BOSSES at the Royal Free Hospital are looking to open a swanky five star restaurant to rival the best in the business. But this is not an attempt by the Royal Free Trust to add to Hampstead s burgeoning restaurant scene nor does it mean NHS patients are

BOSSES at the Royal Free Hospital are looking to open a swanky "five star" restaurant to rival the best in the business.

But this is not an attempt by the Royal Free Trust to add to Hampstead's burgeoning restaurant scene nor does it mean NHS patients are to be served up caviar anytime soon.

The new "dining experience" will be based on the 12th floor of the Pond Street building and is reserved for private patients who can afford to shell out.

The Trust has employed a company Inventures to carry out the tendering process and bring in the right people who can "provide a five star dining experience to rival any top class hotel or restaurant".

Wayne Sexton, from Inventures, said: "They want something snazzy and are hoping to raise a bit of money to put back into the NHS side of the hospital.

"One of the potential providers named a few celebrity chefs they have worked with so there is a good mix.

"They want to get someone up there to bring this place to life rather than it being the normal bog standard catering."

The Royal Free offers all of its NHS services to private patients including their specialist clinics such as oncology and neurology.

Neil Woodnick, from patients group Camden Link, backs the plan.

He said: "The more money generated in the private wing, the more cash there is to run the rest of the hospital.

"If private patients are given a full English breakfast and I only get a bowl of cornflakes then that is fine by me.