A VOLUNTEER-run shop and a cafe at Leigh Infirmary have been closed.

The shop and trolley service in the main hospital and a café at Leigh Health Centre run by the Royal Voluntary Service, formerly the WRVS, have been shut since Friday.

Following a review, the Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh NHS Foundation Trust decided to close the RVS sites at all its hospitals and replace them with new facilities run by the trust.

Rumours that a Costa Coffee will be opening at Leigh Infirmary are unfounded but the new service at the trust’s Thomas Linacre Centre in Wigan will serve Costa drinks.

Helen Hailstone, area manager for RVS Manchester, Lancaster and Cumbria, said: “We’re disappointed to confirm that our retail services at Wigan and Leigh hospitals have now closed. Our volunteers and staff at the hospital have worked tremendously hard to support those at the hospital and we know that their efforts have been hugely appreciated.

“We would like to take this opportunity to thank them for everything they have done."

to make the services at the hospital a success. We will be working with our volunteers to identify other opportunities so they can continue to help others in the community.”

A spokesman for the trust said the new facilities would be more ‘modern’ and that volunteers would be given the opportunity to continue working.

The spokesman said: “The current proposal is to replace the existing shops with a more modern upgraded café facility which will serve a wider range of hot and cold products alongside a newly branded Costa Coffee service. This will provide all patients, visitors and staff with more consistent hours of opening throughout the year. "

All of the proceeds from the new cafés run directly by the trust will support hospital services across the borough.

“The trust has previously met with representatives from the RVS to discuss its plans and was very clear in its wish to continue working with the RVS volunteers.

“Wherever possible we will also be looking to retain existing staff and volunteers who currently work in the RVS shops within the trust.

“The trust is confident that the new retail facilities will not only enhance the services for patients, visitors and staff but will also improve our profitability for continued investment in local health services.

“We absolutely intend to carry on working with our volunteers."

The trust cafe will reopen at Leigh Infirmary on February 5.