HOPES are high that a town's former Bupa hospital will remain a private hospital.
Talks are under way between Bupa and General Medical Clinics (GMC) to take over Scarborough's Belvedere Hospital, which closed in May with the loss of 92 jobs.
Adrian Stevenson, GMC's managing director, said that even if the deal fell through, his company had plans to open a private hospital in the town.
It is understood Bupa also plans to redevelop the South Cliff site.
A spokesman for Scarborough NHS Trust said "We are keen to encourage private healthcare in the Scarborough area. It is important that consultants moving to Scarborough have the opportunity to undertake private work."
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