upset for all the volunteers all the hard work they hv put in all the yrs….I felt it was like a smack in the face for them. However they were all.positive and looking at other ways to raise money as they know there will be a shortfall in monies raised due to the move. They certainly hv my support!
Hopefully they can put some seating out on the grass area in the summer, that could increase their seating area.