A NEW £8m care home for dementia sufferers has opened in Winchester.

St Catherine’s View in Stanmore Lane stands on the site of the former Stanmore Hotel pub.

It has been opened by Colten Care and employs around 80 staff including mental health nurses and specialist carers.

All employees, regardless of their role, tackle a dementia care course to understand the condition and deliver the best possible care.

The team will be led by Anne-Marie Medd, who has nearly 30 years’ experience in the sector.

The home itself has 56 en-suite bedrooms along with themed activity rooms for memory work, arts and crafts.

The activities, often tackled in groups of up to 15, aim to help residents to retain practical life skills for as long as possible.

Figures from the Alzheimer’s Society suggest that there are nearly 800,000 people with dementia in the UK.

The society is predicting that up to one in three people could suffer with it in the future once aged over 65.

St Catherine’s View also has landscaped grounds including a wildlife hide, swing, sensory gardens and a bright red ornamental tractor.

The home was officially opened by the Mayor of Winchester, Cllr Barry Lipscomb, last Wednesday (May 9).

Colten Care had to fight a lengthy planning battle to secure permission to open the new care home.

Regulars at the Stanmore Hotel, which it replaced, organised a vocal campaign to save their local.

However, planning permission was granted and the last pints were served at the pub three years ago.