University Hospitals Dorset (UHD) has teamed up with One Retail to enhance the patient, staff and visitor experience at its new BEACH (Births, Emergency, And Critical care, children’s Health) Building at Royal Bournemouth Hospital.

Opening in April, the upgraded main entrance will feature a 24/7 Costa Coffee, a Co-op convenience store, and a Stock Shop for clothing, alongside vital hospital services including the Chaplaincy Centre, Charity facilities, Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS), and a dedicated Volunteer Hub.

The new BEACH Building will offer patient facilities for top class care, as part of a £500m investment in local health services. The new building spans 23,000m2, the equivalent of 115 tennis courts and will include a new maternity and neonatal unit, enhanced emergency department, dedicated imaging facilities, including x-ray and CT scanning and a critical care unit with a 30-bed capacity.

One Retail will be investing in the retail services to offer a range of products and services encompassing quality, familiarity and choice. One of the first Co-op stores within a hospital site will be opening within the building, sharing One Retail and Trust values such as championing the local community, and prioritising access to healthy and ethically sourced products. It has been designed with sustainability principles in mind, with low energy refrigeration and lighting being incorporated, as well as using recycled materials for signage.

The Co-op will provide access to food and drink, conveniently, to better serve patients, employees and visitors to the site, including sandwiches and food to go, meals for later and key essential products for a hospital environment such as toiletries. Co-op member-pricing also means that its members can save move money on the items shoppers buy the most.

Costa Coffee will be opening 24/7* to serve food and drinks around the clock. One Retail will be creating a dedicated NHS staff area for colleagues to take a break, away from the clinical hospital environment. The store will serve a range of hot and cold food, as well as its range of beverages, with seasonal options. The team will utilise self-service kiosks, click and collect services and the loyalty scheme. A Stock Shop offering high quality clothing, essentials and gifts will also be opening.

This partnership within the Trust’s new building, evolves an existing relationship between the University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust and One Retail, who have worked together for around 10 years within Poole Hospital. 

Overall, the new retail outlets have created over 40 jobs within the local Dorset area. One Retail will also be working with food redistribution charity, Too Good To Go, which will avoid good to eat food going to waste.

Richard Renaut, UHD’s Chief Strategy and Transformation Officer said:

"We are delighted to partner with One Retail in creating a new gateway to the hospital—the centrepiece of the BEACH Building at Royal Bournemouth Hospital—enhancing the experience for patients, staff and visitors alike.

"This partnership builds on our in-house services to elevate our food and retail offerings. The new main entrance will feature an improved reception, dedicated space for the Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS), a welcoming chaplaincy area, and a hub for charity and volunteers.

"We’re also strengthening in-house catering with initiatives like Café West’s reopening, 24/7 hot food availability, and a pre-order app to cut down on queues—all designed to serve our community for years to come."

Andrew Jones, One Retail, Managing Director said: 

“I am absolutely thrilled to bring Co-op into our suite of brand partners – they have a great range and I am sure the people working and visiting the hospital will welcome their offer.

“I am especially proud of the much-needed staff wellbeing area within the Costa Coffee, we all know how hard people work within the NHS and I hope this provides a place to take a break when needed.

“Our partnership with University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust goes from strength to strength and our teams are really excited to be part of the new BEACH building.”

Martin Rogers, Director of Partnership Development, Co-op, commented: 

“We are delighted to be working in partnership with University Hospitals Dorset (UHD) and One Retail.

“Our franchise partnerships are bringing Co-op and the benefits of membership to new, exciting and diverse communities as part of our growth plan.

“Our stores are designed to be a hub combining great quality products, value, deals and ethical retailing conveniently, along with community participation and additional customer services.

“We are proud to launch our latest store in a hospital environment, and be part of the retail solutions developed within the new Births, Emergency, And Critical care, children’s Health Building (BEACH) at Royal Bournemouth Hospital.”

*Costa Coffee will close for a few hours every week, while systems update.