Hot food is still on offer at restaurant

The usual menu of three choices of cooked food continues to be served at Marion’s at the war memorial hospital.

Sussex Community NHS Trust announced only sandwiches and deli-style snacks would be available. This provoked protests from the staff, visiting customers and Bognor Regis Civic Society.

A notice from the trust in the restaurant states: “Marion’s Restaurant is not now closing. The meals and the service will be changing. But the date of the changes has yet to be decided.”

It asks customers to watch out for further announcements.

Regular customer Barry Goodchild, 76, from Elsted, said: “It’s a lovely restaurant.

“My wife is an outpatient at the hospital every six weeks and we usually call into the restaurant then.

“I’m glad it’s carrying on. A lot of people go there for their lunches.

“The service is good, you don’t have to wait long, the food is nice and it’s clean.”

The closure was originally announced in April when the trust stated the restaurant would only be open to staff.

That was amended last month to serving freshly-made sandwiches, salads and paninis to staff and visitors.

The restaurant has some 64 seats and usually serves well over 100 customers daily.