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Glasgow's Hospice Gets the Burns Design Treatment
Following a welcome refurbishment of its landmark building in Carlton Place, Glasgow, the Prince & Princess of Wales Hospice has been reinvigorated to its former glory.
Catering in Scotland met the man tasked with coordinating the project…
Designed, planned and implemented by Burns Design, the refit was completed at the end of 2008 and includes a redesign of much of the ground floor and patients' recreation areas.
Completed in stages over a four-month period, the refit will help to improve the quality of life of the patients living full-time in the Hospice. Ronnie Burns, Managing Director of Burns Design, has been a big supporter of the organisation for many years:
'We were asked to be ambassadors for the Hospice last year, and we realised then that they could benefit from some help in redesigning various areas within the building.
'The ground floor area, reception, coffee shop, patient-meeting areas and day-care centre have all received considerable attention.'
Burns himself believes that businesses should consistently invest in their offering to ensure they satisfy the evolving demands of their clientele: 'With less money around at the moment, customers are concentrating on value for money, and are already proving far more selective in where they choose to go,' he says. 'If they visit a particular venue they are looking for a blend of quality product, service and the overall experience, and it's up to the operator to provide this.
'The external appearance is the first signal to customers of what they are likely to receive inside. A great-looking interior is part of the whole customer experience, but broken lights, ripped chairs or peeling paint could be a reflection of standards elsewhere within the business.
Burns advises companies to view a redesign or refit as an important part of their long-term strategy:
'Rather than embark on ambitious expansion plans or acquisitions, operators can increase returns by re-branding and repositioning existing units. Such a strategy can attract increased business and generate new revenue streams.'
Of course, in the context of the Prince & Princess of Wales Hospice, the 'customers' are actually terminally ill patients who are looking for comfort and peace of mind:
'Working on the Hospice building was one of the more rewarding projects we have undertaken in recent years. We're in the process of completing a refit for a Michelin-starred chef in Scotland at the moment, and while there is more emphasis on the kitchen side of the operation than leisure and recreation areas, the basic principles are the same.'
Morag Cunningham, Director of Fundraising & Marketing at the Hospice, was eager to see what Burns Design could achieve: 'The Hospice has been here since the early 1980s and some of it was quite dated and needed a spruce-up,' she says. It's been completely transformed and looks fantastic now.'
www.ppwh.org.uk
www.burns-design.co.uk
This article has been edited from its original version. For the complete feature, please see Catering in Scotland magazine February/March 2009.
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