CARE home bosses say they have no option but to close its doors permanently after a drop in demand.

But bosses at the Ghyll Grove home, in Basildon, insist that they will remain open until all residents have found another care placement.

HC-One, which owns the care home said the decision to close had “not been taken lightly” but the “demand for this type of service” prompted the decision to withdraw services in the area.

A spokesman for HC-One care home company said: “We regret to confirm that Ghyll Grove care home will be closing.

“This decision has not been taken lightly.

“We recognise the changing care needs of the country, including the growing demand for more complex care and dementia care, and we want to best meet these evolving needs by focusing and investing where we can have the greatest impact.”

Ghyll Grove care home bosses insisted their priority is the safety of their residents while the home remains open.

The spokesman for the care home added: “As such, for the time being, the home will continue to be part of the HC-One family and it will business as usual for day-to-day life.

“No resident will be required to move before they have found another care placement and we will be working closely with residents, their loved ones and local health and social care partners to ensure this process goes smoothly.

“Our staff are part of our family and we want to look after them.”

Bosses at the care home company also stressed they would be supporting staff who are affected by the decision to close the home.

The spokesman said: “Our human resources team will be supporting them fully throughout this process and a formal consultation process will be launched with staff and their representatives where they can give their views.

Basildon Council deputy leader, Independent councillor Kerry Smith, said his heart went out to residents affected by the closure.

He said: “Obviously in this current climate my heart goes out to the residents of the care home who are going to have to go to a different care home.

“It’s going to be a very stressful situation for them having to go to a different care home, with different stuff and a different environment.”