IT'S a blow for hospital bosses that the Royal Bolton Hospital is facing a £185,000 bill after the discovery that the kitchen floor needs repairing.

Considering that the kitchen was fitted out only three years ago, the Bolton Hospitals NHS Trust members are entitled to feel very miffed indeed.

It is not only the fact that repairs have to be carried out, but staff and patients face enormous upheaval and inconvenience.

Patients will be offered a limited choice of "brought in" meals served on airline style trays rather than the usual crockery.

This seems particularly disappointing because, as Mrs Beverley Andrew, Director of Operations with the Trust points out, the Royal Bolton Hospital has built an enviable reputation for good hospital food.

The Trust is taking legal advice and is unable to comment further.

If it is proven the hospital is not at all at fault, the Trust should be fully recompensed for this disruption and not one penny should come from the public purse.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.