Bottoms up – these residents at a Bracknell care home won’t have to wait until May for a pint

Home news

Mar 04, 2021

There is still one pub unaffected by current restrictions – and it’s in a Bracknell care home.

The Heron pub at Care UK’s Bickerton House care home, on Warfield Road, is open and pulling pints for residents.

Current restrictions mean residents aren’t able to leave the home, so when they started missing their local’s atmosphere, team members at Bickerton House got busy bringing it to them.

The home now hosts regular events at the pub, which sees team members turn into bartenders and play music or put sports games on a big screen to recreate the real atmosphere of a pub. Other features include a jukebox, dartboard and a vinyl dancefloor for residents to enjoy. Katie, lifestyle coordinator, even hosts a pub quiz every Friday for the “punters”.

Peter Hale, a resident at Bickerton House, said: “I like the pub when everyone joins together for social events. It’s nicely furnished and caters to all our needs, and great for when there are sports on.”

Erika Smith, Home Manager at Bickerton House, said: “We all miss going to the pub, and in these challenging times there’s nothing like catching up with an old friend over a drink or two. When residents told us they missed their local’s atmosphere, we thought we’d bring it to them instead.

“For many residents, the pub is associated with a lot of positive memories from their younger years, from their first ever drink, to countless hearty meals with family or friends and everything in between. The events we held at the Heron have been a highlight throughout lockdown and residents always leave with a smile on their face. 

“It turns out we’re one of the only pubs in the UK to be unaffected by the restrictions, so we’re looking forward to our next pub night!”

The purpose-built care home has been designed to enable residents to live active and fulfilled lives, while also promoting independence. The home provides full-time residential, nursing and specialist dementia care, and incorporates space for hobby and leisure activities, including its own cinema, hair salon and café.

For more information about Bickerton House please call Customer Relations Manager, Jo Anderson, at jo.anderson@careuk.com or call on 01344 989943.

For more general information, please visit: careuk.com/bickerton-house