Abbeyfield homes: Residents told they may have to move out

Boldre House and MacGregor House in Manor Road are owned by Abbeyfield and enable independent living and privacy along with communal areas. 

In a letter to residents seen by the Journal, Abbeyfield told residents that it has identified some properties which it feels “can no longer operated sustainably”.

“This is because they either no longer meet the needs of older people or are unlikely or unable to meet future regulatory requirements, or where the costs of upgrading the home to meet modern expectations and standards would be too great, even if spread over 30 years”, the letter adds.

Residents were told on Monday (May 15) about the potential closures.

Image: Newsquest (Image: Newsquest)

Judith Daniels, 76, moved to Salisbury and into Boldre House in December 2021,

She said: “The staff are fantastic here, and they are terribly upset too. Some have been here a long time.”

Partially sighted, Judith is very settled. Her sister has recently moved to Salisbury to provide support for her and she has already had to move three times before settling at Boldre House.  

She said: “I have nothing to complain about with the care, but we just don’t know why this is happening and that’s why we have asked for another meeting before the final decision is made in July.”

She added: “Is it really to do with money or is it that they just want to get rid of it?”

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A spokesperson for Abbeyfields told the Journal: "We recently completed the latest review of all of our homes as part of making a clear plan for the future of the organisation and each of our homes.

"These reviews considered how our properties can keep pace with the changing needs, tastes and expectations of older people, the investment required to bring them up to modern standards and whether they are able to meet new regulatory and energy efficiency requirements.

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“We also needed to reflect on how the past few difficult years have impacted the organisation’s finances, particularly the impact of the Covid pandemic, the huge increase in energy prices, rising inflation, and rapidly increasing operating costs."

They added that hHaving fully considered the findings of this review, it is "with regret" that the company has made "the difficult decision" to begin consulting on the closure of Boldre House and Macgregor House.

"Everybody taking part in the consultation process will have the opportunity to share their thoughts, ideas, and any proposals they may have before a final decision is made.”

The company has specified it will do all it can to support residents and colleagues to assist them through what is a difficult process. 

Residents can only wait as they await the decision.