Care home boss speaks out after Shropshire business went into voluntary liquidation

Kenneth Andal has appealed for the public's understanding as the business behind Caradoc House care home, in Little Stretton, and Keegan's Court, in Bishop's Castle, is relaunched.

Caradoc House Care Services Limited, in Little Stretton, went into liquidation owing creditors £339,000

Mr Andal said he has seen criticisms online and says all he wants to do is care for people.

He says the business "had a really bad spell during Covid" and has also lost money with various suppliers. This then he said created problems with poor reports from the CQC and with Shropshire Council re-housing eight clients.

Caradoc House care home, in Ludlow Road, is a leased property and remains registered with the Care Quality Commission even though the business is being wound up.

Mr Andal has created another company and says it has the support of financial backers to keep the business going under a new name.

Mr Andal, aged 49, came to the UK from the Philippines as a registered nurse in 2005 and worked as a care assistant, midwife and chef while building up his company.

"We really had a bad spell and did not have a chance to recover during Covid," said Mr Andal.

"Moving forward we have done a restructuring of the company at Caradoc House and Keegan's Court, in Bishop's Castle, and I have set up a new company in partnership with financial backers.

"We are now doing some thorough cleaning and maintenance as well as a major refurbishment," he added.

"I have been working in care for a long time," he said. "But sometimes you need a solicitor when you are dealing with people.

"Shropshire is our county and I am looking forward to being able to care for people."

Shropshire Council took eight clients out of Caradoc House and re-settled them elsewhere following the problems there.

But Mr Andal hopes to be able to work with the council again in the future.

"I have been looking after the residents for so many years, it is a joy for me to look after them," he added.

"We are in the final stages of an agreement. I am a caring person and caring is my whole life," said the married father of four.

"I have felt very sad about it because caring is my life."

Mr Andal said he has come across criticisms online and said: "We are giving them proper care, criticisms are not a good way of helping us.

"We also helped people dealing with Covid. We are not asking for a favour but people do not realise how difficult it was during two years of Covid.

"The reason we are doing this is to give back into Shropshire - we never want to stop helping the county and the elderly."

Insolvency practitioner Philip Booth of Booth & Co, in Ossett, Wakefield, was appointed to deal with the liquidation earlier this year. His role will be to sell the company's assets on behalf of creditors.