ALL hope has been lost in the battle to save the care homes, according to Stephen Bate from CARE (The Caring Alliance for the Rest home Elderly).

Most of the residents at Warren Manor have agreed to leave their council-owned accommodation and move into private care homes, spelling the end for a long fight to save the residents and staff from being forced out.

Warren Manor, pictured here, was the last stronghold with Whitegate Manor and Lowmoor Manor having already closed and furniture and fittings removed.

But the staff and residents at all of the homes have now lost the will to continue the battle, according to Mr Bate.

Last week we revealed how residents at Warren Manor, on Warren Drive, Blackpool, were refusing to move out of their home, demanding the council serve them eviction notices before they would go.

But Mr Bate has told The Citizen that within a day of the council learning that our reporter had been at the home talking to residents and taking photographs, a team of social service workers descended on Warren Manor to "persuade" residents to leave.

"These social service people are used to dealing with very different situations," said Mr Bate.

"They sat with the residents -- some of these people are 80 years plus -- and said to them 'You can go to this private home or that private home' and 'You can move either before or after Christmas, but wouldn't it be better to move before?'

"They were ruthless but effective. The residents had no advocates with them -- their relatives were not invited along.

"They thought they would be out on the street for Christmas if they did not agree to go where social services said they should go.

"And as soon as two or three are persuaded, the other residents don't want to be left there on their own and they all slowly agree to go." But director of social services Steve Pullen laughed off suggestions that social service teams were using bullying tactics, saying this was part of a standard process by social services.

"This is not some form of specialist team, but social services staff who are there to give the residents information," he said.

"Obviously there has been a feeling that something could be done to save the homes which hasn't come about and I can understand that some people are feeling a bit distressed.

"This is not a question of winning or losing as far as we are concerned -- it is far more important and sensitive than that.

"We have always been interested in the welfare of the residents at these homes.

"The senior members of staff here and I put in a lot of time and effort into giving the co-operative a chance.

"We are not blaming anybody, but the co-operative was unable to come forward and demonstrate they could take over the running of the homes within the time scale which we both agreed on in the initial meetings."

The council is now reviewing its position as to what to do with the empty buildings, but says its main priority is re-homing the residents.

IT was at the end of June when Blackpool Borough Council announced plans to close six of its eight residential care homes.

The Citizen embarked on a campaign to fight for the elderly residents and staff at these homes.

Of the two homes not earmarked for closure, Stratford House has remained open with very little change in its operation, and Hoyle House will see a slow change to residents who have special care needs.

Two of the houses due for closure, Cherry Tree House and Ashfield House are to remain under council control, but dramatic restructuring of the staff has already taken place.

Of the four homes which the co-operative offered to take over, Lowmoor is now closed and Whitegate Manor closed very recently. Both Kippling Manor and Warren Manor still have a small number of residents but both are expected to close before Christmas.