The doors of Monken Hadley residential care home closed for the last time after a two-year campaign to keep them open.

After months of uncertainty, the few remaining elderly residents were last week moved to new accommodation from the home on Broad Road, Bocking.

Roger Sinden, residential homes manager for Essex County Council, said: "The building didn't keep pace with the changing needs of older people.

"As far as Monken Hadley is concerned, there were never any concerns about the quality of care but the building falls badly below the required standards. There is no passenger lift, only seven single rooms and 11 double rooms and most older people require and deserve single rooms."

Mr Sinden added: "Happily, the 18 residents have all now been settled in new accommodation, nine of whom have remained in Essex County Council homes. We can also confirm all the staff have been offered alternative employment of their choice, there have been no redundancies."

Essex County Council announced it was selling off 33 of its old peoples care homes, including Monken Hadley, in August 1998.

An estimated £600,000 was needed to bring Monken Hadley up to Government care home standards and no prospective buyer came forward.

Veteran campaigner Phyllis Webb , of Braintree, who lobbied hard for the residential home to stay open, said: "It's weird it's closing after all our campaigning. We thought we'd saved it back in 1998 but we were wrong. It's very sad."

A decision will now be made by the county social services directorate if the building is surplus to requirements and if it is to be sold off.

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