A CARE home which came within minutes of closure is to receive improvements worth £1million.

Windsor Court in Bournemouth almost shut in the summer of 2015 after its owners went into administration.

Bournemouth landowner the Gervis Meyrick Estate stepped in and has completed a deal to lease the Bodorgan Road home to residential care specialist Beritaz Group. The new operator is to plough £1m into its facilities.

Beritaz Group, which has homes in Dorset, Hampshire and Surrey, was originally appointed on a short-term basis to keep the home running.

But the Meyrick Estate said it has been so impressed by the company’s commitment to quality care over the past 18 months that it turned the arrangement into a long-term lease.

The refurbishment will see a new lift, a dedicated dementia floor, 45 upgraded en suite rooms, improved staff facilities and relaxation areas all introduced on a phased basis. The building, a large Edwardian villa in a conservation area, will be maintained and preserved.

Kumar Gnanakumar, owner and chief executive at Beritaz Care Ltd, said: “Since getting involved at a very short notice in June 2015, we were committed to securing this as a facility for the local community amidst the wave of local care home closures.

“This was made possible through the full commitment and support of both the Estate and the teams from Beritaz, regulators the Care Quality Commission, Bournemouth Borough Council and fellow professionals.

“We are delighted to have secured the long term future of the home through a lease and investment support from the estate for our first care home in Bournemouth, especially one which offers care for different budget requirements in an area where high end care homes can be too costly for many families.

“I am confident Windsor Court will become a centre of excellent care provision in line with our philosophy of care which is ‘to care for our residents the way we would want our loved ones cared for’.”

Jane Portman, executive director for adult and children’s services and deputy chief executive at Bournemouth council, said: “The rescue of Windsor Court meant existing residents avoided having to move to another care home and, thanks to the Gervis Meyrick Estate’s new lease arrangements, we continue to have this important care facility in the town.

“We are especially pleased that Windsor Court will include a specialist dementia service and Beritaz Care are able to welcome people with a mix of budgets.

“Despite some recent closures, Bournemouth’s care home market continues to be healthy especially for those homes that adapt to the needs of our town and focus on quality."