A WOMAN who campaigned to save a Petersfield care home says plans to close the day care centre associated with it are a notice of intent.

In 2013, Dilys Lownsborough collected thousands of signatures on a petition asking Hampshire County Council (HCC) not to close Bulmer House care home.

But in 2014 the home for those with dementia closed, and now the council wants to shut the Ramscote day care centre, also on the site.

In the consultation document asking for the views of Petersfield residents it says: “the council is proposing to close the day care service.”

Mrs Lownsborough, of Bell Hill, said: “This would appear to be a notification of intent rather than a consultation.

“I am reminded that thousands of signatures in favour of Bulmer House were discounted as a reason for it to stay open.”

Consultation papers say an Extra Care home with facilities that ‘could’ be used for day services may be built there, once the unused Bulmer House is demolished.

Mrs Lownsborough said: “I don’t think the centre should close.

“It cannot be certain that the suggested alternatives may ever happen.”

The council says it is due to lose £140m in government funding by April 2018 and cuts are inevitable. It also says fewer people are using Ramscote, instead preferring to be cared for at home.

But Mrs Lownsborough, and a centre volunteer who was told last year his services were no longer needed, say reducing centre services has driven people away.

The council admits that at present no developers have signed up to build an Extra Care complex for elderly people on the site.

It was also suggested by county councillor for Petersfield Russell Oppenheimer that the Bulmer House site is one of only a handful in the town suitable for a hotel.

A council spokesman said it is important the views of centre users, relatives, their carers and residents are considered

The online consultation is on the website at: www.hants.gov.uk/about thecouncil/haveyoursay/consultations/bulmerhouse mastershouse or e-mail the council at AS.Consultation@ hants.gov.uk or call 01962 847267.