A milestone was reached at Gavin Astor House today as the first phase of refurbishment works were handed over to Royal British Legion Industries. 25 of the 50 rooms have now been upgraded and residents are being moved into their new homes this weekend. Residents will also benefit from a new lounge area and dining space in this phase. The main entrance to the care home has also been redeveloped in this section of the works and features a new reception area, parlour style cafe-servery and seating area.
Gavin Astor House was constructed in the early 1990s and provides care for up to 50 residents. The space was in need of refurbishment to bring it up to modern standards and to provide a better offering for the residents. A high specification has been delivered, similar to their recently completed project Appleton Lodge, which also offers specialist care. The two homes have been designed to complement each other and offer joint facilities.
The ground floor of Gavin Astor House is primarily designed for dementia residents and uses wayfinding and colours built into the design to aid navigation and memory. Each room has its own ‘front door’ in its own colour and residents are surrounded by items reminiscent of their former years.
Phase two will now commence on site which will see the remaining rooms refurbished, along with a new kitchen and laundry space plus hairdressing salon. In order to achieve this, the site will receive a temporary unit that will house the kitchen and laundry facilities while the redevelopment takes place.
The project is due to complete in November. B&M have been providing Quantity Surveying and Employers Agent services across both phases.
