Jobs go in care home shake-up, Teesdale Mercury

Jobs go in care home shake-up

Sep 11, 2002

THE Charles Dickens pub and the adjacent Charles Dickens Coffee Shop in Barnard Castle are closing down on September 29 amidst sweeping changes that will see the King’s Court Care Home being extended into the whole building.

Nine staff are being made redundant but two have taken other jobs within the complex, partner Tony Chisholm told the Mercury yesterday morning.

“I nearly cried the day I told them about it. It’s not a nice thing for me to have to do and it’s not a nice thing for the staff to have to hear,” he said. “Now they have had time to digest this, my impression is they understand what we are doing and support us.”

The Rotary Club, which meets at the Charles Dickens once a week, confirmed yesterday it is still looking for a new home.

The joint decision by the three partners has been forced by circumstance, said Mr Chisholm. The premises have been for sale for 10 years but no-one wants to buy the complex with its present format of pub, coffee shop and care home, even though each area of the business is financially doing very well, he said. Now 62 and a half, he has been wanting to retire since he was 55; other partner Joy Ash, the retired matron, is 68 and not in the best of health; third partner Martyn Tetchener would not want to run the business on his own, he said.

Added to this are new regulations and standards in care for the elderly and the introduction of a star rating system. Four to six new bedrooms will be gained while the facilities for residents and their recreation space will be greatly improved, he said.

“The only way I can see forward is to turn the building into something someone wants to buy,” said Mr Chisholm. “It’s the only way I can move the building on and I have got to sell to retire. I would love to have left Barnard Castle with this building with the pub and the coffee shop and the home, but I cannot do it, as I’ve been trying for 10 years. Once converted the care home will change hands, I am sure, and the staff are aware of that,” he said.

An application for a change of use is being submitted and a sale of effects from the pub and coffee house is being held on October 16.