Care home closures 'due to £1.8m repair costs'

A CHARITY decided to close three Plymouth old people’s homes because it could not afford a £1.8 million bill to renovate them, it has been revealed.

- WILLIAM TELFORD

The Abbeyfield Living Society also cited hikes in inflation and energy bills as reasons why it is to shut homes in Hartley, Plymstock and Ivybridge.

A deal to transfer the homes to another operator also fell through because that provider couldn’t persuade Abbeyfield it had the financial clout to take on the buildings and residents. It meant that last week, as reported in The Herald, Abbeyfield told residents living in Abbeyfield House, Hartley; Burtons, Plymstock; and Treehill Road, Ivybridge, that the homes would shut and the buildings would be sold.

In a statement from Abbeyfield, the charity told The Herald that operating costs and the need for investment were key factors in the decision. The statement said: “These three services were no longer financially sustainable over the coming five years. Significant investment of circa £1.8m is required to meet the standards expected by prospective residents and regulators, now and in the future. The costs to carry out this work, even if spread over an extended period, are too great for us to meet.”