THE reception at Blackurn's new hospital has been closed because it is too cold to use.

The temperature in the foyer, which includes a reception, cafe, shops and a waiting area, drop-ped so low last week, when the large revolving entrance doors broke, that staff were moved out.

A temporary reception was installed in a cabin at the entrance and extra heaters were brought in - but even though the doors have now been fixed, the temperature problem remains.

Staff at the £113million hosp- ital, which was opened in the summer of 2006, said problems with the temperature in the foyer had been apparent since last winter, but nothing was done.

Coun Roy Davies, chairman of Blackburn with Darwen's heal-th scrutiny committee, said it was a "disgrace" that these problems had been allowed to continue for so long. Consort, the firm which runs the maintenance of the hospital building, and hospital bosses are trying to rectify the problems.

A member of staff at the hospital, who asked to remain anonymous, said: "From the first winter of occupancy it was obvious that there was a design problem at the hospital.

"The reception is a large area and in winter the whole thing can be extremely cold, below legal requirements. The wind just whistles through a single set of doors and the heating cannot cope.

"The hospital has been aware of the problem since last winter but nothing has yet been done. When the doors broke, the reception was moved for staff, but patients and visitors still had to endure the cold."

Coun Davies said: "It is a disgrace that this has been allowed to go on so long."

A spokesman for East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust added: "The main entrance at Royal Blackburn Hospital has been affected by a temperature issue that has caused the main reception staff to be moved to a temporary location, close to the entrance to continue assisting visitors, patients and staff.

"The Trust is working with our PFI partners to quickly deal with the situation and expect to have the situation rectified soon."