Age Scotland has said a cafe in a West Lothian care complex facing closure is a model for improving later living in an ever-ageing society.
Welcoming the decision to stall on a closure decision for the Rosemount Gardens care complex in Bathgate the national charity described it as “great news”.
Adam Stachura, the Policy Director at Age Scotland last Thursday’s 11th hour hold was an “opportunity to look to the future.”
West Lothian’s Integration Joint Board had been asked to rubber stamp the closure of the cafe which operates in the complex as part of a range of savings the Board has to make this year.
Mr Stachura told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: “We should have more joined-up places like Rosemount Gardens available to older people, not fewer, as the benefits to residents’ health, wellbeing and quality of life are abundantly clear as soon as you walk in the door.
“The café is the beating heart of Rosemount Gardens and has immense value to residents, providing good food and keeping them connected.
“It is great news that it will stay open for a little longer while the IJB take part in further, hopefully meaningful, engagement with residents and customers to better understand the impact its closure will have. This is a really important step and opportunity to look to the future and work out how it can be saved.”
He added: “Plans to remove such a vital part of the housing complex have been shortsighted and we sincerely hope the café can remain.”
The café in the Rosemount Gardens care complex is open six days per week but currently operates at a loss of £100,000 per year because of a lack of custom.
From the outset critics have believed the closure plan was ill-conceived and the cafe seen as “low hanging fruit”, a cut which could be made without too much effect and saving £136,000 by relocating the staff elsewhere in council facilities.
Last week, Councillor Tom Conn won agreement from other councillors and voting members of the board to delay a decision until the August meeting of the Board.
He told the meeting that circumstances had changed an added: ““ I move the position that the board agrees to move the determination on this matter to its meeting on 17 August to allow us to bring back a revised consumer duty impact assessment and a revised impact assessment if necessary to the Board for consideration.”
Earlier this year the LDRS reported that the Health and Social Care Partnership was facing a £7m overspend from the rising costs of social care.
Last week Rosemount Café campaigner Jackie Davidson described the news as “fantastic”.
She added: “Good sense prevailed. Now we can move forward with our business plan.”
By Stuart Sommerville, Local Democracy Reporter
