Shock Cooden rest home closure

Staff and around 20 elderly residents have feared for the future of the home since owners David and Louise Connor applied for planning permission to demolish the building to make way for a block of flats..

But they were assured there were no immediate plans for closure and the planning permission would simply allow Mr and Mrs Connor to remortgage the home at better rates. A notice to that effect was pinned on a board at Southwinds and manager Doris Wildish told the Observer as recently as two weeks ago there were no plans to close.

Planning permission for 20 flats was initially refused but councillors have now said they will agree to a scaled-down development of around 16 flats.

A member of staff, who did not want to be identified, said: "The residents and staff were called in last Friday and told we're closing after all. It was a big shock to everyone.

"We've all been very concerned since August but were told the owners were just trying to raise the value of the property to draw money on it and we were safe. That's been the official line all along so to be told we're closing after all is a real bolt out of the blue.

"Why couldn't they just be straight with us from the beginning?"

Michael Humphrey, speaking on behalf of a resident who did not want to be identified, said: "It confirms suspicions everyone has had from day one. Now people in their 70s and 80s find themselves having to move. There's been a good standard of care at the home and the residents want to stay local but opportunities are not that many. They fear they will have to move away.

"We're very disappointed Rother District Council has not taken into consideration the welfare of residents when looking at this planning application and disappointed at the lack of communication from the owners.

"The notice saying there were no plans to close was only taken down on Friday."

Owner David Connor told the Observer on Wednesday: "It's been a turbulent time for everyone and we certainly had no intention to deceive anyone. I'm very, very sad it has come to this. There's no way I wanted this home to close.

"The original plan was not to close the home and that's always been the case but our situation has changed drastically in the past few weeks

"The government's increasingly tight rules and regulations on care homes have crippled the industry and we've fallen foul of that. We needed to draw money on the place to comply with the regulations but the offer the bank originally came up with has been withdrawn because of the length of the planning process. Our only choice is to close and sell.

"I built this home 20 years ago and have pumped a lot of money into it but the government and the banks have constantly moved the goalposts.

"We are closing but I have not set a date. The residents will have plenty of time to find somewhere to live and we will help them with that. We're not going to make anyone homeless."

Manager Doris Wildish refused to comment this week.