A CARE home in Southend celebrated the grand opening of a new cafe. Whittingham House in Whittingham Avenue opened a brand new cafe as part of a range of huge changes being undertaken at the home.

Representatives from Southend Council and Essex County Council were in attendance for the launch event. The care home offers care for elderly people and sufferers of dementia.

Based in the centre of the town, the home’s care staff takes its residents on regular trips to the seaside during the summer. Ahead of the cafe’s opening, a spokesman for Strathmore, owners of the care home, said: “I am happy to announce that Whittingham House is currently undergoing significant changes and we are ready to open our brand new cafe shop.”