Residents from multiple housing units in Cheam Village are facing the closure of their beloved communal lounge at Bethell Court, a space cherished for social activities like bingo and knitting. Southern Housing plans to convert it into a foyer and lobby, sparking significant discontent among the elderly residents. They express heartbreak and fear of isolation, particularly as many depend on this socialization to combat loneliness. The residents argue the decision was made without transparency and assert they have been wrongfully deprived of their communal space.
'I've had to see elderly people cry, and I cried myself when I heard what they'd be doing. They took all our activities away.'
'They come to the bingo and all the functions, and they love it because it gets them out of their four walls.'
'This particular room was never a foyer and has always been a communal lounge and has called the plans illegal.'
'One of our other residents had me in tears when I heard her say you're going to shut me in a room all on my own.'
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