WHSmith reveals new cafe format for UK hospitals
The first outlet opens in Sheffield Northern General Hospital.
Global travel retailer WHSmith has launched a brand-new coffee outlet format for UK hospitals called District Market Coffee.
The new concept introduces a high-quality coffee shop and cafe inside hospitals and offers food and drink for both dine-in and takeaway.
The first District Market Coffee opens today with a 1084k sq ft café in Sheffield Northern General Hospital, with a second café due to open in Sheffield Royal Hallamshire Hospital in the coming weeks.
District Market Coffee will offer a wide range of products including fresh patisserie baked in-store, hot breakfasts and chilled meal deals, with coffee loyalty offers and a 10% NHS discount across all products.
The café will offer locally sourced coffee from Frazers roastery in Sheffield, champion the works of local artist Jo Peel across its bespoke interiors, as well as donate 1% of revenue to Sheffield Hospitals Charity, the Trust’s dedicated charity.
District Market Coffee will also partner with Too Good to Go to redistribute any surplus food to local charities and community groups and minimise any waste as part of its commitment to operating as sustainably as possible.
“We are excited to be opening the first District Market Coffee in the UK today. Whether it’s a quick bite to eat or a place to relax and recharge, District Market Coffee and its wide range of quality, locally sourced products is well set up to be a part of the hospital and wider community. This launch is the latest example of WHSmith’s growing experience and expertise in working with Hospital Trusts to deliver relevant, modern and customer-focused retail offers and we see further opportunities for growth ahead,” Andrew Harrison, UK Travel Managing Director, WHSmith commented.
WHSmith currently runs over 140 stores and franchises in hospitals across the UK and is one of the fastest-growing areas of its UK Travel business. The launch of District Market Coffee adds to the retailer’s range of formats it operates across different hospitals including WHSmith, Marks & Spencer Simply Food, Costa Coffee, and proprietary coffee brands.