Hills will continue to operate Coffee Pot at Spalding's Johnson Hospital
The cafe at Spalding's Johnson Hospital will continue to operate despite the operators closing a well-known town store, say NHS officials.
The Coffee Pot at the hospital is operated by Hills, who announced in October that it will be closing its department store in Broad Street in the new year.
But NHS Property services says they have been assured that the impact of closing the store will not affect the cafe at the hospital, which has temporarily closed its minor injuries unit due to the pandemic.
A spokesman said: "We have discussed any impact of the closure of the store operated by our partner may have on the operating of the Coffee Pot at the Johnson Hospital and have been assured this will not affect their ability to run this facility.
"The Coffee Pot has continued to operate since March whilst the other catering outlets they manage have remained closed and we believe there is no reason this should not continue to do so.”
Lincolnshire Community Health Services NHS Trust says that a number of services at the Johnson are continuing to run but has temporarily closed its minor injuries unit due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Tracy Pilcher, deputy chief executive and director of nursing, allied health professionals and operations at Lincolnshire Community Health Services NHS Trust said: "Services provided by Lincolnshire Community Health Services NHS Trust from the hospital include: the GP practice, the Welland Ward and the Tulip palliative care suite, Community nursing, Outpatient services.
"These services are running as usual and facilitating clinics where requested to do so.
"The Minor Injury Unit is temporarily closed as part of our trust’s ongoing response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Urgent care services remain available 24 hours a day, with access to telephone and video consultations with our award-winning Clinical Assessment Service and home visits where appropriate via NHS 111.”