Burton's state-of-the-art £34 million hospital was officially ready for business in August 1993. The complex opened three years after the first sod was cut. To mark the occasion, the new hospital opened its doors to visitors and more than 2,500 took the opportunity to visit the unit.
Speaking in 1993, Tony Hill, Burton NHS Trust's chief executive said: "Everyone was very complimentary about the new facilities."
What many of the visitors didn't know at the time is that at one stage it looked as if the Regional Health Authority would abandon plans for the project altogether.
The Burton Mail spearheaded a campaign to ensure that the promised funds were made available and that the project went ahead. After its official open days on August 14 and 15 1993, the hospital planned to transfer the first patients later in the month.
It was hoped that the last patients would leave the old Burton General Hospital in the centre of town by the October. At its time of opening, Burton's new district hospital had 463 beds alongside maternity, medical and children's wards, operating theatres, pathology laboratories, a multi-denominational chapel, a mortuary and 176-seat staff restaurant.
To mark the opening of the hospital, the Burton Mail ran a competition whereby readers were invited to submit pictures on the theme 'in the best of health'. These photographs were judged by Royal photographer Lord Lichfield. The esteemed Royal photographer chose David McDowell, of Brakenwood Road, Stapenhill as the overall winner.
Mr Brackenwood was a civil servant and took up photography in the 1980s following the birth of his daughter. The open class winner was Mrs Mutimer of Ashby Road who photographed her 95-year-old mother 'in the best of health'.
Pupils from Belvedere Junior School won the children's section. Their efforts included a poem, a cartoon character called Oscar and a picture of youngsters in the school gym.
