Rosemarkie sheltered houses saved - for now
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A LOCAL campaign group has won a partial victory to retain a threatened sheltered housing complex on the Black Isle.
Black Isle Supported Living (BISL) says it is relieved that charity Abbeyfield Scotland Ltd has backed down on plans to close its house in Rosemarkie, which is home to folk in their 80s and 90s.
Abbeyfield had planned to shut the very sheltered centre, Abbeyfield House in Hawkill Road, and sell it on the open market.
But now, following pressure from local campaign group BISL, is has agreed to keep the
accommodation open for another year while a registered care provider is sought to run the house as a going concern.
BISL is already in negotiations with a local registered care provider regarding a potential partnership approach.
Gwyn Phillips, chairman of BISL, said: "Today’s announcement simply buys us time. People should not consider the struggle over just yet as there is still reference here to a ‘funded bid’.
"Abbeyfield Scotland Limited has often referenced the Rosemarkie house as loss-making. Which registered care provider in its right mind is going to take on a house which is deemed to be making a loss by its current management and which its previous owners knew to be in need of replacement as long ago as 2008?
"Abbeyfield Scotland Limited told us previously that only our group has expressed interest during the consultation period that ends today. This may mean that the board wish our community to start a fundraising campaign to buy back a house which the community owned and ran until seven years ago, and which was merged with Abbeyfield Scotland Limited at zero cost.
"We will open negotiations with Abbeyfield Scotland Limited with a view to doing our utmost to persuade them otherwise."
Abbeyfield House was run as a community facility by local volunteers for 30 years before being handed over free of charge to Abbeyfield in 2008.
Through detailed study of the accounts and running costs, BISL believes that under sympathetic local voluntary management, expenses could be substantially reduced and the house could be run to break even.
They point out however that the BISL longer-term plan would be to replace the house with 16 supported living units.
