THE planned closure of a Burton retirement complex is part of a drastic cutback of homes across the country by its owner, the Mail has learned.
Save our homes
Anchor Trust, which wants to shut Elizabeth Court, in Brough Road, Winshill, has slashed the number of schemes it operates by almost a quarter in the past three years, while at least seven other homes are currently earmarked for closure.
Anchor told the Mail it had closed 30 of its housing complexes in the past three years, leaving it with a total of 96 across England.
The company declined to reveal how many homes it is currently planning to close, instead issuing a one-line statement, saying: “We routinely review the future management of our schemes and will ensure that our tenants are informed first of any decisions.”
However, the Mail’s own inquiries have discovered at least seven Anchor properties currently earmarked for closure, including Saffron Court, in Leicester.
As with Elizabeth Court, Anchor says it is closing the complex and another Leicester home, St Clements Court, because of their age and the difficulty in attracting new tenants.
The announcement was made in April and just a handful of tenants now remain, according to Elaine Tewley, whose 86-year-old father, Les Aucott, is one of the residents to have already moved out.
She said: “Some of the residents were in their 70s and 80s and expected to spend the rest of their lives there. To see them all moving out one by one and the heart and soul of the building destroyed was just heartbreaking.
“My father’s health deteriorated because of it and he ended up on anti-depressants.
The nurses there said they were having to call the doctor out more and more because people were getting ill from the stress of it all.”
Other Anchor homes earmarked for closure include Blackett Court, in Northumberland, Offers Court, in Wiltshire, Cromwell Court, in Tyne and Wear, Springfield Court, in Lancashire, and St Clements Court, in Somerset.
Colin Barrett, a councillor on Bath and North East Somerset Council, blasted Anchor for its apparent lack of consultation with residents ahead of the closure announcement last month.
He told the Mail: “It’s appalling, to give such short notice to elderly, vulnerable residents that they were going to close it down and to present it to people as a fait accompli.
“They say people no longer want studio apartments but the people living there are delighted with them. Anchor has shown a completely uncaring attitude. You don’t treat people like that. They ought to show some compassion.”
There was some hope for Elizabeth Court residents, however, with the story of Briarwood Nursing Home, in Whitehaven, Cumbria, which was earmarked for closure by Anchor but saved when an alternative owner came forward after supporters organised a 5,000- name petition against its closure.
Meanwhile, St Clare House, in Hull, was reopened under new ownership after a £150,000 refurbishment in May this year - but only after its 29 residents had been forced to leave by Anchor.
* AN article headlined Anchor making drastic cutbacks in properties in the Burton Mail newspaper and online stated that Anchor Trust, the company which wants to close Elizabeth Court in Brough Road, Winshill, has slashed the number of schemes it operates by almost a quarter in the past three years.
Anchor told the Mail it had closed 30 of its housing complexes in the past three years, leaving it with a total of 96 across England.
These figures were printed in good faith.
Anchor Trust would like to point out that it has 700 rented retirement housing schemes, 250 leasehold retirement schemes and 96 care homes, with the 30 closures coming from a mixture of all three types.
An Anchor spokesman said: “Contrary to the figure in the article on September 7, Anchor owns about 700 retirement housing schemes across England. Retirement housing schemes are rental properties designed for older people who prefer and are able to live independently.
"Over the past three years 30 rented retirement housing schemes have closed which accounts for less than three per cent of all Anchor's properties, and significantly less than the ‘nearly 25 per cent’ reported.”
We are happy to set the record straight.
