In great spirits – Cheltenham care home shakes things up with cocktail bar

Home news

Mar 22, 2021

The best place to get a mojito is no longer your local cocktail bar – it’s a Cheltenham care home.

Care UK’s Sandfields, on St George’s Road, has opened its very own cocktail bar, complete with an impressive drinks menu.

Current restrictions mean residents aren’t able to leave the home, so when they started missing their favourite bar, team members at Sandfields got busy turning one of the home’s rooms into a special venue to bring the Martinis and Pina Coladas to them.

Regular cocktail evenings now take place at Sandfields, which sees team members Jon Sneath, Christopher Bourne and Victoria Waring turn into mixologists and prepare a selection of tasty cocktails and mocktails, including Long Island Ice Teas, Daiquiris and Margaritas amongst many others. The home has even developed its own eponymous cocktail, the Sandfields Sky – a mix of blue curaçao, peach schnapps, sprite and vodka.

Derek Robbins, 90 and a resident at Sandfields, said: “I’ve travelled the world and tried many different cocktails in lots of places, but it’s amazing to have my own cocktail bar here at Sandfields. I’ve tried a few so far, and I recommend the Margarita!”

Malaika Charles, Home Manager at Sandfields, said: “It’s not all tea and biscuits in care homes, and older people enjoy a well-made Mojito as much as the next person. When residents told us they missed their favourite cocktail bar, we thought we’d bring it to them instead.

“Many of them have fond memories of going for drinks with friends in their younger years, so the bar opening was a big success, and our regular cocktail nights are very popular. We even discovered hidden mixology skills among our team members, who have worked hard to create a delicious cocktail and mocktail menu. The menu features all the classics plus our very own Sandfields Sky - which is going down a storm with residents.

“We feel so lucky that we won’t have to wait until May to visit our favourite bar and sip a Mojito, and are certainly looking forward to our next cocktail evening!”

Sandfields is a state-of-the-art care home which provides full-time residential, dementia, nursing and short-term respite care. The home, which features 90 en-suite bedrooms, has been designed to enable its residents to live active and fulfilled lives, while also promoting independence. The care home incorporates space for hobby and leisure activities and includes its own cinema, bar, hairdressing salon and café.

For more information on Sandfields, please contact Laura Sayburn, Customer Relations Manager, by emailing: laura.sayburn@careuk.com or calling 01242 801 867.

For more general information, please visit careuk.com/sandfields