A new café has been officially opened at Ysbyty Gwynedd in Bangor.

It marks the completion of a £225,000 revamp of the hospital's main foyer, with most of the funding provided from NHS Charities Together via Awyr Las ('Blue Sky').

The new café was opened on Wednesday by Mandy Ellis, a member of the catering staff who has spent the last few months serving refreshments in the Phlebotomy waiting area.

Dawnne Jenkins, head of site at Ysbyty Gwynedd, said: "It’s fantastic to see this new café open and completing the transformation of our foyer. It’s already creating a much more welcoming and comfortable environment for everyone who visits the hospital."

"Having a dedicated café space is a real benefit for our staff, patients and visitors, giving people somewhere to relax, have a drink and step away from busy clinical areas."

"It also made the opening extra special to have Mandy do the honours. She’s become such a familiar and friendly face to so many people, and it felt absolutely right that she marked this milestone."

"We’re incredibly grateful for the support from NHS Charities Together through Awyr Las, which has helped us create a foyer that is more accessible, more supportive and a much better experience for everyone who comes through our doors."

The Betsi Cadwaladr health board says the café opening marks the final phase of a wider redesign of the foyer with seating for up to 20 people.

Other changes include upgraded flooring and ceilings, a new wheelchair storage facility to improve accessibility and moving the Macmillan pod to the main entrance, along with a refurbished volunteer space for Awyr Las, the North Wales NHS charity.

Dyfed Jones, chair of the Awyr Las charitable funds committee, added: "It's great to see the final result of the improvements made possible at Ysbyty Gwynedd thanks to this jointly funded project between the health board and NHS Charities Together."

"This renewed space, with the addition of a small café, will better serve our staff, patients and visitors by providing comfort and refreshment when they are visiting the hospital site."