The wrapping comes off King’s Court

Home news

Sep 27, 2013

Restoring Care UK’s King’s Court Care Home, in Barnard Castle, to its former glory has taken more than a year of work and a £250,000 investment but now the listed building, featured in Charles Dickens’ Nicholas Nickleby, has emerged from its scaffolding.

The former coaching inn, in the Market Square, is home to up to 35 residents and is the venue for a day centre and home meals delivery service for older people in the town.

Care UK bought the home in 2011 and immediately carried out surveys to see what work needed to be carried out on the 200-year-old historic building to secure both its future and the wellbeing of the home’s residents.

Manager Mitch Lloyd recalls: “We love the building, but there has been little investment over the years and, at one time, we had more than 20 leaks. The home was just not waterproof.

“Care UK, from the start, was committed to a programme of improvement and in 2012 the scaffolding went up. I know the process took longer than expected, and we are all grateful to the town for its patience, but without the work, the building would have been ruined and the town would have lost a valuable facility for older people.”

During the restoration, roofs were replaced, guttering was changed, the building was repointed and much of the detailing at the front was restored and repainted. The home is now water-tight and work is beginning on decorating the interior.

Mitch said: “The residents are very pleased that the scaffolding is down and the home is certainly a lot brighter. Everyone is now looking forward to seeing how the home looks when it has been decorated.”

On Wednesday 23rd October Mitch and her team will be inviting local residents to come and view the work and enjoy some cupcakes as a thank you for their patience and to celebrate the completion of the external works.

She said: “Our team, and Care UK as a whole, has a deep commitment to providing residential and respite care, as well as day time activities, for older people in our community and I am very happy that we have managed to secure high levels of care, as well as preserving an important building, for years to come.”