FAST work for fast food...workers from York-based Shepherd Construction lower a new McDonalds restaurant into place during their £23 million Ocean Place development project in Southport.

It was a way of ensuring that the restaurant was open for business 50 per cent faster than conventional methods - and with minimal disruption.

The 7.5 tonne unit was manufactured by Shepherd Construction's sister company, Yorkon, on site in Huntington. It was then lifted on to its pre-prepared foundations in just a few hours.

Six already-complete units were lowered into place, equipped with catering equipment, signage, glazing, heating, plumbing, ventilation, ceramic finishes, internal walls and seating. In the next few weeks the roof, outer cladding and external works will be added.

When Shepherd finally completes the project at the end of this month, the waterfront leisure complex will contain a seven screen cinema, a ten-pin bowling alley, a family entertainment centre, restaurants and a retail park.

Meanwhile, as one major job for York's Shepherd Construction ends, another begins. Work started this month on its new £22.4 million contract to create three new buildings at Royal Preston Hospital.

A three-storey block will be linked from the first floor via a corridor to the main hospital complex and will provide patient accommodation for obstetrics, gynaecology and elective orthopaedics. A single storey block will be used for elderly rehabilitation; while the third building will house a two-storey education block. All should be completed by spring 2004.

Shepherd is liaising closely with the hospital to plan works and deliveries to ensure no disruption is caused to the running of the existing facilities. This will involve regular meetings with the hospital, its security and health and safety teams.

These new facilities are the latest in a line of developments for Royal Preston Hospital which has put into operation new endoscopy and day surgery units, plus a new centre for the treatment of cancer patients. And the out-patient department has recently been refurbished.

The project adds to Shepherd's growing health sector portfolio. Work is in progress at the £7 million Wolfson Molecular Imaging Centre at Christie Hospital in Manchester; and the company has recently completed a £16.5 million project for the Institute of Cancer Research in Sutton, and a new £21 million hospital for Nuffield Hospitals in Leeds city centre.

Updated: 09:28 Tuesday, September 24, 2002