Internal Upgrades for Bede Court Residents

Bede Court has undertaken a series of upgrades to improve facilities for residents.

Bede Court is an independent living residency for 60 years and over based at Cullercoats, North Shields. The development, which Kingston has managed since 2012, consists of 42 apartments and an on-site House Manager. In the last year, a number of upgrades have been carried out to improve the communal lounge, corridor lighting and laundry room.

Communal lounge

The biggest project took place on the ground floor communal area. This space was originally open plan consisting of a lounge area alongside a corridor that leads from the front entrance. In an exposed area with residents coming and going, there was little privacy during meetings, social activities, and visits from family and friends, and it was also difficult to prevent heat from escaping out the front door during winter. All these factors generally deterred residents from using the lounge.

In May 2023, a new wall with a window and connecting door was installed to separate the lounge from the hallway. This has created a more private and much cosier space for residents, who now feel they have a comfortable setting to socialise with their neighbours and enjoy weekly coffee mornings and drinks evenings.

The work was carried out by Asbury Ltd, who displayed patience while ensuring as little disruption as possible to the everyday lives of residents.

Motion senor lights

The lights in all communal corridors, the bin store area and laundry room have been upgraded to motion sensor lights. In total, 42 circular lights were supplied and fitted by Wylam Electrical Ltd, replacing the previous lights that were using electricity 24 hours a day. Having motion sensor lights will save approximately 700 units of electricity each month, and it is estimated that this saving will outweigh the initial outlay and be reflected in overall bills within three years.

Laundry room

Bede Court residents have greater access to laundry facilities after the platform length was extended to house additional machines. There are now three washing machines and three dryers, which will help to satisfy demand and reduce disruption when there is an out of order machine.

Credit goes to Marie Davison and Diane Pattison, Property Manager and House Manager for Bede Court, who have worked for the last year to ensure these improvements were carried out to the highest standard and within budget by liaising with the Directors of the Residents Management Company, obtaining and approving quotes, and making arrangements with contractors.

Looking ahead to further improvements at Bede Court, an internal redecoration project is being planned for 2024.