RESIDENTS have spent their first Christmas at the new-look New Bradley Hall in Kingswinford.

The new care home, run by Black Country Housing Group, was officially opened by the Lord Lieutenant of the West Midlands, John Crabtree OBE, last month.

The Lord Lieutenant unveiled a plaque at the celebratory event and said it was a “real privilege to be asked to open New Bradley Hall” which was a whisker away from being closed before Dudley Council agreed an innovative transfer deal with Black Country Housing Group in February 2015.

The deal saved the jobs of staff and meant residents were able to stay at the popular care home while construction took place to build a new state-of-the-art facility on the site.

Designed to meet the needs of older people with dementia - the new home includes 66 bedrooms equipped with ensuite wet room and a flat screen TV, refrigerator, telephone and WiFi.

The home itself also boasts an in-house cinema, cafe and a hairdressers - and the grounds include sensory gardens with outdoor seating for residents and their guests.

Councillor John Martin, Dudley Council’s cabinet member for adult social care, added: “I’m delighted that New Bradley Hall continues to offer people a warm and welcoming home. It has been a long journey to this point, but right at the start we made our ambitions very clear that we wanted to retain a home on that site. Black Country Housing Group have done an incredible job, sharing our vision to put the people first when making big decisions.”

Amanda Tomlinson, chief executive of Black Country Housing Group, said the opening of the brand new New Bradley Hall marked a “very special milestone for BCHG and for care and support services in the local community”.