Burdett House, the Supported Living residence in Station Road Histon for the past 22 years, has finally closed its doors after Covid delayed plans for its sale.
Residents were forewarned in September 2019 of the possible closure and the final decision to do so was made at the end of January 2020 following an 18-month review into its viability.
No way ahead
Burdett House is owned by housing charity the Abbeyfield Society and until recently was home for up to 17 people aged 80 and older.
Built on land left by the Chivers family, it enabled residents to live independently. With less intensive care support than in care homes, but more than in sheltered housing, it was unique in its local provision in the village.
After Abbeyfield announced the possible closure, local residents started to campaign for it to remain. A four-month consultation period began, during which the Board engaged openly with the community on their proposals to keep the house open.
But no suitable proposals could be found to guarantee the long-term financial sustainability of the house and the charity finally concluded that there was no viable way ahead and took the difficult decision to close.
Tony Raphael was part of the campaign to keep Burdett House open. He sees its closure as leaving a real gap in care provision in this area and very difficult to justify. “Its closure is a tragedy. It is a victim of poor marketing”, he told HI HUB.
“Burdett House had it all”, he said. “Brilliant village location, fantastic caring staff, lovely surroundings, a feeling of an extended house rather than a large retirement complex with gyms, pool and saunas etc. It was tailor made for the older individual who just wanted to relax in a pleasant, small community, environment and not have to worry about the daily chores of cooking, washing, vacuuming… and very affordable. There are, unfortunately, many fewer residences of this ‘Very Sheltered Housing’ type now available around the country.”
Moving on
The original intention was for all residents to have moved to new accommodation by the end of June 2020. This was postponed when the pandemic took hold, as many older people were shielding and government policy prevented house viewing and moves.
When restrictions were lifted, residents were supported to move to suitable alternative accommodation before the house closed last year.
Tony’s mother, now 98, has moved to a near equivalent residence in Gloucestershire. “She loved being at Burdett House and misses the easy social interaction that she had there”, he said.
Now that the last resident has gone, staff have also moved on, with the former manager Annelize Vanzyl now working at Abbeyfield Girton and coming over to Histon as needed. Surplus items no longer needed from the premises have been donated to local charity The Besom.
Estate agents have been appointed to sell the property, which will go on the market soon, and the funds released will be reinvested into the charity.