Big Braw Community: Reprieve for lifeline facility after Post campaign efforts

A world-leading scheme on how to better look after the elderly is to get a reprieve after our Big Braw Community campaign exposed plans to close it down.

Hundreds were devastated to be told of plans to close the community cafe at the Rosemount Gardens assisted living scheme in Bathgate to cut budgets by just £136,000.

But following our campaign, West Lothian Integrated Joint Board have now decided to re-think their plans and will look again at ways of keeping open a facility, described as the “beating heart and soul” of the complex.

Adam Stachura, Age Scotland’s policy director, said: “The community cafe had been Rosemount’s beating heart, providing good food and vital opportunities for residents to connect with others, tackling loneliness. Age Scotland believe there should far more places like this across Scotland for older people to live because of the benefits gained by drawing people together into a proper community where nobody needs to feel lonely or isolated.

“We are delighted officials will now look again at ways the cafe can be retained. It would have been extremely shortsighted to cut away this important service which had such a positive impact on the quality of life of the older people who live at Rosemount.”

Last week West Lothian Integrated Joint Board said: “We agreed to postpone the planned closure of the cafe and allow for further targeted engagement with tenants and community groups to take place. An update will be presented in August before a further decision is made.”

Jackie McKenzie of Rosemount’s tenants’ association said the closure plans had been a “devastating blow”.

She said: “If the cafe is permanently closed, Rosemount will become a shell. The authority have either not thought things through, or they simply don’t care about the older people who live here.

“It is a meeting place where we go day and night, and for those of us who can’t get out and about, it is a vital lifeline. People will end up in care homes if they take away our cafe, and that would cost far more than any supposed savings.”

Local MSP Fiona Hyslop is delighted by the reprieve and thanked The Sunday Post and the Big Braw Community partner Age Scotland as well as local councillors and campaigners.

She said: “Having met with the action group and residents, it was immediately evident that Rosemount Gardens Cafe is a vital social hub that supports the wellbeing, independence, and community integration of both residents and non-residents alike.

“Whilst this pause is welcome, there must now be a full and considered consultation to find meaningful solutions to ensure this important community asset remains fully open.”