Care home opens pub called the ‘Hip Joint’

A care home in Fife has decided to provide its residents with a local, and has turned a summer house in its grounds into a makeshift pub called the Hip Joint.

As reported by the Courier, the care home operator, Kingdom Homes, revealed that the pub at its Willow House site was the first in its portfolio.

Based in Cellardyke, the Hip Joint will give residents the chance to experience a pub atmosphere in a safe environment with staff supervising at all times.

The facility opened during the care home’s summer fete and has received donations both from the families of residents, staff and even one of the other local pubs.

Speaking to the Courier, Kingdom Homes’ Elaine Allan said: “We just thought they would like to have their own little pub. The idea is that this will give them a bit of independence.

“Staff will be with them when they visit. We have been very lucky in that family and staff had helped and donated things for the pub – one of the local pubs even gave us some bits and pieces”.

Explaining how they decided on the name, Allan told the Courier: “The activity coordinator was having a wee chat with some of the residents and they just thought it was appropriate, as a lot of people have problems with their hips and because of the other meaning of being hip”. She hinted that opening a bar in the group’s other care homes could now be an option.

The care home operator oversees 12 sites in the Fife area with sites in Crossgates, Kirkcaldy, Auchtertool, Cardenden, Glenrothes, Falkland, Cowdenbeath and Leven.