Champagne on tap for residents and their families at recently-opened care home

Portsdown View, in Bedhampton, has launched a unique partnership with leading French champagne house, Lanson.

The collaboration is an industry-first for the elderly care sector, with no other home in the UK currently offering a service like it.

Like other luxury amenities at the home, it will be provided on an unlimited basis as part of an all-inclusive fee, with no extra charges.

Residents also enjoy a beauty spa, a cinema, fine-dining room, a bistro and access to a chauffeur-driven Mercedes.

Parent company Connaught Care Group, which opened Portsdown View in June of this year, hopes such ‘luxury initiatives’ will help lay the foundation for a bold new approach to elderly care.

Commenting on the Lanson partnership, Connaught Group Chairman Seamus Halton said: “This is a groundbreaking partnership with a brand, like ours, that epitomises elegance, luxury and authenticity.

"When we opened Portsdown View, our vision was to create a 5 star hotel with the added bonus of full-time care.

"We are aiming to redefine the art of luxury and well-being in later life.

"Services like champagne, fine dining and spa treatments are an important part of that offering.

"Our message is simple: entering a home should be an exciting new chapter of life. That’s why going above and beyond the basic necessities of care is so crucial and ensures the residents Live a Life More Extraordinary.”

By including residents’ families and guests in the champagne deal, the company also wants to encourage a broader understanding of a home’s duty of care – covering not just residents, but their whole support network as well.

Mr Halton added: “Our customers are not just our residents: we regard their families and friends as our customers too. Their happiness is just as important to us.

"We feel our duty of care extends beyond our residents to everyone who cares for and supports them.”

Founded in 1760, Lanson is the fourth oldest champagne house in the world and an official supplier of champagne to the British Royal Family. The coat of arms of Elizabeth II is depicted on each bottle.

Connaught is also committed to hiring and retaining 25% more on-duty staff than its competitors, and to paying the highest salaries available in the marketplace.

UK Managing Director of Champagne Lanson, Robert Rand, said: "Over our 260-year history, Champagne Lanson has supplied our cuvées to all kinds of customers around the world.

"Nevertheless, partnering with Connaught Care is something none of us would have envisaged. Quite simply, nothing like this has ever been done before."

The two cuvée which will be available to residents under the partnership are Lanson Le Black Création 257, and Lanson Le Rosé.

Connaught are planning to open six more care homes in 2024, including one in Chichester.