Hadrian Healthcare has revealed plans to build more luxury care homes around the UK – a week after sealing a deal to sell five properties for more than £100m.
Ian Watson, founder and chairman of Gateshead’s Hadrian Healthcare, last week signed a record-breaking deal which led to five homes under the Manor House brand being acquired by a fund managed by insurance giant Aviva.
The five homes across Yorkshire and County Durham provide a total of 382 en-suite rooms for older people, including older people with dementia, and will now be operated by Anchor Hanover.
The Manor House homes have gained a strong reputation in the industry for offering exceptional health care for older people alongside service levels usually found in plush hotels, including wellness lodges with hydrotherapy pools, bistro cafes, cinemas, hair and beauty salons, in-house chefs, chauffeurs and immaculate gardens.
The significant deal – the largest completed in the North East this year – marks the fourth completed in the last 16 years by Mr Watson, who has retained two of the Manor House homes in Gosforth and Gateshead.
He says he will now focus on how to take the care homes to the next level – and has already identified areas where the next homes could be built.
Mr Watson will, however, take some time out to fully research the firm’s next steps before construction gets under way.
He said: “I’m going to take a bit of a breather and continue researching ideas – but we have already identified places in the South and North West where we can do some really innovative working in everything from early stages of independent living right through to higher dependency care.
“We’ve got some exciting ideas on assisted living and have ideas for projects we think could bring exciting opportunities into retirement and assisted living.”
Mr Watson said the research is ongoing and explores care provision all over the globe.
“Jas (Gill) is the managing director of the company and without his professionalism and commitment to quality we couldn’t begin to do things going forward,” he said.
“As chairman I’m able to sit back and take a more strategic view. I’m always looking at ideas, neurological studies and opinions on best ways to provide care and stimulation.
“I read publications from America, for example, where they do a lot of retirement elderly care, but which I don’t think would necessarily export here.
“American companies will think nothing of building an elderly care village in the middle of nowhere, but when you get to a point in life where you are not as active, you want to feel connected to the community, that’s always been our philosophy.
“If you can create a very special environment and people cam enjoy a very high standard of care but feel very connected to the institutions in the cimmunity that the perfect scenario.”
