AN overhaul of two much-visited areas at Kendal’s Westmorland General Hospital were unveiled to the public this week.

Renovations to improve the reception area, including the installation of a brand new cafe, were revealed on Monday after just five weeks of building work.

The refurbuishment is the first of many that will be carried out across sites run by the University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Trust, as part of the community-driven ‘Projects Kendal, Barrow and Lancaster’.

“We are really pleased to be unveiling the first of our brand new reception areas,” said Tim Bennett, director of finance and information at the trust that runs Morecambe Bay hospitals.

“The whole purpose of Projects Kendal, Barrow and Lancaster was to make quick improvements that would make a huge difference to the experience patients and visitors get when in our hospitals.

“A lot of the feedback we received was that our reception areas were outdated and in some areas, quite unpleasant.

“Our estates teams have done an exceptional job on the new reception at WGH.”

‘Projects Kendal, Barrow and Lancaster’ was launched by the trust in June 2012, enabling staff, governors, GPs and members of the public to come up with suggestions.

On offer at the cafe will be Costa coffee, tea, other hot drinks plus cold drinks. Hot and cold food will also be available, such as homemade soup, breakfast sandwiches, Panini’s, jacket potatoes, cakes, sandwiches, fruit salad, and yoghurts.

The renovation work will also mean new reception areas built for the outpatients department at Westmorland General, a new reception in the Centenary Building at the Royal Lancaster Infirmary and a new reception area for the maternity entrance at Furness General Hospital.

The main reception at the Furness site will also be fitted with new flooring.

The new cafe at Westmorland General, run by trust staff, will be open Monday to Friday between 8am and 5.30pm.

Meanwhile, The Westmorland Bite Restaurant at the hospital will also have new opening hours from this week – from 11.30am to 1.30pm, Monday to Friday. It will offer a self-service system, serving a selection of hot meals, meal deals and many of the usual favourites.