Abbeyfield, Falmouth residents of home in Cornwall told it could close

Residents of Tresillian House sheltered housing for elderly people in Stracey Road were told this morning (Monday, May 15) that there was to be a 45-day consultation on the closure of the Abbeyfield home.

Residents, including one who is 104 years old, were said to be in tears after the announcement was made by Abbeyfield’s regional manager.

One resident, who did not want to be identified, told the Packet the news was a “bombshell” and people were really upset.

“It’s great I love it here,” he said. “I don’t want to leave, it’s a nice place and I’m perfectly happy here. When the news was announced a lot of people broke down. It was like a bombshell from nowhere."

He said they were told there was going to be a meeting a week ago but they thought it was about repairs being done, as some maintenance work is needed, but then the company said they were looking at possibly closing it.

“Where are we going to go?” he said. “There are 12 residents living in this particular house.”

Richard Allen, the son of another resident at the home, told the Packet that his 78-year-old mum, who had worked her whole life, had sold her park home and got rid of most of her belongings so she could move into this property in February after a period of ill health.

He said the decision had been made after much discussion and wariness on his mum's part. 

"She has always been fiercely independent and was worried that would somehow be taken away. That couldn't have been further from the truth. Within Tresillian House, in the few short months she has been there, she has made some really good friends and found a sense of community that has been missing from her life for quite some time.

"I myself along with the rest of my family has seen the new lease of life that my Mum has been given by living there."

He added: "The upset in the room when this was announced was palpable. One of the residents is 104 years old. Can you even begin to imagine the upset and stress this is going to cause her? 

"My Mum for one would not have sold up and moved in if she had known this was a possibility, which they must have known and one would have thought had some sort of moral obligation to inform potential residents."

Abbeyfield runs over 300 residential homes across the country. It describes Tresillian House as full of warmth, companionship and laughter, “a far cry from its origins as one of two houses built for sisters who didn’t get along. Our home offers older people support and security whilst retaining an independent lifestyle,” says the website.

It says it offers a total of 12 rooms, all with en-suite and kitchenette facilities. The house has a large lounge and dining room with views over our garden and across to the ocean.

Rooms, with all bills and food paid for cost £1,682 per month.

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The resident told the Packet he first arrived in Falmouth in 1969 and considers it his home town after a period of being homeless. “I’m very happy here," he said. “I don’t want to move out and where will we go? The regional manager said we would get support but didn’t say what that means.

“As I understand it they cannot make us homeless and they said they will get us support but they didn’t say what that support will be or when it will be.”

He says many of the residents have mobility issues and aren’t even able to leave their rooms and while some had family to help them, others, like him, didn’t.

The letter given to residents this morning (Image: Supplied)

In letter given to the residents and seen by the Packet, Abbeyfield says the government’s introduction of legislation to make homes as energy efficient as possible means Tresillian House is unlikely to meet those standards. It says it would not be possible to reach those standards in the required timeline.

It also says it is no longer cost effective for the company to be so geographically spread as it is difficult to service its properties effectively.

It states that no firm decision on the proposed closure of the house will be made until the consultation process has formally concluded.

An Abbeyfield spokesperson said: “As a responsible housing and care provider, we conduct periodic reviews of all of our homes to make sure they remain suitable for residents. 

"We recently completed the latest review of all of our homes as part of making a clear plan for the future of the organisation and each of our homes. These reviews considered how our properties can keep pace with the changing needs, tastes and expectations of older people, the investment required to bring them up to modern standards and whether they are able to meet new regulatory and energy efficiency requirements. We also needed to reflect how the past few difficult years have impacted the charity's finances, particularly the impact of the Covid pandemic, the huge increase in energy prices, rising inflation, and rapidly increasing operating costs.

“Having fully considered the findings of this review, it is with regret that we have made the difficult decision to begin consulting on the closure of Tresillian House (Falmouth). Everybody taking part in the consultation process will have the opportunity to share their thoughts, ideas and any proposals they may have before a final decision is made.

 “We fully acknowledge the impact that this consultation, and any potential outcomes, will have on our residents and colleagues in particular, and we will be doing everything we can to support and assist them through this difficult process.”