Construction of Springwood Corner Care Home, built in place of Ascot Arms pub in Gravesend, progressing well

Gravesend: A new care home is on the way, taking the place of the old Ascot Arms pub. It’s expected to open its doors later this year, which is pretty exciting.

Construction is moving along nicely. They’re building a three-storey, 62-bed facility right at the corner of Central Avenue and Ascot Road. The goal is to have it ready by summer.

Remember the Ascot Arms? It was a popular spot until it was torn down in April 2023. David Beattie, the local councillor, watched it go and reminisced about the good times there. He said it was like the British version of Cheers, where everyone knew each other.

That pub had a lot of memories for folks. Cllr Beattie mentioned he made many friends there over the years. It’s a shame to see it go, but the new care home is a step forward.

In November 2023, they closed Ascot Road at the junction with Central Avenue for about 67 weeks to kick off the construction. It’s set to reopen next month, on February 11.

Last month, photos of the site showed that the building is almost done. Scaffolding is still up in some areas, but you can see the new Springwood Corner Care Home taking shape.

A spokesperson from Avery Healthcare said everything is going well with the construction. They’re excited to serve the Gravesend community with this new facility.

Once open, the care home will provide residential, dementia, and respite care for the elderly. Plus, there will be some nice amenities like a salon, therapy room, cinema, and activities room.

Plans to replace the pub with the care home were approved by the Gravesham council back in July 2022. They recognized that while losing a pub is tough, it just wasn’t viable to keep it open anymore.

The Ascot Arms had a long history, dating back to 1932 when it was known as the Central Avenue Hotel before changing its name in 2001. It’s a new chapter for the site, and hopefully, the care home will bring a lot of joy to the community.