Temporary food hub opens at Telford's Princess Royal Hospital amid work to remove 'crumbling concrete'
A new temporary food hub has opened inside one of Shropshire's major hospitals while work to safely remove potentially unsafe concrete continues.
The 'Apley Food Hub' has been set up at the Princess Royal Hospital (PRH) in Telford to provide temporary catering facilities for patients, staff and visitors.
Specialist teams are currently working to remove Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC) that was found in a kitchen area.
The hospital's kitchen and Apley restaurant have been closed since the RAAC was identified in August 2023. RAAC was widely used in the UK in the 20th century but is now known to be less durable and prone to 'crumbling'.
The temporary takeaway service has now moved from the hospital's first floor to a new location on the ground floor. The service offers a range of meals including main meals, baked potatoes, salads, sandwiches and hot and cold drinks.
The hub is open from Monday to Friday between 9am and 4pm, but is closed on weekends and bank holidays.
Work to remove the crumbling concrete is being carried out in phases and is expected to be completed by Spring next year.
Following completion, the hospital trust said the Princess Royal Hospital's restaurant and kitchens will be upgraded so patients and staff can benefit from larger, more modern and improved facilities.
Meanwhile, a new doctors' mess and purpose-built plant room are also being created.
The work is being carried out by specialist contractors - in line with guidance - and SaTH says it will not impact its patients or staff.
Assistant Chief Executive at The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust, Inese Robotham said: "We would like to thank our catering and estates teams who have worked tirelessly to create this modern temporary food hub, which will serve our patients, visitors and colleagues.
"It allows the specialist teams to work on removing the RAAC in a safe and efficient manner, paving the way for enhanced catering facilities for all.
"I would also like to thank our patients, visitors and staff for their continued patience and understanding during these works."
